The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-01-16
THE MAINE MuSS.
REPUBLICANS ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE
| LEGISLATURE by BRIBERY.

been selected to FIJI his place, on account of
the cordition of affairs in the Legislature,
andlGeneral Chamberlain therefore issued
an order stating that he would assume con.
troll of the state until Governor could be
elected. The police force at the State House
was changed. At the session of the Legis
lature on the 9TH Thomas b. Swan, of Min.
ot, rose and readla statement that 81 900 had
teen paid him not to appear at the organiza-
tion of the Legislature. He stated that the
money had been paid him by Wallace r.
White, of Winthrop, and that he Swan
should not claim it. Mr. Hartman, of Ken
nebunk, testified that the same offer had been
made him by Mr.. White. lie displayed the
roll of bills he had received. The following
is Swans statement:
The press of the Republican party makes
charges against me, rejecting upon my hon
or and integrity in relation to matters con-
nected with my position as a member of this
House. refer to the attempt TO bribe me
by an agent of the Republican party. will
pi'Shy otatc tnc uIalu ldCts connected WIFI
this affair. | came from my house to this
city on Saturday, January 8 On the Mon.
DAY following rumors were ahoat that men
had been offered money to absent themselves
from the House of Representatives, so that
no quorum would be present on the first
Wednesday of January. Late in the even.
ing of January5 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 up his certificate and re.
sign as member of the House, which he
had refused to accept, and that said White
informed him that he wanted three more
men to resign, and requested him to see
me.
Upon this information went at once to
Augusta House and found Hon. f. H. Cove,
Secretary of State, and told him what |
knew about the matter. Mr. Cove and
myself then went out and found Hon. Solon
Chase. In their presence hastily drew and
signed an affidavit embodying my statement
of the bribery. His affidavit was sent on
Tuesday night. l then went and requested
the gentleman who had been offered the ST..
600 to see Mr.. White in the morning and
informed him that l would resign for ST.
600. He saw Mr.. White the next morning.
Mr.. White sent back request for me to
meet him at the Court House at 1890 a. m.
| went there at about that time and met
White, who took me up stairs into corner
room. He then showed me a statement, as
follows:
AUGUSTA, Jan. 6, 1880.
10 the Chairman Of the Democratic aud
Greenback Committee.
After mature deliberation / have conclud-
ed that it is my duty as a citizen to obey the
laws AS they are construed and decided BY
the Supreme Judicial Court. | cannot there
fore lend my aid to keeping out of their seats
the Republican Representatives-elect whom
the Supreme Court has declared entitled
thereto. therefore give public notice that
will not participate in the organization of
the House, being fairly and fully determined
to obey the mandate of the Court. To re-
slst that mandate is revolution, destructive
both to my party and the great interests, of
the State.
THOMAS B. SWAN.
He informed me that l should have to
write statement like it and sign the same;
also, sign resignation and deliver up my
certificate to him. He said they should not
want to use the resignation, but wanted it
to show that / 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. informed him
that would sign the papers and he said that
ne had to go and get the money, as he did
not bring it, 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 resignation, which | copied. |
then put said papers, without my signature,
into my pocket We then counted the mon
ny and found it correct | then signed the
papers and took the money. He said he
wanted some more men and wanted to know
of any he could get told him thought
he could get Hartman, of Kennebunk.
lie told me to see him and come with him
1t half-past one O'Clock. | then left and
called into the Augusta House to see if
could find Hartman, but did not find him.
went directly to the State House and found
ID. Cove and made the following state
nent:
Il, Thomas B. Swan, in the presence of
Hen. Solon Chase and Hon. f. II. Cove.
make the following statement l have this
lay been approached by an agent of the
republican party 10 resign as a Represen-
alive, for money. l am going to take the
money to morrow and thus show to the peo.
'le the fraud aud corruption of the Repub.
ican party. | expect to have another party
lso take money for the same purpose.
THOMAS b. SWAN"
went to the House and found Hartman. |
told him what had taken place and he
3 'eNN w 81 WIN iut NJ LOU ana take the |
loney and expose the fraud. went to nv
inner and then returned to the Augusta
louse, where again found Hartman, and
ot far from two O'Clock we went toward the
'ourt House. Before we reached it / showed
i'm White standing upon the platform.
White went into the building and SO did
larriam. As | passed by the Court House
White stuck his head out of the window of
lie same corner room and motioned to me. |
nswered the motion with nod of nv
cad. then went to the Granite National
ank, taking the money which White had
aid me, and bought draft on Boston. |
0 not claim this money and it is subject to
le order of the person who furnished it.
At one time the Republicans had the ad
antage, the Supreme Court having decided
their favor but in attempting to control
lie legislature by means of their favorite
ethods, fraud and bribery, they have for