The sun., 1889-01-31
Minnesota senatorial scandal.
The Renublican members of the MinnesoI

election was postponed for a day or two to
make an investigating committeet to examine
into the charge of bribery and corruption.
The result shows very little ground Tor the
charges, the following being the substance OF
the testimony produced before the commit
tee
IL. l.. Williams sworn; a member of the house
nd an attorney. / am attorney for J. w Ham.
About two weeks ago Ham came over 10 my once
and told me that Mr.. Stone had told him that
ii would vote for Washburn could have 5000.
/ told him 1t was no use. Atterward Ham came
and told me that Stone had said could have
50 500 il would come out for Washburn; that
money was no object. He wanted me to come
out and announce myself for Washburn.
W. Estes, sworn; q member OF the
house
A person has approached me. He said he
would give a certa II amount OF mouev and do
certain things. He wanJe me to vote for Mr..
Sabin for United States senator. The man
with whom had the converse. ion was Senator
buchanan. 1t was in nv room at The Merchants
The offer in money was $1,000. Can give the
exact words. He was in there an hour or SO
1ntimated that 1t was no mere promise Iroposl-
tion 1t contemplated the vote on speakershtp
and senatorship and some other matters to come
before the legislature. Something about pine
land matters, connected with some railroad that
was to come before tho legislature. There was
no one else there. Had conversation with Mr.
Sabin afterwards and l underst 1od the eoHver-
sation alluded to that which we had had
withdrew for speaker after this offer. was in
favor of Morgan. Had no further converse alton
with Buckman. told him at that lime that
should have to refuse the Offer Did not know
that he had any authority more than what Sahin
said Had a talk with Sanin one evening. We
talked the matter over, and he referred me to
Buckman, aud said he was Il fine fellow: hat he
was able to do what he said he could, and ii he
made any one any offer he was able to deliver
the goods. was not offered any sum or any po-
sition to support Washburn. DOnnelly offered
TO make me speaker. He did not offer me i'll 80
many words. He said that Graves was Sabin
man, and that he Thought by certain comblna-
nla ion .fNp. ly1r
He added, "Of course, old fellow, ii we succeed
shall expect you to support me as senator"
j. w. Ham sworn:
spoke to him about it. l said, 1T seems TO
me If you would vote for Washburn or work for
Washburn you might might get pretty good
stake" was around the Merchants hotel and
heard various rumors n All l said was; i tnink
he could get s., 900 or $4,000, thaS l heard q
gentleman say that he had $3, 900 for the cam
paign. Stone had told me about it and he was
the man referred to, but l made the offer on
my own account thinking might get some
thing out Of it If [ succeeded talked
with Polk. We both thought that there
me any amount that he would offer.
never told him that Stone said he would give
any amount am Democrat. There was no
special reason why should take part in this
matter, except that / was friend of Stones.
Stone was Washburn man. think told
Stone the conversation that had with Williams.
Cross EXamined-1 knew that Williams was
hard up and needed money. told him he could
get $500 for going out and working on Wash
burns side, and later that he could get $1,000
or $3 O00 1t simply on account of my
friendship for Williams that l Iold him this
did not cara from which candidate titc money
| came had no authority to offer the money,
but / fHferred it from the general COnVersa-
tion around the Merchants. did receive some
money from Mr. Stone He said: Come down
| to the Merchants and hang around and use your
| influence on the Washburn side" He gave me
$50 was only there about three days; was
not there ali the time; was at my office most OF
| the time. did not spend any money on any
mem kers of the legislature. / had COnVersa-
| tion with Mr. Sabin last night, before went to
| the theater. Sabin sent for me and wanted to
| know if was willing to testify what l knew
about bribery He said he could give me $500.
told him it was worth $1,O0O$5O0 in cash
and note. lie said be would meet me at the
| hotel at a. m met HIM there and he said he
| could arrange to give the ST COO. What was to
| do was to give my testimony just
| had given it to him. Gen. Baker was present, as
were II. L. Williams and Two others.
| Williams took part in the conversation. 1t was
| in his presence that this amount was fXe'i.
said was willing to testify if there was any
thing in it. I meant if there was any money in
| it, and he understood it. My reason for taking
| the 81 900 was because the payment was post
| poned. II that was paid was to come before
| the committee. Sabin and discus cd whether
+ Ishould divide with Williams. told him ttiat
| / was to have the paw for my services only. II
! Polk and Williams testified that told them that
| Stone had futhorized me to give the money, ii
| is false. Gen. Baker did not participate in the
|
Sabin.
