Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-05-06
THE PAYNE CASE.

Having Failed in Their Attempt to smircf,
His Character Senator Payne's Repub-
fican Enemies Propose to Lay Old Ex-
ploded " Rumors " Before the United
States Senate.
For three months committee of the
Ohio Legislature nave 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. 4
majority of this committee are Repub-
Hcans. and with partisan zeal they
have explored every quarter except one
for evidence in support of Mr.. Dcna-
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..
Paynes 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 fer by the committee.
The Majority and minority reports
are now before the Legislature. to-
gether with a 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
char ged." 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. y
/ Yet, although generating the members
! Of their own body who We're charged
| with bribery, and practically admittin 9
| that they have failed to discover anv
| fact tending to inculpate Mr.. Payne in
| any degree. the majority report car
! rieS partiSan>hip 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 Pavne's right to the seat
/ which he occupies.
! Here are the extraordinary grounds
| on which Mr.. PAYNE 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 Il considerable time after the
/ general election of ISIS. at which members OF
! the General Assembly were chosen.
/ -. That suspicion and charges of 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 convict on
-. That rs TO choice of Senatorial candi
| dates among members of the General As
J SemhV there numerous remarkable
/ changes difficult TO account for without as
/ summing the use of unusual Inducements.
Senator Pavne'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
/ cham Der. for his further annoyance.
! the rumOrs and unsubstantiateG
charges of the Columbus lobby. will
meet with the approval of fair-minded
men of either party.-N. Y. Sun.