Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-03-23

testimony of Mr.. Swan that he went out an
down the street and then came back.
Now. there was much other testimony il
troduced before this committee. There wa
the testimony of Mr.. Nathaniel Cannon VIII
came from Mechanic Falls. There was tn
testimony of Mr.. Chas. II. Dwinal, and IN
testimony of the Deputy Sheriff from An
droscoggin county, all testifying to differen
conversations with Mr.. Swan; that Mr.. Swa,
stated to them that he did not believe in tn
counting out and the first thing he should d
would be to go in favor Of seating the mem
bers who were counted ont. There was IN,
testimony of I. W. Hanson Clerk Of court
for the county Of Androscoggin, who testi
fed that he had conversation in the fall will
Mr.. Swan, and that Mr.. Swan told him tina
he didn't believe in the count out But hs
told him that he was going down early: tha
there was more dcviltry to be cut up this veal
than usual, and he was going down early in
the session, presumedly-for what, you ma,
draw your inference. There was the testi
mony of Mr.. j. NJ. Libby, of Mechanic Falls
who swore before that committee that he had
a conversation with Mr.. Swan; that Mr.
Swan told him that he knew ii was nothing
but State steal, and that something must be
done to counteract it. and they had got to
make some political thunder. That was ties.
tiHSu W utfuTt tue CoulIllttce. Nco. ~. ftlS-
bee of Buckfield also testified that he told
him that he didn't believe in counting out.
and the first thing he should do would be to
go for the seating of members who were
counted out. And he came down here and
saw Mr.. White. and he signed statement
after talking with him somewhat at different
times, of that exact purport. And afterwards
he comes up AMI says il takes thousand dol
lars TO make him do that. And that is the
reason why he did it.
Now. one thing further. as the report OF
the majority states here. Neither Mr.. Swan
nor Mr.. Hartman exhibited any money be-
fore the committee as the result of the pro-
ceeding Mr.. Swan testified that he was
Treasurer of the town Of Minot He tcsti-
fed that after he received this money he
deposited it in the Granite bank and
obtained check; that he kept
that check in his possession until
about the Goth Of January that on the
29th day of January he went to Portland +;
that he deposited $500 of that identical money
in bank in Portland to the name of tine
Treasurer of the town of Minot: that he
stepped out and across the street into Messrs
Swan 4 Barrett, brokers; that he there pur-
chased a Canton town bond; that he paid
S400 of this money towards that; that he gave
a check on the bank for the other hundred,
the Canton town bond being $500; tha: he
purchased this Canton town bond for the
sinking fund Of the town of Minot. And so
Mr.. Swan puts the thousand dollars Just where
| it came from, back into the treasury of the
town of Minot, every single dollar of it. And
the committee have not seen dollar, or ever
heard of dollar received by Thomas b.
Swan, or which he ever faunted in the eyes
| Of the public, but that has gone directly back
| into the town treasury Of the town Of Minot,
and is there to-day. What becomes of Mr.
Harriman's money? 1t is in the hands of a
brother in Biddeford, he says Mr.. Swan
| and Mr.. Hartman were both asked upon the
| stand if they would return the thousand dol
lars which they said Wallace II. White gave
each of them, and they both said no.
unless Wallace r. White would tell who fur
nished it and implicate other men, thing
which he could not do on the presumption Of
what this committee has found the simple fact
that he never paid it.
Another thing Mr.. Swan says that he took
that money for no purpose Of gain. He says
| that after he was down into that court house,
Mr.. White asked him to take $500 and wait
siv days for the balance. Now, he says he
wanted that money, not for the purpose of
gain, but so that people would understand
that it was a bona fde case of bribery, and
that lie could exhibit the evidences of it.
And he was asked to take $500. And he says
no. Would $500 be any evidence of bribery
Couldn't he exhibit the $500, and wouldn't
that answer the purposes if he was detecting
bribery? No he must have a thousand dol
lars! He had no purposes of gain, nothing
| Of that kind! But he would take nothing
short of a thousand dollars. A thousand he
must have, and thousand dollars he saws he
took.
Now. then, touching very lightly upon the
evidence here so far as Mr.. Swan is concern
ed, the gentleman from Lincoln has under
taken 10 vouch for him and for bis religious
belief, saving that he belongs to Lodge. or
order of Odd Fellows at Mechanic Falls. and
| if he does, must necessarily believe in God.
Mr.. PERRY-I take the credit for that.
| Mr.. HrrcHIxsox-You take the credit for
that?
| Mr.. PERRY--Yes. sir.
| Mr.. HUTcHrxsoS-Well, you are entitled
| to 1t laughter. Now it was in evidence here
| by witness after witness that this same Mr..
Swan who has taken the oath of God upon
him here to tell the truth, had told party af.
ter party in his yicinity-Mr. William Keen,
, Mr. McGahey--that he didn't believe in q
/. God. and the Bible was nothing but an an.
cient history. And il il in evidence before
this committee that he told w. Fl. Jewett OF
Norway. who is now gone TO that bourne
l from which no witness returns-that he told
him that when he was selling apple trees and
| while he was at place one night he was re-
quested to read in the Bible with the good
old people. and the next morning he was ask.
! cd TO join in prayer, and Mr. Swan said he
had got so d-d far he could not back out.
and he took hold and prayed with him.
!! Laughter. And he related that to DIR. jew.
EFT as one Of his performances. and the result
the next morning was that he procured an
l order Of $40 for apple trees. 1t appeared in
evidence in the case: but il mag not be ot
importance so far ~ this issue is concerned
II is Of importance 80 far as weighing the
force of the evidence which falls from the lips
Of that witness or Of any other witness when
he has made declarations like that, snd when
he stands up and asks this House and asks
the people Of this State to believe that wha,
he states Is stated in all sincerity and In all
honesty and is Gods truth. 1t Is well to con.
sider how much respect he entertsins and
how much reverence he feels for that God he
has called to witness that he tells ssfhe truth.
the whole truth. and nothing bat the truth. .
| Nov. then. the story Of Moses Harrimsn
and the money he received IL bat . relsash
and restatement Of the story as narrated by
Mr.. Swan. He used almost the identical Ian.
guage when speaking Of II in the Jury room
| that Mr. GHau anwa zee u.od Tl.~-- 4 -