The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-06-14

/ L WdH AOb aOO0b AZ.
did not vote for ConEling and Plat
on the first ballot, and 1 told them would
not enter a caucus or conference of Inde
pendent StalWarts. Il gave as the reason
for my proposed action that many of my
constituents were opposed to Platt and
| Conkling.
Mr.. Peckham-Did Sessions ask you to
vote for Depew before the first vote was
| taken, or did he offer you money!
Mr.. Bradley-No, sir. I have attended
many conferences of the Stalwarts in the
Delavan House. Nearly all the different
grades or shades of Stalwarts attended in
the parlor. Conkling and Arthur were
both present at these conferences.
Mr.. PeckhAm-Who was present at the
independent Stalwart conference?
Mr.. Bangs-I object to the question.
Mr.. Peckham-1 wish to show that
thAre is a conspiracy in this case, and 1
want to prove it.
Mr.. Carpenter-I object to such a state
meut.
Mr.. Bangs-I am glad to have the coun-
sci for Mr.. Sessions frankly confess their
line of defense, and 1 hope the counsel
will be allowed to continue on that line of
inquiry.
The counsel discussed at length the ad.
missibility of Peckham's questions, asking
who were present at the Independent or
Stalwart conference or caucus. Peckham
argued that the Commissioners should
admit evidence with the greatest liber-
ality. The question was laid over for the
present.
By Peckhsm-Whom did you vote for
on the first voter
AusTer-For Speaker Sharpe and Gov
ernor Cornell. 1 voted for ConklinG and
Platt on the Friday of the first week.
There was a falling off in their vote, and
their friends deemed it necessary to keep
it up, and spoke to me about it, when I
changed to them. l also voted for FentOn
and Warde before l finally changed to
Conkling and Platt. I also voted one
time for Andrew D. White. Before the
final change l went home, and the day
after voted for Conkling and Platt.
On my return to Albany, Mr.. Sessions
advised me to leave Conkling and Plstt
and vote for some half-breed. don't
recollect that he advised me to vote for
any particular man. The first time that I
remember of him asking me to vote for
Depew was on last Wednesday evening,
at the Delavan House. do not remember
at what date prior to Wednesday Ses-
sions asked me to vote for Depew. He
did ask me about it frequently, but 1
always answered. l couldn't vote for De-
pew.
On The night received the g, 600 was
walking about the Delavan House hall.
when met Mr.. Sessions. He called me
back to the elevator and commenced talk
ing about my constituency, saying that
they did not agree with my voting. He
said 1 had better change my vote from
Conkllng and Plat and go with his side,
He then asked me il he could
talk to me. said yes. He
then said he could get a thousand
dollars to put in my pocket if 1 would
vote for QepeW. / said no, and started to
leave him. Then he said they had been
paying only s., 500 on a contingency. He
then said he would go up stairs and see
what was the best they could do. told
him would not vote for Depew. l tried
to get away from him and told him no
twice. walked of about six feet and he
followed me up. He did not have hold
of me but he had his hand up to the side
of his mouth, endeavoring to talk CONT
dentially with me. I would not then take
the money because 1 did not want to sell
my vote and L did not want to expose him.
had made up my mind that 1 would not
takeSny money unless 1 took it to make an
exposure. Ihsd thought of taking money
for the purpose or exposure ever SINCE it
had been generally Understood that money
was being used. made up my mind to
take money and expose it. l did not
want to expose Mr.. Sessions. told him
no, would not take money. told him
when he went up stairs to see what he
could do he had better go. I have not
said this before; you have brought it to
my mind. / was not very emphatic
in saying this to him. I did not tell
him that. I. would expose him because
it was great study in my mind whether
1 ought to expose him or not
Mr.. Peckham Sessions counsel)-Why
did you not take 81 600 then and expose
him with that?
Witness-Because at that time did not
want to expose him. 1 had not made up
my mind then.
Mr.. Peckham-Why then were you SO
reluctant about telling Sessions you did
not want money-beca4se you did not
want to expose him3
Witnsss-Because he was my Senator.
1t was not a pleasant thing to do. Up to the
time I took supper, and the Senator re-
not made up my mind to expose him.
went to his room after supper because he
asked me to call there for him. When
we got in the room locked the door, and
l asked him to take a seat. Sessions told
me. SIT is gong to be good thing, all five
of ps voting for the same man. have
done we'll for you Ihave got s., 900 !" / had
not up to this time seld word as to how l
would vote, and the last time spoke to
him told him that L would not vote with
him. He took out the money and counted
it out on his knee. He then handed the
money to me. ! said nothing. but bowed
my head to indicate that assented.
think said Eyes" when he said it would
be good thing, our voting together. l
asked him before 1 got the money who 1
should vote foz, and he said, "ChaunceyI
NJ. Depew." I assented to it. said
would, think. I nave not said in my
testimony, that said to him would not
vote for Depew.
Peckham read from the testimony that
the witness answered in his first exami-
nation he thought he did not promise to
vote for DepeB, and asked if he sWore to
that at that time
The witness answered he had, and COM
menced to explain.
Peckham said he did not want any ex-
piauatiou, but Bangs (Brsdley's counse)
said the witness had right to explain,
and the Chairman SO ruled.
Bradley then continued: did not
promise to vote for Depew, but it was un-
dorstood by Sessions that was to vote
for Depew. a41 it was for that reason he
gave me the money.
Peckhsm-Haven't you told mp to just
now that you did promise 80 to vote before
you got the money?