The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-02-03
CHARGES OF BRIBERY
1T SECURED DELAY.

Claimed by Delegate Ilnrr, OF N1nrion-An
Investigation Ordered.
Special Dtpatch 10 h. Inlclligencer.
CHARLESTON, w. Va, Feb. 1.-The
Joint Assembly convened at l1:10 with
President Carr, Of the Senate, in the
chair. Delegate Harr, OF Marion county,
submitted the following:
CHARLESTON, W. VA, Feb. l, 1890.
To he President and Members Of The Joint as.
sembiy; & aT1
Before proceeding to take vote to
declare whether A. B. Fleming or Nathan
GoG was elected to the Office OF Governor
Of the State OF West Virginia, at the eiec-
ton held on the 9th day Of November,
1883 l submit the following statement
as privileged communication:
On - day Of January, 1890, A. R.
Stollings, Engrosslng Clerk OF the Senate
Of West Virginia, offered to pay me the
sum Of SI,S00if l would cast my vote as
a member OF the Joint Assembly in
favor Of declaring Nathan GoF to have
been elected to said Office OF Governor,
at said election, and in addition thereto,
the said Stollings further offered and
proposed to guarantee to me the ap.
pointment OF Mine Inspector in the
First Mining District Of this State inl case
the said Got was declared elected to
said office by the Joiut Assembly. T
While sitting in the Opera House in
this city last night the said Stollings
sent me note asking me to come out.
side, which I did, and found the said
Stollings waiting for me at tho foot Of
the stairway to said building. We
went together to a private place, when
the said Stollings again made me M otier
OF eighteen hundred dollars for my vote
for said Gof, and exhibited large roll
OF money. l asked him to pay me the
money before voted, and refused to
agree to vote for Gof unless received
at least half the amount offered mo be.
fore cast my vote. Stollings then said
that he would see me again this morning
alter consulting with friends, and would
then pay me the one.half OF the sum
offered me for my vote, agreeing in that
case to vote for Golf. VI.
had no intention OF voting for Golf,
because am satisfied that Fleming was
fairly elected Governor at the said elec.
ton, but in view Of the fact that there
has been 30 much said by General Gofl
and his friends in support OF their claim
that there was no fraud in the election
held in this State in November, 1855,
regarded it my duty to listen to the cor.
rupt propositions Of this Republican
official to which have referred, and to
expose the same to this Joint Assembly.
t5g5.. 4 D. NJ. HARR. (
Senator Price-The paper Just read is
one OF the very highest privileged ones
which this Assembly cannot disregard.
Before another step is taken this Joint
Assembly should not take a vote until
this matter is probed to the bottom.
We ought to know that whatever vote
is cast here is honestly cast. l there
fore move a committee OF five to inves'
tigate this matter BE- appointed, to be
composed Of two members from the SEN
ate and three from the House, to lnves-
tigate and report at the earliest practi-
cable moment, and 10 have power to
send for persons and papers. q.
Senator .Vanpelt-This matter should
be investigated. Communications have
been published in the newspapers in
sinuating that members on this side arc
influenced as they ought not to be
When an effort is made to bribe mem
ber OF this body, we have q right to sup
pose that it goes back to the fountain
head, II this matter Is broug ht back u
the contestee in this case, then he II
disqualified to hold the high office Il
which he aspires. .ft3 \. 4
INVESTIGATION ORDERED. ~