The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-01-29
NAMES MUDDLE.
Positive Proof of the Attempted Bribery.
Representative Swann's Statement A Dis
graceful Exhibit of Republican HIethods-
RIaiu. Tr,,rItc,+.<5

graceful Exhibit of Republican Methods
Blaine Implicated
[Augusta (Me) Telegram to Chicago Times.l
The most important matter before the Maine
House was the statement Of four members that
they had been offered bribes by agents Of the
Republican party if they would refuse to servs
IS members Of the House and sign document
denouncing the action of the Governor
and Council. Immediately after the read
ing Of the journal Mr.. Thomas B. Swami,
member from Minot, in Androscoggin county,
rose to question of privilege, and addressed
the House. Mr.. Swami is a young lawyer,
member of the Androscoggin bar, and is highly
respected by all who know him IS an honors-
BILE and conscientious man, who would do moth
ing contrary to the dictates of right and Justice
He clearly defined his position In regard to the
case of bribery, in which he acted an fmpor-
tant part Few spectators were present dur
Republican politicians present, who were
astonissed by the charges preferred
by Mr.. Swami. When he announced the name
of the man who paid him the money the still
ness of death reigned. Men looked at each
other IN blank amazement, and mentally asked
the question: @Can such q state of things
exist In the law-abiding State OF Maine, or is
this man simply telling story for partisan
effect?" But Mr.. Swann's open, honest face;
his plain, convincing language, created an i'm
preston strongly In his favor. Following is
the text of Mr.. Swann's speech:
The press of the Republican party makes
charges against me rejecting upon my honor
and integrity in relation to matters connected
with my position as q member OF this House.
refer to the attempt to bribe me by an agent
Of the Republican party. will briefly refer
| to the main facts connected with this affair: /
came from my home to this city, Saturday,
| Jan 5. On Monday following rumors were
| afloat that men had been offered money to abb
sent themselves from the House Of Repreeen-
tatives, so that no quorum would be presant
on the first Wednesday In January. Later In
the evening of Jan. 8 reliable person, who is
now member Of this HOUSE, informed me that
Wallace r White, OF Winthrop, had called
upon him and offered him 81 900 In cash to
| deliver mp his certificate and resign as . MEM
ber of the House, which he had refused to
accept and that said White informed him that
he wanted three more men to resign, and re-
quested him 70 see ma--Upen thia information
found Hon. E. H. Cove, Secretary of State.
| and told hum what knew about the mat
ter. Cove and myself then went out and
found Solon Chase. In their presence I
hastily drew and signed an affidavit en-
bodying my statement of the bribery. then
4 wen. and requested the gentleman who had
been offered the 81, 900 to see White IN the
morning, and inform him that would resign
for 81 900. He saw White next morning White
sent back request for me to meet him at The
| Court House at 1890. q. m. went there at
about that time and met White, who took me
| up stairs into Q corner room. He then showed
me statement, as follows:
l AUGUSTA, Jan. 6, 1880.
To the Chairman of the Democratic and Greenback
| Caucus;
| After m ature feliberation have concluded that
1t is my duty citizen to obey the laws as they
are construed and decided by the Supreme Judicial
Court cannot, therefore, lend my aid to keeping
out of their seats Republican Rerres.
thereto. therefore give public notice that win
not participate in the organization of the House,
being fairly and fully determined to obey the
mandate of the court. To resist that mandate Is
revo ution destructive both to my party and great
interests Of the ssae z9adts A B: swAsE " NM.
statement like ii, and sign the same; alse
sign the resignation, and deliver up my certif-
cate to him. He said they should not want TO
use the resignation, but wanted It to show thai
acted in good faith, and that after the House
was organized could take my seat, and thai
the Republicans would put me upon important
committees. I informed him that would Gign
the paper, and he said that he had to 60 and
get the money. Hs left the room, and re-
turned in about twenty minutes, and said L
was all right He then read to me and signed
{ In my own hand letters to the Chairmen oi
, the Democratic and Greenback committees
He also read resignation, which copied
into nv pocket We then counted the money
and found it correct then tigned the papers
and took the money. He said he wanted some
more men, and wanted to know If ! knew o
any he could get told him thought hs
could get Hartman, of Kennebunk He toli
me to see him, and come with him at 1:30.
then left and called at the Augusta House L
see If I could find Hartman, but did not fni
him. ! then went to the State House ani
found e. 81. Cove, and made the following
, statement:
l I. Thomas D. Swami, In the presence Of Hon
solon Chase and Hon. E. b. Cove, make the fol
: prosched by agent Of the Republican party, 4
resign as Representative, for money. am gOini
the people the fraud and corruption of the Repub
l;can party. expect to have another party alst
, take money for the same purpose.
went to the Augusta House and found Har
, rirnan told him what had taken place, ana ~
agreed to GO with me at 1:30 and take tht
money and expose the fraud. went to m,
dinner, and then returned to the August.
D House, where l again found Hartman, ana
: not far from 2 o'clock, we went toward tn.
q Court House. Before We reached it I showet
q went into the building and SO did Har
g riman. As I passed by the Court Hous
White stuck his head out Of the window o
a the same corner room and motioned tonne
and I answered the motion with nod OF M
head. then went to the Granite Nationa
e Bank, taking the money which White had pai
o me. and bought this draft on Boston. d
4 not claim this money, and it is subject to tn
order of the person who furnished H.
IN the presence of the members Of thi
House solemnly assert that, as true as ther
]. is q God that controls the destinies OF men an
of nations, Wallacs r. White paid me at To
d Court House, in this city, the sum OF 81 ,OU
with tho intention on his part to Eribe me fror
q taking my seat in the House. The wor
by which I exposed this plot was ne
:, Of kind that craved to do, but whe
e knew that it was the intention OF the leadel
). OF the Republican party, by bribery more dar
II and dsmnable than was ever recorded upo
the pages Of history, to defeat the organizatic
l. ment, I considered it to be my duty to do 81
is erything which laid in my power to expose tn
" great crime of crimes Whether / did right {
: wrong is for you to determine, and ask tn
committee may be appointed at once to II
n vestgate this matter.
20 After the conclusion of Swann's rennarl
Le Moses Hartman, of Kennebunk Port fol
\ county, made his statement, corroborating e.
is proof the identical roll Of bills, q, 500, viii.
q. he received from Wallace r. White, the san
4 man who paid Swami, the House applaudiu
10 The Speaker called for order, declaring sut
- shameful story ought not to be 20 receive
ot In an impressive manner Hartman called up'
re God to witness the truth Of his statement
re to the facts and his intentions when receivil
a the money.
le James R. Clark. member from Noblebor
q said that he was offered by an agent Of Z
:, Republican party the sum Of 81, 600 In mon
" and position under the United States Cover
!. ment, and the place for another also at his d
posal, If he would return his certificate Q
publish q card denouncing the action of
Governor and Council He refused the OF
r with contempt
:. Mr.. Alfred Cushman, Of Sherman, stated
III fact that he had likewise been offered q bri
r. if he would leave Augusta and go to his hol
rd before the organization of the Legislature.
= is understood that as many as four more ca
are known and will be developed before
Us investigating committee, which has been {
lis pointed ana viii proceed at once to an inves
lg CATION. The proofs, it is alleged by the
h. sionists, are convincing and complete, and i
ba asserted that two United States Senators '
ne be implicated before the matter is ended
%, Republican. politicians here say Swami