Omaha daily bee., 1886-08-23
CHURCH HOWE AS A DECOY.
A Few More Statements About the States
man from Nemaha,
LEGISLATIVE
CAREER
And His Connection With the Patrick
Senatorial Contest - Broad
Charges OF Bribery, Corrup-
tion and Dishonesty.

respondence of the BEE. Church Howe
has so many times dupod and cheated his
own constituents in Ncmaha county that
he actually believes he can take in a
whole congressional district. just now
he is busilY tramping around dcnouncing
everything that has been published
about him IN the BEE, as malicious Ii.
bells. Does this mountcbank and trickstcr
really imagine that the people OF this
state have lost their memories and no
longer remember his performances
in the legislature? 1t so | pro.
pose to refresh their memory
and revive the historic record.
When the legislature convened in this
city in January, 1875 it was bcsct by an
army of active political workers. There
was to be senatorial election for the
seat held by Upton. General Thayer,
WHO was at that time u resident of Lin.
coin, was the most prominent candidate
on the republican side, with Judge Dundy
noxt and Paddock bringing up the rear
There was palpably no show for a demo.
crat any more than there is now, but
conceived the scheme of capturing the
senatorship by buying up n dozen vcnal
republicans, The first thing he
did was to hire cottage
near the old Tchenor house
and lay in full supply of refreshments
in the cellar. Then he looked about
him for first class decoy, who would
rope IN the suckers and distribute the
Doodle. Church Howe was picked upon
rs the man. lie claimed to be re.
formed republican with independent
tendencies. He was the boss granger,
and could work the farmer racket to
perfection. AS the contest progressed,
Patrick became very confident. 1t took
only twenty-seven votes to elect, and
Church Howe had assured Patrick that
he had thirty pledged When the bal
loting commenced, Church led off for
Patrick. The democrats, under Patrick's
advice, scattered their votes promiscuous-
ly, most of them voting for Paddock, who
only had pair, Griggs and Joe Nc
Dowell to which he expected to draw
full. The fight between Thayer and
Dundy became very fierce. Thayer
alone had the inside, while Dundy's fol
scents of Patrick S Doodle. Presently the
crisis was reached by Dundy's with
drawal and Paddock S election, Church
Howe stood brazeniy by Patrick to the
last. but when he failed to return the
S., 900 which Patrick had advanced on u
sure contingency there were curses loud
and deep among the followers, of the
man ma VINO |nonin later tr on son, tried 1i,don to
made that Church Howe bad taken a
brlbe of So 900 for his influence and vote
in the previous legislature. The licuten-
ant governor, who was one of Howe's
cronies, packed committee organized
to whitcwash. The testimony was very
strong, and when the most important
witnesses were about to be introduced the
faces and adjourned. Among the wit
nosses that were called was Joseph Bar
ker, brothcr.ln-law of MI Patrick, who
was rcputed TO have transacted q
good deal of business with
Howe. He declined to answer
when asked if he was a confidential
friend of Mr.. j. N. II. Patrick, of whom
it had been charged that he had received
S3,000 he declined to answer, giving for
Also to these questions he refused an
answer:
/. Was money to be used as one of the
agencies to elect Patrick?
2. We're you one OF the parties to furnish
money to secure that election?
3. Did you know anything of his plac-
ing money at the disposal of Mr.. Howe,
W iit III oOSbiihso iIio oiOStioh'
4. Do you mean to say that you don't
know whether it was arranged between
Mr.. Howe and Mr.. Patrick that any
money should be placed at Mr.. Howe's
disposal in any form to secure his cleo
ton?
5. Were you the custodian of money,
the money to be employed to secure that
election?
TO all of the questions Mr., Barker re.
sponded by saying he declined to
answer" There the examination could
have stopped, as each question was evil
dence enough that Howe was guilty, rs
charged by Mr.. Rosewater.
HON. II. G. LETT,
under oath, testified as follows:
The May after the senatorial contest.
met Mr.. Patrick and DR.. Miller in Chi
cago, and came rs far as Red Oak. A
conversation came up referring To the
our mutual friend Howe was. stated
that he was at home when left. Patrick
sald, ''Howe Is pretty cuss."
answered; "Yes, Howe is pretty
lively" He said, ''Howe is a guerrilla"
asked, what was the matter between
you and Hover" and he remarked, II
would have been thousands of dollars
better of If | hadn't seen him." / was
inqusitive. He said that he had spent
several thousand dollars during the sena-
torial contest. | think ten Or twelve
thousand, ! said didn't see how this
could be, He said, "ln various ways;
that Howe got several thousand dollars
of our money" / asked, How was
thatY' He said that Howe agreed to so
many things that he did not or could not
accomplish" | replied, Hove paid
your money back, didn't he!" He said,
mot ccnt"
The investigation consumed several
days; created quite an expense, and
ended in complete whitewash for
Howe. just rs the evidence commenced
to assume Il serious aspect, and every in
dication showed that it would be necess-
sry 10 find that Howe was guilty, as
CHARGED, Of leGeiving S3, 200 from Patrick
as a bribe, earns moved to adjourn
sine die, which motion was agreed t0 all
but one voting in the negative The re-
port whitewashlng the gentleman was
rushed through the senate, the injured
man went to his Ncmaha county home,
first tclegraphing IL brass band to meet
him at the depot. All through the trial
the evidence was positive. Howe's de.
mand for an investigation at the states
expense was one of those peculiar dashes
for which he is celebrated
OTHER CHARGES.
1t has been openly charged and never
denied that Howe received money for