The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-06
THE PAYNE CASE.

| Having Failed In Their Attempt to Smirch
His Character Senator Payne's Repub-
lean Enemies Propose to Lay Old Ex-
ploded Rumors" Before the United
States Senate.
For three months a committee of the
Ohio Legislature have been Investigate
ing Sim DOnavin's charge that the
nomination of Hon. Henry E. Payne
for United States Senator was accom-
plished in the Democratic caucus by
the bribery of certain members. A
majority of this committee are Repub-
licans, and with partisan zeal they
have explored every quarter except one
for evidence in support of Mr.. Dons-
wins story.
The exception is notable. As long
ago as January % Mr. Payne wrote to
| the committee asking for an opportu-
nifty to appear and to be examined un-
| der oath, and offering to submit his
account books and private correspond
ence to the most thorough scrutiny.
| Mr.. Cowgirl, the chairman of the COM
mittee, replied on January % to Mr..
/ Payne's letter, assuring the Senator
that he would be summoned in case
the inquiry developed any fact tending
/ to inculpate him in any degree with any
| questionable transaction. Mr.. Payne
has not been summoned; his private let
| ter books and accounts have not been
asked for by the committee.
The majority and minority reports
are now before the Legislature, to-
gether with mass of inconclusive
testimony filling eight thousand printed
pages. No proof of bribery has been
discovered. The Democrats of the
committee report that there has been
absolutely nothing found in any way
compromising the four members
charged" The Republican majority
find that the charge against four
members of this House-Shultze, Seig-
Ter, Baker and Hunt-named in the
resolution, has not been sustained.
Yet, although generating the members
of their own body who were charged
with bribery, and practically admitting
that they have failed to discover any
fact tending to inculpate Mr.. Payne in
any degree, the majority report car
rieS partiSanship to such an extent that
it proposes to turn the case over to the
United States Senate, and to ask the
Republicans of that body to attack
anew Senator Payne's right to the seat
which he occupies.
Here are the extraordinary grounds
on which Mr.. Payne's enemies in Ohio,
after three months of futile search at
home, ask a renewal of the investiga-
ton in Washington:
Il. That the candidacy of Henry b. Payne
for United States Senator was not made known
publicly until q considerable time after the
general election of 1883. at which members of
the General Assembly were chosen.
49,. That suspicion and charges or the en-
plOyment OF Illegal means to secure the cleo
ton of the successful candidate for Senator
were very prevalent near the time of, and for
weeks after, the Senatorial election, and that
in many instances the suspicion amounted
almost to conviction.
-. That as to choice of Senatorial candi-
dates among members of the General As
sembly there were numerous remarkable
changes difficult to account for without as
Stunning the use of unusual inducements"
Senator Payne's attitude from the
first has been manly and honorable;
and we do not believe that this attempt
to dump into the United States Senate
chamber, for his further annoyance.
the rumOrS and unsubstantiated
charges of the Columbus lobby, will
meet with the approval of fair-minded
men of either party.-N Y. Sun.