New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-13
THE BALLOTBOX SCANDAL.
THE HOUSE TO INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGED
CONTRACT IN OHIO.
Mr.. pUrrERwoRTH's MOTION FOR SPECIAL
. or, ,,,vr ADOPTED WITH

Committee OF FIVE ADOPTED WITH
OUT DIVISION.
,,--,,-,o, ncc. 1o-Immcdlately after the read
nr 81 the tourual in the House to-day Mr. but'er
worth. of Ohio rising 10 qucSuo" W
offered tbc following preamble and reSolu'ion
whorca. on divers days during the month OF oc'ooer'
oeo ana n, other times that date there appeareu III
loo'' "nu Commercial Gazette" and in other public
,n,, what purportci be an exact copy OF certain
contract alleged TO have been maze ana en'eio NV y
the several partes whose names were appehueu "eie
GIere follows a reproduction Of the alleged baiot
box cOntract) -,
whereas or the persons whose names aDvcar on sala
naper ALL except one. at the time OF said puoc'''
and except the S. S. Cox. deceased are sun mem
ber. Of this House OF tie Senate OF tie United states
whereas said contract, published as autheh'ic am
genuine was the basis the charges suggestions ana
lnsnuatons that the old Members and Senators whose
names appear said alleged contract ente'eu i'o q"
unlawful and corrupt contract and scheme 70 uesu' '
United States in the OF the proposed purehas OF
certain ballotboxes which charges are on a''aui' p %
official integrity and reputation for honesty Oh eacn OF sara
several Members and Senators, and II true enuei o
unfit to sit as Members OF Congress; therefore,
Resolved That a committee Of hve members Oh TINS
House be appointed by the Speaker to MAKE iaiI ana
tborouoh Investigation and report without aesy 'he e
donce together with their findings thereon " Va. mus
Said committee when appointed shall asoe''"'' w 20
Firstly whom said alleged contract We" ~ , @'S
whether the several signatures appended thereto are oreed
or genulne $1,000 :, v .,o
second-If forged what person or persons II '' VIZ
directly or indirectly aiding, abetung assisting OF KNOW
lngly consenting the preparation anu u''is VI W
forgery and FOR what purpose ana intent -. -
49, N,to,har any Of the members whose names ap-
eare1 on said alleged had or have elmer occy
or indirectly any unlawful. corrupt or Improper .
with or interest in. the bailotooAes ""''A az VIZ
OF said alleged contract
The resolution further provides that the comn''Ho
shall have authority to call for persons ana pdPce'
administer Oaths, etc ,
MI. Butterworth himself read the preamble and
resolution and then stated that he had but worn 10
say I'm reference the matter The publication had
FIST appeared in The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette
on October A. but in that publication, the name OF
James T. Campbell alone appeared. 1t had been
current rumor, however, throughout the state, that
the names of his honored colleagues, Senator sherman
and Mr.. Mckinley, and his own name, as we'll as the
names Of Others, were on the paper AS soon as at
tenton was called to the matter 1t developed that
the contract and signatures were forgeres and the
Editor Of "The Commercial Gazette promptly so
stated in doublc-leadcd editorial. But, notwith-
standing that editorial. began be bruited about
that. notwitlsand the exposure Of forgery, the
parties were interested in the contract and that, be-
cause certain individuals had been caught
On both sides Of the political line, It
was thought well to suppress IT, The Speaker
had called the attention OF the Editor of " The Com
merclal Gazete7 10 this fact and tho latter again, in
double-leadcd editorial. had said that such state
ment was unauthorized and unwaraned. and that
the paper had been suppressed because 1t had been
= forgery. The whole OF the contract had not ap
peared IN the issue OF October 4. There had been
another segment, which suggested that the Interest
in the alleged scheme would continue until 1890, when
as the speaker understood it, it would expire by
limitation.
Mr.. Butterworth did not make this statement be-
cause he supposed there could be any objection to
the adoption Of the resolution. IT was proper for
him say that he presented the resolution at the
unanimous request of the three senators, and OF every
Representative whose appeared on the paper
except that OF : s. Cox, who had passed to the other
shore while this infsmy being concOcted
Mr.. BIccknridge, of Kentucky-whose name Is ap-
pended to the alleged cOnract-sad that far as he
was individually concerned. he had never known of
such bill as the ball0t-bOX bill. The thing abOnt
which gentlemen had a right 10 feel indignant was. not
that the paper bore forged signatures but the iteration
and reltcTaon Of the nsnuatiOn that. while these gen
temen were guiltlcss of this offence, they might
poss bly, be- guilty Of a similar and unrcvcalcd
and. as yet, undiscovered offence; and It was
for this reason, principally, that he united
with his colleague Mr. Bntterw0rth, In
asking that an investigation might be made
lie wanted b put on record his utter denial OF the
truth, directly indirectly, by express or implied
lnsinuatiOn. OF anything conncc ted with this matter
When he remembered the genial spirit OF The eloquent
leader who was in the last Congress, who had now
gone TO his grave with this nfamy upon him, the
speaker thought il not unbccOmng for the House
Of Representatives take proper steps to put upon
that nfamy the seal of IFS censure and condemnation
lAppauscJ The resolution was adopted Without
livisiOn.