National Republican., 1883-01-24
JUDGING JOHN BAILEY.
beginning OF the Congressional Investign-
uon-Light Thrown on the Way the Gas
Company Prevents Adverse Legislation.

beginning OF the Congressional Inyestign-
uon-Light Thrown the Way the Gas
Company Prevents Adverse Legislation.
Representatives Crowley, Aldrich Bisbee,
Martin, and Cox, of North Carolina, were re-
Gently appointed special committee to in
vcstigatc the charges made against John
Bailey, chief clerk of the house, in resolution
offered by Representative Murch.
The charges were to the effect that Mr.. Bailey
had been retained in his position by virtue
ofinfuence controlled by the Washington Gas
Light company, and that he had interested
himself in legislation affecting that corpora
tion.
The committee began their investigation
yesterday. Mr.. Bailey was present in per-
son. His attorney Mr. Wilson, sent let
ter explaining his inability to at
tend James Coleman appeared for Rep
rescntative Klotz, of Pennsylvania, who
made the charges upon which the resolution
of Mr.. Murch was based. Mr.. Klotz himself
was also present and Mr.. John Sedon APP
peared for the Gas Light company. The set
retary ofthat company Mr.. Charles B. Bailey,
testified that for seventeen years he had been
u directorand stockholder of the Washington
City Gas Light company, and had, during
part of that time, acted as chairman of its
committee on accounts, and received compen-
sation for his services. During the whole of
this time Mr. Bailey had been in the employ
of the house of Representatives.
Mr.. McPherson, clerk of the house, testified
that he had originally retained Mr.. Bailey as
disbursing clerk of the house on the recon-
mendation of his predecessor, and that Sem
ator Fessendon, of Maine, had also in 1873
asked that he be retained. No member of the
! Gus Light company had asked his retention.
| He had found him efficient and had made him
chief clerk since the beginning of his (Mc-
Pherson's) present term as clerk of the house.
Mr.. Finch, file clerk of the house, produced
the bills and joint resolutions which had been
! introduced in the house since 1860, in which
! the Gas Light company was interested, and 1t
| appeared that every bill adverse to the inter-
ests Of the company had been reported against
| by the District of Columbia committee or
otherwise defeated. There had been from
three to FIVE such bills or resolutions
every session. John II. Harmon. of Mich-
gan, swore that he had been in Washington,
| interested in matters before congress- during
| each session for forty years; that in 1876 he
was employed by the Washington Gas Light
company to defeat legislation which was ad-
verse to their interests; that he was paid
| $4,000 by the company for that purpose; that
he met with the president of the Gas Light
company, Mr.. b. H. Bartol, of Philadelphia,
| at tho house of John Bailey that there
| thcy-IIarmOn and Dartol-Consulted to-
gether in the presence of Mr.. Bailey as to the
| means OF defeating the Dllls adverse TO the IN
tercsts of the company, there pending. In
reply to n question as to whether Mr.. Bailey
took part in this conversation as to what was
to be done in order to accomplish the
purpose in view, Mr.. Harmon said
that Mr.. Bailey 'made" modest
suggestions nothing more than that
Ho said it was agreed that he Harmon,
should see the persons interested against thC
company and buy out their interests in theil
bill that Bailey then drove him to the Ebbitt
house, and met him two hours after at hi,
(Bailey's) house to consult further with Bastel
who was waiting to hear the result of the in
terview 1t appears in the testimony that
Harmon made proposition at this Ebbit
house interview which was rejected, as wa
also one made by the opposition company t
Harmon. Harmon reported that the pro
position was refused, and it was then agreed
by Bartol, Harmon, and Bailey that the!
would defeat the bill which wa
to incorporate tho other company
Mr.. Harmon further testified that the.
worked together and defeated the bill, ant
that he remained in the employ of the Ga
Light company from this time-1s76 TO ant
during 187S-working to defeat all Legislation
adverse to the company's interests The in
vestigation will be continued to-day.