The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-02
LOOKING FOR FRAUD.
The Investigation of the Harper Bill
Continued.

The special committee TO investigate
the charges of altering the words in the
high license bill after it had been ordered
TO third reading, met at the Leland
Thursday evening, and heard testimony
frem Miss Patton and Mr. Gregg. About
the only new points made were that Gregg
declared the change in the words imma-
terial and of no force in q legal view. In
answer to a question by Mr.. Harrington,
however, he admitted that he thought the
matter of enough Importance to vote for
the investigation. Also, that when Har-
per called on Gregg, after leaving the en-
crossing room, the latter told Harper that
in all probability he Gregg made the
| error.
TIn Aliens testimony, Tuesday evening,
ii was that Harper, Immediately after
leaving Gregg, had said to Allen that the
Journal was all right, and that the error
was made by the printer.
Mr.. Bethea offered resolution reciting
| that the committee had found that the
original bill, 287, nor amendments, had
been fraudulently or unlawfully tempered
with or altered by any member or officer
of the house He asked that sub-com-
mittee of taree be appointed by the chair
to draw up report in consonance with
the spirit of the above.
To this Mr. Crafts objects and thought
the sub committee should not be limited
by any such resolution. He was in favor
of the appointment of the subcommittee,
but did not think it should be instructed
at all. Mr. Willoughby said he could not
vote for the resolution. While he did moi
believe that any fraud was intended 10y
the officers of the house, there was a good
deal of irregularity This giving clerks
authority to erase words and substitute
therefor other words did not exactly strike
Mr.. Willoughby as right. Again, he did
not think clerk should be the judge OF
what was material and what was inmate
rial in a bill or resolution.
Mr.. Crafts offered the following as q
substitute for the Betheas resolution:
ReSoleed, That the engrossing CLERK
hanged said copy, striking out the WORD
resulting and inserting in the place
thereof the word arising, and engrossed
said bill with said amendment containing
said word arising" instead of resulting,
and reported the same to house.
Resol0ed That afterwards the clerk OF
house altered the journals of the house tC
correspond with the said engrossed bill.
Res0!0ed That said alterations were
: made at the instance and suggestion OF
Representative Harper.
Reaoloed, That in the opinion of this
committee said journals of the house ant
l.. said engrossed bill should be corrected Il
correspond with the original amendment
and journal as approved by the house.
, ReS0lred, That the word resulting
appeared in sec. 2 of the amendments Il
house bill 287 when adopted by the houst
when the bill was on second reading.
Resolged, That the work resulting alst
appeared therein in the record of sale
amendment in the house journal wher
approved by house.
Res0'1ed, That the copy of the sale
amend sent by the clerk OF the house Il
the engrossing clerk for enerossment
i contained the word resulting,
The resolutions were not adopted b,
t the following vote; Ayes-Messrs
Billings and Crafts Noes-Messrs
Bethea, Morrison, McFie, Wood, of De
Kalb, and WilIoughby
The resolutions of Mr. Bethea wer
then adopted by the following vote
Ayes-Messrs. Bethea, McFie, Morrison
and Wood, of DeKalb Noes-Mcssrs
Billings, Crafts and Willoughby
A meeting of the committee will b
held IN the clerks room this morning a
| nine prlopk whom the chair will an
nounCe the sub committee