The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-05-10
VOORHEES, INDICATED:

Mr.. Atherton, of Kentucky, Denouncss the
4 Stories that Corrupt Influences Were
/ Used to Secure the Passage O the whssky
BiH.
LOUISVILLE, KY, My Al. L. .Athersen,
tie prominent distii..r of this city, 1,ho
made the original statements sonre days ago
relative 10 the corrupSbility Of Lobbyists
ans newspaper correspondents at Washir1z-
ton growing out of the refusal of tie friends
of the whisky bond extension bill to- EMPLOY
lob s5ists TO assist in securing the passage Of
the BILL, anG the alleged threats of 5wo Iob-
byists to get sven, will publish the foslowing
exploratory statement in the Courier-Jour-
nal tomorrow.
LoUIsvIzSE, KY, kssy4.
To the Dditor OF me Louisville Co1rier-JouiEal:
The Commercial of this city, en- the 2stA of
Aprll, Published an interview bssween myself
the bin extsndi3g the Isnded peSod
of distirery spirits pending IN the Senate
this interview was casual, not taken down IN
writing az the time 1oF submitted - me befCre
puolicatioa. In fact supposed at the time
was giving Information to the repOrteS for an e.
ticle he expected to prepare on the sxhject as !
mad done several times previously to- reporters
and did not know tillAI saw the COMMERCIAL the:
next morning that the conversation ha+ been re-
ported as an lntervieS. glanced has fly at the,
article and laid the paper aside. haytsig been
very Ousl mt % OF the Irnc Slnce in the GOun1ry
and did not read the entire interview Until this
morning, hence the desay Of this statement.
In reply to the question Of the reporter What's
the source OF interpretation TO the bill?'' ! mao
pnt one statement of fast pO-Wit: Offers OF al d
IN presenting and passing the bill made M
while in Washington lastwinter by persons knO@ll
IN common parlsnce as lobbyists. That these of
if-s We're not accepted. 1 stated to the reporter
had heard since left Washington in FEBRUARY
,aat threats 10 deleat the oil were made in the
LOBBY, but in 10 instance when lobby aid WIS Of
fesed was there to my knowledge any Suggestions
OF any improper or ihegitmate means to be en-
pleyed, nor was thanane OF any Senator or mem
Der of Congress mentioned 10 rae by any LOBBYIST
or any claim made that the ,0boy or any mersber
of it could CONTROL or influence
any member Of the House, Senate
on any official. was not approached then, and
have not been approaehed since by any core
In view of the foregoing ststements OF what |
said on the above occasion it n manifestly un-
Just ; to the gentlemen who desired employment to
subject them 10 suspicious misconduct which |
seems to be floating around Washington. This is |
all that concerns the public. Whatever else /
said, or may have said 20 reporters. was nothing
more nor less than individual opinions, which /
honestly maintained and had q. perfect right to /
express
The remainder ohiMr. Atherton's article /
is devoted 10 the statement of his connec-
ton with the pending bill and of reasons
why he referred to TIE Washington lobby.
He wSs much surprised a. the violent and
unjust article which appeared in the New
York Herald of April "A, headed. "Only
Fifty anhons" He feared that article was
the result of representation by parties who
had threatened to defeat him. Mr.. Ather-
ton pronounces the charges in the Herald
article as untrue in every particular and |
says no ring now exists in Kentucky nor has
one ever existed. What could have in
duced the.attack and,who gave the alleged
is unknown to him, but con-
ceding the threats and charges in the article |
at once suggests sinister influence of emblt-
tered enemies