Fl. G. Stone sworn:
Twas unfriendy to Mr.. Sabin and not particu.
larly friendly to Mr.. Washburn I told Ham
! that Sabin had done great many things to in.
| jure me, and wanted him to get out and dc
some talking He said he would II there was
any money in it. paid him $50. paid Ham
| this out Of my own pocket. | have had no au.
| authority from Mr.. Washburn to offer any
money. never offered any to any one. acted
| II the matter because thought that Sahin was
tI ififH
to him was from purely business standpoint
think that he has injured me. have had ne
communication with partisans OF any candidates
Senator Buckman sworn:
| Inever approached Estes Saw Estes in nv
room. He told me that he had been Offered
$4,000 to withdraw from the spe lkership fight
and wanted to know if we could do better.
told him no. never knew ANYTHING about the
pine lands coming before the legislature Never
discussed any such question with him. Never
talked with him about railroad grant or about
his vote. Estes evidence is fase-a pure fabri-
cation. There was bill introduced in the sen
ate chanGing the route of the Duluth & Winni
peg route. I had nothing to do with the railroad
land grant.
A. NJ Crosby of Luverne, sworn:
We tmeaning Estes and Buckmanl talked
awhile. They went into Buckmaus room anC
shut the door except about six inches Buck
man asked him what they could do for him tC
induce him to withdraw in favor of Graves fol
speaker He said they had offered him So, ,O0(
do better. Buckman said they We're not max
ing a canvass in that way, but could 10 some
thing for him in committees.
Senator Sabin, sworn:
Had talk with Estes. The conversation wal
in the most casual manner as to the speaker
ship told him / wished him TO pin his sup
port to Graves. He spoke about the chairman
ship of some committee. ] said l supposed ht
and Buckman had some understanding abou
that matter, and said that guessed Buck maj
could deliver the goods. Our conversation hat
relation to the speakership alone Buckmar
told me Estes had told him he could get $3, Oo(
from the other side, that he had had marc
times up in our country" and he mus
nSSa r. to be pay GSna snghns
mony of Ham read to witness as to offer O
money to induce him to testifv.) Polk told m,
what Ham had said about it. sent for William
and he corroborated the statement. told Poll
II he could persuade Ham to produce the testi
mony and talk He said that Ham was very
doubtful kind Of fellow ana and might do it for.
would 1t be prudent for me to make any offe
but that never forgot friend and thought
could throw enough business into their hands t.
pay them fer the trouble. then sent TO
Williams and he told me that Ham had gono t,
Minneapolis. Polk told me that Ham had mad
an Arrangement with Stone to put up a job OF
me. TOLD Ham that his price was high, that
had not enough mohey to get my -, bu
that IL he gave hts testimony l woplt
be more than Obliged to him. In tn
morning told him at the Ryan that IL he coulC
not come up voluntarily and give his testimon.
!, could have nothing to do with him. When
remarked that I was hard up / said that if
went into deal of that kind should have T.
give him slow note. Tnis was in a jocula
kind of way. / told him that would NEE
him at the RYAN hotel in the morning, and
guessed could fix up the matter. Mr.. William
was present at that conversation. The characte
of the man and the wrong that had had lei
me to make some talk to him in jocosc wa
that would not otherwise have done. dom
! know what his inference might have been. NJ
, / remarks were OF a general nature But CAV
the inference that my business relations nigh
I be sucAas to make y an object for him to Civ
: OF any valhe, pht II hts statement would I'M
picate Stone u would be very satisfactory v
me. -
Mr.. Washburn has been confined to hi
home ever since the caucus by nervous pros
: tratiou. He vent home after his victor
last Thursday night completely worn out b!
/. the arduous work of the campaign, and ha
! been unable to be out ever since He wa
: therefore unable to appear before the eenat
! c0mmittee, as he would have wished to hav
, ! done, but sent in an affidavit. denying Il
I 4 every particular that he had used money O
IL nTv other norrunfin 0 inf npnnn aifhnr yaay