The Portland daily press., 1880-02-28
THE BRIBERY INVESTIGA.
TON.

AUGUSTA, Feb. 27.-The hearing this after
noon before the bribery investigating commit
tee attracted an immense audience. The gal.
leries and floor Of the Representatives Hall,
where it took place, were solid mass of peo-
pie, numbering some five hundred, among
whom were sandwiched large number of
ladies. Wallace r. White of Winthrop,
against whom the accusation of bribery has
been brought for political purposes was pres
emit attended by his counsel, L. T. Carleton,
by whose side he sat at the table of the COM
mittee, and occupied his time in taking notes
of the evidence that was given.
j. o. White of Wilton, red faced man Of
considerable dignity of person, was submitted
to an exhaustive examination. He was one
of the counted in members of the fusion legis-
ture, and at the very outset was forced to ad-
NIT that he was not elected, but that his oppo-
pent, DR.. Eaton was elected by sixteen major
ity. In plain English he virtually acknowl-
enged that he tried to steal his seat
At first he testified that he saw money in
Wallace r. Whites side coat pocket when he
threw open the garment, and then, when he
was pressed closely on this point by Carleton,
he admitted that he did not see any money
but thought he saw something that locked
like money. In giving his testimony he was
evasive and seemed to be entirely oblivious of
details and couldn't remember. A frequent
expression that he INDUCED in was, SIT might
have been" so and so.
Swans testimony was rehash of his
Mechanic Falls speech, and he looked as if he
had sheep on his back, when he answered
the questions put to him. He was asked if he
believed in telling the truth and he replied
that it wasn't wicked to lie where one is going
to ferret out a lie. Mr.. ingalls,, one of the
Fusion members of the committee suggested
that it was excusable at times for detective
to misrepresent for the purpose of detecting
criminal. Swan was asked if he had got his
statement written out, and he tried to evade,
but finally answered that he had obtained a
copy of the statement he had made before the
Fusion investigating committee of the reporter
for which he had paid $3.50. He was asked
what he got it for, and he replied that he
wanted it to look at He was further asked if
he had committed it to memory and his
answer was that he didn't have to commit it
to memory as it was in his mind.
AhSoAAc oShOu OWad Wudt LIS puTpUS0 Was Ill
leading White into this and getting money.
This was objected to by Carleton, and Hutch
inson, chairman of the committee, ruled that
inasmuch as he, Swan, hade made confession
OF an overt act in accepting bride, that any
motive he might assign now was of no impor-
lance, that the act was done. The ruling was
sustained by the committee, and the objection
was Withdrawn. Then Swan stated that his
purpose in doing it was to prevent crime, and
that crime was in buying off members to pre-
vent an organization of the legislature. Garlic
ton called the attention of Swan to his affidavit
made before Cove, in which he stated that he
had been approached by an agent of the Re
publican party, to resign as Representative for
money, when after close questioning on this
point Swan crawled off by saying that he con-
sidered it an approach from what J. o. White
had told him, which completely destroyed his
declaration that he had been approached by an
agent of the Republican party.
The committee adjourned until Tuesday
next, when Swans testimony will be conclu-
ded, which will take about an hour. Harri-
man will also be examined, and then Wallace
r. White will take the stand and tell his
story. The bribery charges thus far have
proved fiasco on the testimony that has been
offered.
AUGUSTA, Feb. 27.-The committee on al
legged bribery of members of the House held
meeting at Representatives Hall this after
noon. L. d. Carleton, counsel tor w. r.
w hite, made statement. A week ago, he
said, witness was present whose testimony
was excluded because of the absence of Mr..
White. He noticed that some of the papers
in the State had said that they wished to stife
investigation. Mr.. White does not object to
the admission of J. O. Whites testimony, or
that of any one that will throw light upon the
question. Joseph Baker, Esq. said he did not
appear as counsel for Mr.. White. He was only
here for consultation if he could throw any
light upon the subject. Carleton suggested
that Swan be called upon to testify as he had
been prominent in the charges to which Mr..
While was to respond.
j. o, White, cousin to Wallace r. White,
testified:
When l was in my room at the Augusta
House, Wallace asked me if had read the
decisions of the court. said I had and
thought they were partisan. He said if I
would not appear and would sign document
he would give me $1,000, then could go homo
and tell my people that thought had better
not take my seat. I refused. He wanted
some two or three, he said, to prevent the or
ganization of the House. At nine o'clock he
asked me to meet him at the court house next
morning. wont state positively that he
called the names of other members of the
House. He asked me if 1 could hint round
Others went to my boarding house, where
Swan boarded, between 10 and II in the even
ing, and told him we were beat and money was
going to do it, and that 1 had been offered
$1,000. Swan said it must be stopped and a
consultation took place. The next morning 1 |
saw White at the court house and told him |
that Swan would take up with his offer. At
Whites request 1 told Swan to come down to
the court house.
CrosS-eeami1aed- Fusion candidate for
Representative from Wilton. Came here to
take seat. Received about 700 and my op-
ponent some 16 or IS more. Saw Wallace r.
White at my place and stopped all night. Not |
word was said about the legislature. Some |
thing was said about politics. 1 had then re-
ceived my certificate. He made me no offer
then and offered me no inducements or money.
Saw him again at Augusta on the 9TH of Janu-
airy. While was talking with White, Swan
came along, and we went together to his |
clearinghouse. l saw him at 10 at the Au-