The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-01-10
SWANS STATEMENT.

The Job He Says He Put Up to Catch
Republicans.
BOSTON, Jan. 9.-The statement made by
Swan in the Maine House of Representatives
today relative to the attempt to bride him is as
follows:
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 member of the House.
I refer to the attempt to bride me by an agent
of the Republican party. l will now briefly
came from my house to the city on Satur-
day, Jan. 3d. On Monday following rumors
were afoat that men had been offered money
to absent themselves from the House of Rep
resentatives SO no quorum would be present
on the first Wednesday of January. Late in
the evening of January 5 reliable person
who is now member of this House informed
me that Wallace r. White of Winthrop had
called upon him and offered him $1,000 in cash
to deliver up his certificate and resign as
member of the House which he had refused to
accept and that said White informed him that
he wanted three more to resign and requested
him to see me. Upon this information went
at once to the Augusta House and found Hon.
E. III. Cove, Secretary of State, and told him
what L knew about the matter. Cove and
myself then went out and found Scion Chase
and in their presence 1 hastily drew up and
signed my statement.
Swan continued: then went and informed
the gentleman who had been offered the $1,000
70 see White in the morning and inform him
that Would resign for $1,000. He saw White
the next morning about 8 o'clock and gave
him the information that l had requested.
White sent back ths request for me to meet
him at the court house. at 1890. / went there
at about that time and net Wallace r. White,
who took me up stairs ino a corner room. He
then showed to me statement as follows:
AUGUSTA, Jan. 6. $780,
To the Chairman ofthe Demotratic and Green
back Caucus.
After nature deliberation have concluded
that it is my duty as a citizen to obey the
laws as they are construed and decided BY the
Supreme Judicial Court. 1 cannot therefore
lend my aid to keeping out of their seats the
Republican OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
Supreme Court has declared entitled thereto
therefore give public notice that L will not
participate in the organization of thei House
until it shall be 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.
(Signed) THOMAS B. SWAN.
He informed me that I should have to write
a statement like it and sign the same, and also
sign resignation and deliver up my certif-
cate 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, 1 could take my seat and the
Republicans would put me on important COM
mittees. 1 informed him would sign the pa
pers, and he said he had got 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 the letters to
the chairmen of the Democratic and Green
back committees. He also read q resignation
which copied. | then put said papers with
out my signature into my pocket. We then
counted the money and found it correct. l
then signed the papers and took the money.
He said he wanted some more men, and want
ed to know if knew of any he could get 1
told him thought he could get Hartman of
Kennebunt. He told me to see him and come
with him at 1.30 o'clock. then left and call
ed into the Augusta House to see if L could
find Hartman, but did not find him.
Mr.. Swan continued went to the Augusta
House, and found Hartman. Told him what
had taken place, and he agreed to go with me,
at 1.30 o'clock, and take the money and expose
the fraud. / went to my dinner and then re-
turned to the Augusta House, where again
found Hartman, and not far from o'clock,
we went toward the Court House. Before we
reacbedit showed himWh standing on the
platform. White went into the building, and
so did Hartman. AS 1 passed by the Court
House White stuck his head out of the window
of the same corner room and motioned to me,
and answered the motion with nod OF my
head. then went to the Granite National
Bank, taking the money which White had
paid me, and brought this draft on Boston. l
do not claim this money, -and-it- is subject
to the order of the person who fur
nished it,.
The Herald special adds:
man in the Court House to golafter the money
he was followed down State street and seen to
enter Blaine's house. Upon leaving it he
went directly to the Court House.