Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-06-14
FROM ALBANY.
Session Of the Senatorial Bribery Com.
mittee.
Confirmation OF BradIey's Testimony.

I.75. and said he had not seen Senator SEES
sions during the canvass; did not see him
before came to Albany in January; have
seen him frequently during the session, and
canvassed with him about bills before the
legislature. | was active in the contest In
the Unite States senatorial Congress. this
year; was frequently in the rooms OF Piatt
and Crowley, in January last, until | finally
made up my mind which candidate | should
support. l understood at a meeting of the
stalwarts in New York, they did not decide
upon a candidate.
Question BY Peckham-Who did you I'M
Jerstand was at that meeting:
Carpenter-I object TO the question.
Bangs-I think the question may be asked.
BtadIey-I understood no determination
was arrived at, but subsequently / made up
nv mind and went to Plat, told him | would
vote for him.
To Peckhan-Had frequently talked with
Sessions about the senatorial question. He
was not much of a stalwart. He advised me to
vote for Depew or Rogers. He claimed they
were going to win and should be on the win
ming side. He (Sessions) understood dis
tinctly that would vote for no one but a
stalwart voted for Plat. Sessions made
no offer of monsy to me during the January
canvass, for nv vote. Up to the time OF
offering money to me, there had been no I'M
pleasant feelings between us. | told Sessions
ii was a sure thing, Conkling and Platt would
be reelected told him the votes of my
district were divided upon the question Of
senator's He was earnest in his opposition
to Conkling and Plat, and on all occasions
advised me to vote against them. l told
him in reply | would vote just as | saw fit;
did not answer him in any angry tone. but
.rort D., his rnnm I nave him N Under stand
was still with the stalwarts; was not angry.
but did not intend to vote for Conkling and
Plat on the first ballot, aud told him | did
not. In the caucus and the conference of
the Independent stalwarts, l gave as a rea-
son for my proposed action, that many OF my
constituents were opposed to COnkling and
Plat.
Peckham-Did Mr.. Sessions ask you to
vote for Depew before the first vote was
taken, or did he offer you money.
Bradley-No, sir. | have attended many
conferences of the stalwarts at parlor 90 at
the Delevan House. Nearly all of the differ
ent grades or shades of the stalwarts attend
ed at the parlor. Conkling and Arthur were
both present at these conferences.
Peckham-Who was present at indepen-
dent stalwart conferences?
Bangs-I object to the question.
Peckham-I wish to prove that there is a
conspiracy in this case, and want to prove
it.
Carpenter-I object to such question.
Bangs-I am glad to have the counsel for
Mr. Sessions frankly confess their line of de-
Tense, and hope that he will be allow ed to con-
tinue on that line of inquiry. The counsel
decided at length, the ACCESSIBILITY of MIR.
Peckham's question, asking who was present
an the independent stalwart conference OF
caucus.
Peckham argued that the committee heard
this with the greatest liberty.
The question was laid over for the present
By Peckham-WLo did you vote for or
your first ballot!
Answer-For Speaker Sharpe and Gov
Cornell. voted for COnkling and Platt on
Friday of the first week. There was a fall
ling off in their vote and their friends deemed
it necessary to keep it up and spoke to me,
when | changed to them. | also voted for
Fenton and Ward before finally changed tC
Conkling and Plat.
/ also voted once for Andrew ID. White
before the change. | went home the day after
| voted for Conkling.
On my return to Albany, Mr.. Sessions ad
vised me to leave COnkling and Plat fol-
some half-breed. l don't recollect that he
advised me to vote for any particular man
The first time | remember him asking me tC
vote for Depew, was on last Wednesday
evening, at the Delevan House. / don't re-
member at what date prior to Wednesday
last that Sessions asked me to vote for De
pew / told him that could not vote fol
Depew.
Spinola called up his resolution.
Senator Robertson said he was heartily in
favor of so much of the resolution as refers
to no recognition of pairing.
Hustled raised point of order against that
part which interferes with the right of either
House to grant leaves of absence.
Spinola withdrew that portion of the
resolution and preamble, and Husteds point
of order fell.
Brooks raised a point of order that the
resolution must lie over one day.
The chair said that under the rules of both
Houses the resolution would have to lie over,
but those rules do not prevail in this body
In fact, there are no such rules.
Pitts offered a substitute that no pairing
should be allowed, and that no member be
excused from voting, except when granted .
leave of absence.
Pitts said he offered the substitute to breal
up the system of pairing, which if kept up
Is iihtiN W hSSP thS OSisiatuiS hSiC al SUI"
mer. The only way to secure the election
is to remain in our seats and continue vot
ing.
Spinola asked that the matter lie ovel
ntil tomorrow; agreed to and the joint
convention then adjourned.
My constituency would be satisfied will
Depew, and would not be with Conkling
He (Sessions) told me that Rogers or Cor
nell could not be elected, but Depew proba
bly, not. The witness replied that the ex
change to Depew from Rogers or Wheel
er would be satisfactory to him. Witnes.
told Sessions he would not leave Conklinc
and Plat until Depew was out of the field
He had been at the Delavan all the las
Wednesday afternoon with Jones, a resident
of jamestown. We took walk down Broad
way together. Had seen District Attorney
Bradley of Chautauqua county, at the Della
van House, Friday, before June Sth. Dis
trict Attorney Bradley is second cousin Of
mine, and was here working for Conkling
and Plat.
The bribery investigation was resumed
after recess, Bradley being subjected to
rigid examination. He reiterated the state
ments concerning the proffer of money from
Sessions, and his acceptance of it with tn,
understanding that he was to vote for Depew
He had thought for some time as to whether
he ought to take the money and expose SEES
sions or not. If | had decided against it
~ould have given the money back to him