Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-26
Ex-Gov. HoADLY INDIGNANT,
He Denounces the Payne Investigation n
scheme to Smireh Character.

He Denouncss the Payne Investigation M
ascheme to smirch Character.
New YoRK, April 25.-Ex-Gov. George
Hoadly, Of Ohio, is at the Gilsey House
with his wife, having come East after &C.
we're illness to attend to some private bus.
ness and secure few ssys' rest BE 10 q
lifelong friend Of Senator Payne and does
not hesitate to express very emphatic
views concerning the investigation that has
been going on in Ohio over the Senator q
election.
1T has never been claimed, so far as |
know" he said, last night, that Senator
Payne had guilty knowledge of the pur.
chase of any votes for himself in the Legis.
ls,ure, but the Republicans did charge that
bis friends bought up the Legislature in bis
favor. The attack was aimed at his son,
Col Oliver Fl. Payne, of this city; Col.
William P. Thompson, Of Cleveland; John
d. Farley and few others, and the object
| sm satisfied, was not to get at the truth,
but to make political capitalize gather
material for future use on the stump. The
result is that the committee has gathered
together lot Of gossip, stuff that amounts
TO nothing, while the men who could have
told something If the charges were really
true-not one Of them was called. Col.
Thompson, the Treasurer of the Standard
Oil Company and Psyne's leader, has been
in Cleveland all winter, but they never
sent for him or asked him to testify. Col.
Payne was here in New York ready to re-
spond to any subpoena, but he wssn't ask.
ed TO come. They said John Huntington
had gone to Cuba to get out Of the way.
when they knew he was at the Hot Springs
and they could have gotten him If they
wanted him.
They gathered lot of stuff, too, about
John Il. Farley, but they didn't ask him to
testify. John R Mclean returned in the
midst OF the investigation, but he WASH
wanted either. Senator Payne himself
wrote the committee letter Offering to |
come and bring his private letter books, his
check.books and everything else, but they |
didn't send for him; in fact, they didn't
examine man who could know OF the
crooked work, if there had been any. The
result is that they have gathered together !
a lot OF gossip that amounts TO nothing,
and have disgraced the State, the Legisla.
lure and themselves.
They did not attempt to trace anything
10 is source; in fact they seemed anxious
% avoid doing so. Senator Payne's friends.
II whom | am one. feel that he has been
very badly used, and regard the whole
Affair as IN extremely 1nisir proceeding,
Intended not to damage but only to smirch.
Senator Payne is q man OF seventy.
i've. aud his whole life has aeen pure and
,lesn, a man against whom never word
could be said. His son got ball through
1is thigh at Chicksmauga. Yet for the
'ake Of political capital an sttenp; was
made 10 smiroh these men and their irieude.
The whole affair Is fine illustration OF the
political methods which counienance the
gathering up OF lot Of gossip and investi
,stlpg 1t while carefully avoiding the
'ource Of tho information. For instance,
L. A. Russell, Of Cleveland, gave testi.
nony that was important il true. Re said
,is informant was citizen Of Ohio, and
,fered to give hia name if the committee
wanted it, but they said oh, no. They
,lled the newspapers, too, with what Dona.
'in was going TO tell, bu. when Donsvin
vas called be could only tell but wha,
v. A. Taylor had told him, and Taylor
estifsd that be had only beard il on the
treets.
And vhan the committee reported 1t
.syuitted the four members OF the present
legislature whom the investigation was
rdered to investigate, having no evidence
'gsinst them, bet went on TO abuse some
Re~berS Of the past Legislature who are
lot members OF the present, particularly
senators White and Rsmey. And to cap
he climax they refused to print the testi.
nony, though the Democrats tried TO have
t printed, and ordered it sent 10 Washing.
on without printing and reading, and we
inlY know what it contains through hear
sy. You may be sure that wha. they |
ave seen fit TO give out was not the least
amsging part In fact the whole affair
ss been farce from beginning to end,
nd it seems TO me that it must re.c. upon
Ia authors. 1t certainly cannot hurt the
Democrats. 70; tbs iarclcal character oi
be Investigation was too evident"
Mr., Hoadly will remain 10 the city until
iondsy.