The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-02-10
The BRIBERY.
News in a Nutshell from Our
Correspondent at the
Capital.
NASHVILLE, TENN,
February z. 1881.

February Z, 1901. !
Mr.. EDITOR: The members Of the
investigating committee are at work
to ascertain the truth about the charges
made against Davis and Plummer.
two members of the Legislature.
J. J. Littleton, jr., who is the
author of the complaints, appeared
before the committee and said he first
approached Davis in the rotunda-ofl
the Maxwell house and told ham that
he (the witness) had friend here who
was candidate for secretary Of state,
and. though a republican, he could
say 10 him that he would fill the office,
if elected, with credit to the State
and make an efficient officer. l APP
preached him gently on the subject
and found it was not Offensive, and
proposed that if he would vote for my
friend I would donate 800 toward
defraying his expenses in his canvass
for Senator two years hence. Mr..
Davis remarked that that was rather q
small sum, and he would not accept it.
/ asked him what he could accept, and
he remarked about in these words: Il
can get more from another man if /
were in mind to take it. The next
day met Mr.. Davis at the capital,
and asked him if he had come to any
conclusion. He said he could not af
ford to do that; that was a small
amount. I asked him what he could
afford to do it for. He said if he were
mind to sell out he could get $500.
l asked him if he would not vote for
my friend for a few ballots for the
amount named. He raid perhaps he
could. and would let me know later.
met him in the hall later, but did
not think would talk to him any
more on that subject; was afraid he
would accept my last proposition be-
cause my friends chances of election
had waned. approached Mr.. Plum
mer on the same subject and asked
him how much he would be damaged
by voting for a republican. He did
not know l told him to state the
damages and l would make the pecu-
MARY repqration if not too much. BE
wanted me to set the prics. I asked
him if 500 wonld be enough. He
kinder laughed, and said it was
small amount to assume such grave
responsibility; that he was elected as q
democrat, and would like to have a
greater reward; | asked him to state
what would justify HIM in the act,
and he replied that he could get $3.50
from another party; he would prefer
to vote for my friend if the same
amount was paid. He did not want
it un derstOOd that he was selling out,
but that it was more of an Rccommo-
dation than anything else. Comp
troller Gaines told me that he under
stood Plummer was Oh the market. It
was intimated to him that Plummer
could be bought by the republican
candidates. He thought that Plnm-
mer had sold out from the remark he
had made that he conld get more from
another man. The principal object l
had for going to see him was TO ascer-
tain whether he could be bought.
Neither Davis nor PIummer lnsulted
me when l made the proposition to
them. Davis put his arm upon me
and pulled me closer to him, talking
lower. When I first approached
Davis nothing was said about money.
When I found he would sell to the
other side, 1 regarded it as legitimate
to get him by the same means to vote
for my friend. I thought other par
ties had purchased HIM and would
try and purchase him back. / ap-
preached Davis by proposing to donate
$40 to defray his expenses in his
proposed Senatorial contest. l did
that to see whether he would bite, and
he took it very readily. Davis has
not avoided me; he has not been very
familiar with me since this little pub
LEGATION.
The committee are waiting to hear
Mclaughlin, who has been arrested,
as he is the party who is said to have
paid the bride money over to Davis
and Plummer.