The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-04-02
KELLOGG.sPOFFORD.
70 His Enemies and Charges

KELLOGG.SPOFFORD.
TO His Enemies ana Charges
WASHINGTON, March 22.-In the SEN
ate, after tile reading of the reports on
the Spofford- Kellogg case, Kellogg spoke
on the motion to print. He satd nothing
but the extraordinary circumstances ex-
listing would justify him in occupying
the time of the senate, even for few
moments. The circumstances were that
the senator from Georgia (HilD had done
the unprecedented thing OF reading his
own report and predicating his allega-
tions against him (Kellogg) upon evil
dence alleged to exist In record, but the
existence Of which he (Kellogg) denied.
Not only this, but the senator from
Georgia, before any action had been
taken by the senate in this case, declared
publicly and privately that he intended
to drive Kellogg from the senate, and
had already prejudiced the case. "He
is my judge" continued Mr.. Kellogg.
cit is the senator from Georgia, who
was chairman of the subcommittee at
New Orleans. It is the senator from
Georgia who before the committee, when
my case was being considered, in 1877,
told the committee that he would prove
that l had manipulated the returns and
had inteifered in the making of protests,
in connection with the returning board.
It was the senator from Georgia that
came on the floor of this senate and
moved to reconsider the vote on that
committees report, asserting that he had
hat IN Ii
appears in record. It was the senator
from Georgia that sent telegram to the
clerks desk to be read, dated at
New Orleans, saying: "We have dis
covered evidence that inculpates Kel-
logg in connection with the returns be-
fore the returning board "a telegram
that 1 stated in public two or three times,
and challenged contradiction, Was paid
for to the amount of $500, and that it
was false: and the fact that what the SEN
ator had said was without foundation is
evidenced by what now and here assert
in the presence of this senate, namely:
That there cannot be found in the 1900
pages of evidence taken before this COM
mittee one word showing that partici-
pated directly or indirectly in the making
of any protest, in the manipulating of
any returns, or that 1 had any direct or
indirect connection with the returning
board. 1 think that is plain enough"
Mr.. Kellogg then charged that the
committee hastily adjourned after having
taken Stokes testimony, which they re-
lied greatly upon to prove Kellogg's
guilt, without giving him opportunity to
investigate the character of the witness,
call for the effect on the country" he
said. "I will show" he continued,
"that the senator from Georgia has cut
out whole pages of evidence favorable to
me. / will show you that this public
prosecutor who boosted in q recent letter
in the Savannah Ne,0s that when he
acted as senator he always acted, not ac-
cording to his preferences, but according
to stern idea of equal justice-I will
show you what he has done to malign
me personally. will show you what he
has done to make case against me and
| forestal public opinion"
81 am charged with manipulated wit
nesses," he continued; "what is to be
said of those who set Barney Williams
up in business in little corner grocery
IN New Orleans, as everybody knows was
done? / did not believe that the malig-
nifty of the senator from Georgia would
go SO far RS to bring up the testimony
of Barney Williams and make it the
basis of large portion of his report. l
do not disguise that this matter concerns
me much more than seat in the senate.
l say what do because I think there is
q feeling for fair play in the breast of
every citizen. They despise man who
strikes a foul blow. / submit that
have some provocatlon. have sat day
after day and seen the senator from
Georgia bring up affidavits-not
afidavits, but copies of what pur-
ported to be sworn statements,
after proving by witnesses that
there was an original somewhere In ex-
istence, and that these were substantial
copies-I have seen him rule that they
be admitted in evidence against me. In
two cases I have found the man alive
and brought him up, and he swore the
statement was forgery, and proved it,
even to the satisfaction of the senator, if
anything would ever satisfy him. I will
show the senate by record-for though
they could cut out what was favorable
to me, they could not very well put any
thing against mel will show that every
affidavit admitted in New Orleans was
either forged or paid for, and pro-
duced and proved by one of the parties
to it the original contract under which
the affidavits were made and paid for"
After further reviewing the evidence,
Kellogg continued: "Since the founda-
ton of this government there never
was as foul a conspiracy set on foot as
hn Of ola
hound, by the hate and virulent energy
of the senator from Georgia. will
agree to resign my seat in the senate if
the senator from Georgia will put his
finger ON one iota of evidence in all the
volumes before both houses of congress,
connecting me with the returning board,
except the evidence of Kelly, before the
Porter committee, respecting Richland
parish, and have proved that the board
returned Democrat from that parish,
80 overturning his testimony as to
bribery. Every one of twenty-seven or
twenty-eight members of the legislature,
and every person in q position to know,
came before the committee and swore
that they knew of no bribery"
Mr.. Kellogg said no investigation into
his acts as governor, made after the
Nichols government was inaugurated,
had ever resulted in the production OF
any evidence against him, though O
grand jury was packed to indict him and
telegram which he would produce was
sent down, saying: "See that Kellogg
is indicted; it will aid us in preventing
his being admitted to the senate" Five
investigating committees, sitting for
xnk at 70 Ax,I
sufficient evidence to make prima facie
case against him. A good deal has been
said about the custom house. Nothing
had been said about the money paid
him, though in one instance wit
ness swore positively. to receiving
money to vote for Spofford. 81 may
have q bad record" said Kellogg.
"It is passing strange that there has
not been some evidence of it before, and
that after left the executive department
with all evidence there was there, and
with the ability and manifest inclination
to prosecute, that there was no prosecu-
ton set ON foot. / think I can compare
successfully my character, moral and
otherwise, against the senator from
Georgia, and If it comes to the matter of
moral or personal courage the bitterest
enemy have got in that senator's state
will not fail, think, to concede to me
that stand UNNECESSARILY his superior"
The motion to print the evidence and
reports was then agreed to without divi-
sion.
IF Mary Bahewel was proud Of any
thing, that thing was her cooking, es-
pecially her cake. Therefore You can in
a moment fancy her feelings when Mrs.
Homespun, who had been helped to a
L.. "A Nru u On riobaat loaf Gala ra