The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-02
COAL-OIL PAYNE.
Trail Struck In the Oleaginous Corruption
In the Election of Senator Payne.

A Trail Struck In the Oleaginous Corruption
In the Election Of Senator Payne.
Columbus Special to Chicago Tribune.
With the Senate adjourned over into next
week, and no matter of interest likely to come
before the House, Columbus would be dead po-
litically to-day but for the latest developments
in the Payne Investigation. Il Is getting mors
and more apparent that direct testimony as to
the buying of votes in the Democratic caucus
will be hard to obtain but it is also getting more
and more apparent that the case made out to
moral certainty will be as damn:ng to some
political regulations as could be conviction b.
fore jury in formal trial in court. The fight
of witnesses desired is in itself an indication Of
their guilty knowledge, and the circumstances
under which these disappearances occur. "a
some new fact is stumbled upon by the commik
tee of investigation, are such as to make 70
ported incidents Of the past dovetail into each
other strikingly. The investment in Pendletcr
legislators was made In style which speaks
volumes for the political acuteness of the pur
chasers. No checks were passed, no written
promises to pay were given, and when the
money changed hands il was in the form Of
crisp $500 and 800 bills.
Sosmuch new money was never seen in CoIum.
bus before There must have been trunkful
of it in some room of the Neil House. the Payns
headquarters, and the method of it's expenditure
was triumph of secrecy There was slight
trail left though and this trail the investigating
committee has stumbled upon. The money WM
handled by stranger. Many of those who deall
with him did not know his name. he was mol
even resident of the State, but he Is known
now. He lives in West Virginia. and he isa
trusted agent Of the Standard Oil Company. VI
course the investigation committee cannot 10
cure this man to give testimony, and II they
could he would not talk: but he is not unlikely
have fame thrust upon him soon to an extern
which must be painful to one OF his retiring 10
ture.
This paymaster must have been an exceedingly
shrewd as well as trustworthy parsonage. nM
connection with the prominent figures among
the Payne boomers was never suspected oy .ns
multitude. Col. Oliver Payne, an officer OF sns
Standard Oil Company. of which his father, snS
Senator is the long headed adviser and scnemvs.
occupied rooms in state at the principal hosei y
Columbus, and this hotel and ali Others ID 70. Wy
town Of any note were practically rented LOT .ns
occasion, everything being made free as vac.
to legislators and their families. There was .
roar and hustle. an advent of hundreds Of tns
Cincinnati gang sent on by Paynes assoCiAss
there. and amid the tumult the confidential m as
from West Virginia could move about unnoNS y.
The cashier was not prominent personaEo
fore the caucus; after it he had but rev nOg..
work to do, and then he melted away IKE ~
in the morning. He has not materiallze0
Columbus since. =.
The list of those who. Immediately after sns
Payne election, stepped suddenly from amva
perjury to what is opulence in the rural dlsIriess
has received number of additions. As the mas
ter is agitated reports come in from the slDss -
towns. where each individual knows all aDO.a,
the affairs of everyone else in the place - 3
where the sudden prosperity of the members y. \
the Legislature from the district became 49, -
year and half ago, the subject OF eomn 81.
and scandal. The marvel is that these scahu sa
were never grouped before. But one I
knows little about the scandals OF another un,s
such scandals are printed, and 1t 10 only nsa
are brought together that their full signlnss ga
is seen and an idea obtained Of the unnnnaSsi
sum of money which must have oeen eAP Ming
in Columbus Immediately after the ASSUME
of the Coal-oil Legislature. ..,.v.d
Even the shrewdness of the men now empsd
to get witnesses and damaging documents os soe
the way of the investigating committee = shst
taxed in interposing obstacles, from the facs I'm
information sought is coming Dy lew. .vs no
sources of which the coaioll people can Ia fos
idea. There is literally no popular reEos nan.
Senator Payne in Ohio He was not even 10 arof-
ocratic leader before he appeared Win panalssos
nous fortune and backed BY the anti. 0orse of
crowd from Cincinnati, to defeat tne is ssown BIZ
the majority, and now no hesitation - ,'- vhst
Democrats of the better class In te.ssns TIE
| they know of the methods of his grolhl IL. hees
very fact that the Payne investigated. a TIE
instituted is creditabe to one porso.aa. sise Il
Democratic party in the State ana Der Il
the presence in its ranks OF large ~ sueh q
honest and intelligent voters IL = sd
these that letters and kilograms are eoni't = ni
| the obstruetionists do not know whefe :
| them. h.t the
There is coming in this matter w.s;slatuls
shrewdest men Of both parties IN the g ia pgs
say, as political sensation, will oWsaA
] ent struggle in the Senate