Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-13
THE LIBRARY INVESTIGATION.
Postponed Until saturday Next.
Mr. sfAHLNRCKER RNPHATIcALIY DENIES rHR
CHARGES AND PROTESTS AGAINST DELAY.

The House special Library committee to investi-
gate charges against Representative Stahlnecker
met at IL O'Clock this morning to proceed with the
investigation. After some delay, representatives
OF the press were admitted without dIscrimina-
ton. Judge Kelley had submitted an informal
bill OF particulars He said, however, that as Mr..
James Coleman, who represented him In the mat
ter was Ill and unable to be present. and owing to
the further fact that several important witnesses
were out OF the city, he would ask that the
Investigation be postponed until Tuesday next.
not Monday, because Mr.. Coleman had an engage
ment for that day, and he understood that Judge
wilson also had such an engagement II Mr..
Coleman was not able to be present on Tuesday he
would see that some one else was on hand in his
place. He did not care TO make q statement Of his
charges at present. and let them lie over until
Tuesday. This course would be unfair TO Mr..
Stahlnecker.
Mr.. sIAHLNEcKKR OPPOSED 10 rosrPoNRNKNr
Mr.. Wilson, OF counsel for Mr.. Stahlnecker, ex-
pressed great surprise at this application for post
ponement and vigorously opposed it. He said he
hoped the me mbers OF the committee had read the
sSpy II a had resd
have seen how utterly frivolous they were. Mr..
Stahlnecker, he said, did not care to take ad-
vantage OF any technicality 80 far the specinca
tions In the charges are concerned.
Mr. sTAHLNECKER UTTERLY AND ABSOLUTELY DENIID
ALL THE CHARGES
contained therein. He desired that the committee
make just, full, ana complete Investigation Of
the whole matter, and that as speedily as possi-
House of Representatives. He did insist that the
delay asked Tor should not be granted. The gen.
eral charge against Mr.. Stahlnecker had gone out
such charges afIect a mans character. The
other side should be ready To proceed with
the investigation In conclusion he asked that the
He said that whoever was the author OF the
charges they must eminate from Mr. Smithmeyer
ana no other. From the very nature OF the charges
Mr. Sm1thmeyer was the man who must know all
about the matter. The seat and spring OF the
whole accusations lay In Mr.. Smithmeyer. Mr..
an accusation. He had a right TO demand that
the truth OF the case be disclosed as promptly as
possible. The accuseds honor was involved: he
standing under grave suspicion, and under those
conditions week became q year. There was, he
thought. no excuse for delay.
JUDGE KELLEY DEFENDED HIS NOTION
for postponement, declaring that he was not
willing to do his witnesses the injustice Of having
them questioned and cross-examined In the alb
sence Of the counsel for the prosecution. He
Judge Kelley was the author OF the charges, the
sole author, but he was not the prosecuting coun-
SCI. He was as anxious, he said, as were the par
ties on the other side to proceed and dispose OF
the case as promptly as possible, but the sick
ness Of his counsel and the absence OF witnesses
made It impossible for him to proceed to-day. He
suggested that, II the committee did not want TO
make postponement as long as until Tuesday,
tney miGnt make IL SATURDAY Oh tnlS week.
ADJOURNMENT TILL SATURDAY.
MI. Hayes moved q postponement until Satur-
day, which was adopted after some discussion, the
understanding being that no further postponement
could be granted Mr. Catchings stated that he
thought II likely that there would be an adjourn
ment OF Congress by the f1rst OF october, and 1t
was important that the work OF this committee
should be completed before that time.
The Dill OF charges was kept from the public until
1t should be formally presented on Monday.
THE NATURE OF THE CHARGE
The informal draft Of charges submitted to the
committee by Judge Kelley, simply alleged In q
general way that Mr.. Slahlnecker has attempted
improperly to influence the making of contracts
In connection with the Library building, and
associate him directly or Indirectly with a per-
Sonal Interest In the cement contracts and in the
marble works In his distinct He Is charged with
trying TO influence contracts In the interest or both
The form OF the charges, or bill OF particulars,
will probably be changed somewhat when pre-
sented TO the committee on Saturday.