Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-01-10
BLAINE'S BRIBERY.
DETAILS OF THE TRANSACTION.

BLAINE'S BRIBERY.
DETAILS OF THE TRANSACTION.
AUGUSTA, Jan. 9.-The statement by
Swami in the House to day relative to the
attempt to bribe him is as follows The
press of the Republican party makes charges
against me rejecting upon nay honor and
integrity in relation to matters connected
with my position as member of this House.
I refer to the attempt to bride me by an
agent of the Republican party. will briefly
state the main facts connected with this af-
fair. I came from my home to this city on
Saturday, January Sd. On Monday follow
ing rumors were af1oat that men had been
offered money to absent themselves from the
House of Representatives 30 that no quorum
would be present on the first Wednesday in
January. Later in the evening, January 8,
reliable person who is now member of
this House, informed me that
WALLACE A. WHITE,
of Winthrop, had called upon him and Of
fered him ST. ZOO in cash to deliver up his
certificate and resign as a member of the
House, which he had refused to accept, and
that the said White informed him that he
wanted three more men to resign, and re-
quested him to see me. On this information
l went at once to the Augusta house, and
found Hon. E. II. Cove, secretary of State,
and told him what knew about the matter.
Cove and myself then went out and found
Scion Chase. In their presence hastily drew
and signed an affidavit embodying my state
ment of bribery. The affidavit was sent
Tuesday night. then went and requested
the gentleman who had been offered the ST.
600 to see White in the morning and inform
him that would resign for 81 900. He saw
White the next day. The next morning
White sent back q request for me to meet
him at the court house at 1870 A. NJ. went
there at about that time and met White, who
took me up stairs into corner room. He
then showed me statement, as follows:
STATEMENT SIGNED.
AUGUSTA Jan. 9th, 1SS0.-To the Chairman
of the Democratic and Greenback Caucus:
After mature deliberation, I have concluded
that it is my duty citizen to obey the laws
as they are construed and decided by the SUI
preme judicial court. cannot, therefore, lend
my aid to keeping out of their seats the Re
publican Representatives-elect whom the SUI
preme court has declared entitled thereto.
therefore give public notice that will not par
tcipate in the organization of the House, be-
ing fairly and fully determined TO obey the
mandate of the court. To resist that mandate
is revolution destructive both to my party and
the great interests of the State.
(Sigued) THOMAS b. SWAMI"
THE MONEY PAID.
He informed me that 1 should have to
write statement like it and sign the same,
also sign my resignation, and deliver up my
certificate to him. He said they should not
want to use the resignation, but wanted it to
show that l acted in good faith, and that
after the House was organized L
could take my seat, and the Republicans
would put me upon important committees
1 informed him that 1 would sign the papers,
and he said that he had to go and get the
money. He left the room, and returned
| in about twenty minutes, and said it was all
right. He then read to me, and copied in
my own hand, letters to the chairman of
the Democratic and Greenback committees.
He also read a resignation, which copied.
1 then put said papers, without any sigma
ture, into my pocket. We then counted
the money and found it correct. 1 then
signed the papers and took the money. He
said he wanted some more men, and wanted
to know if knew of any he could get.
told him 1 thought he could get Hartman,
of Kenuebuuk. BE told me to see him and
come with him at 100. 1 then left and
called at the Augusta house to see if 1 could
find Hartman, but didn't find him.
CERTIFYING TO THE FRAUD.
then went direct to the State House and
found E. b. Cove and made the following
statement:
l, Thomas B. Swami, in the presence of Hon.
Scion Chase and Hon. T.. n. Cove, made the
following statement: have this day been APP
preached by an agent of the Republican party to
resign as Republican for money. l am going
! to take the money tomorrow and thus show to
the people the fraud and corruption of the Re-
publican party. expect to have another party
also take money for the same purpose.
(Slgned) THOMAS B. SWAMI.
HARRIMANN's PART.
l then went to the Augusta house and
found Harrim ann, told him what had taken
place and he agreed to go with me at 1:30
and take money and expose the fraud. l
went to my dinner and then re turned to the
Augusta house where 1 again found Harri-
mann, and not far from 3 o'clock we reached
the court room. showed him White stand
ing on the porch. White went into the
building and so did Hartmann. As I
passed by the court house White stuck his
head out of the window of the same corner
room and motioned to me and I answered
the motion with nod of my head. 1 then
went to the Granite National Bank, taking
the money which White had paid me and
bought this draft on Boston. I do not claim
this money aud it is subject to the order of
the person who furnished it.
IMPRESSIVE EVIDENCE.
Swami was followed by Hartman, OF