The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-01-23
'EX-G0V. FORAKER
HIS STORY OF THE BALLOT CONTRACT
AS TOLD BEFORE A CONGRESS
sIoNAL COMMITTEE.
HIS CONNECTION WITH WOOD
he Part Played by Halstead in the Matter
History of the Publication of
the Forged Letter.

WASHINGTON, January 1S-Ex-Gov. For
aker resumed his statement before the
house committee in the ballot box forgery
cases today, beginning by reading letter
from Mayor Mosby, dated August IA. The
witness then said he did not see Wood after
receiving Walters letter, until October 6,
when he appeared at Columbus and asked
for money to go to Washington to look mp
/ q battery deal. The witness gave him $500
| for that purpose. Wood said the publica-
ton had gotten the "gang" down on him,
speaking of Murray in discreditable way
and saying that they had been trying to
get him to say that the paper was forgery.
He also said he was i'll fear of personal
violence. Witness tried to -eassure him
and had the money paid over TO Wood
on October 8. On that day he got note
from Wood, saying he could get the boxes
at $40 apiece. and not to show the note to
Halstead. Continuing, witness read letter
from the Cincinnati Screw and Tap COM
pany, estimating the cost of the ballot
boxes at 81 each. 1t closed with the state
ment: "This same Wood would hardly
bear close inspection, and he is now posing
"Your old friend, f. b. Leopold" Then
the witness read another letter from S. 9.
Campbell to Wood, commenting upon wit
ness (Foraker's) Music hall speech as un-
fair; abusing Mr.. Halstead- saying nothing
better could be expected from him, and
suggesting a lawsuit against him in con-
lnection with the ballot box matter.
A reporter at this point asked Represent
atiye Grosvenor if the letter had been pub
lished.
TIC. Campbell, who stood in the rear,
exclaimed: "Yesl it was published. A
letter containing SO much truth ought not
be kept in the dark"
Resuming his narration witness read a
note from Mr.. Halstead received the morn
ing after the retraction, October IL, saying
he had found the paper to be a
aUier eretraction. The witness answered
Il expressing the feor that he (Halstead) had
lheen imposed upon. He (witness) was
lcohsidering what should be done about this
matter. His first impulse was to abandon
it and publish everything then and there.
! He told Kurtz he wanted everything pub
llished. Kurtz said he was of the same i'm
preston at the beginning and had written
to Mr.. Halstead to that effect here. The
witness read letter from Kurtz to Hal
stead, in which he suggests giving at once
10 the world the name of the forger
or forgers to the end that a
Of fV ali engaged in the ballot box affair; that
such was the course best calculated to save
. his good name. In answer, Halstead wrote
that he agreed with Harman that nothing
further should be published at that time.
Harman wanted to protect a young man
who had something to do with the forgery.
The witness said he did not know exactly
what to do. He was somewhat confused,
o.,,hodr wnuld have hppn. He
had not caused the paper. to. be
unpublished and Halstead had
taken the responsibility, and witness
Thought he had better leave the matter
where it was until the time should come
when everybody could speak in freedom
Wood was in Washington to look after the
battery deal and the pension records o. o.
Thought Wood might be. making state
ments or falling into the hands Of some
BODY who might use him, so he thought
| it would be well to have somebody keel
the track of him Therefore he tele
graphed s. G. McGrew, of Washington, tc
, come to Columbus. McGrew came, anc
, after witness had explained the details tt
: ID with instructions to watch wood
I McGrew kept on the track o
Wood until he left Washington for Ohio t.
) vote the day before election. While II
!, Washington, Wood wrote witness ant
Kuntze several letters, but the very mo
ment witness learned he was forger a.
J stopped having any communication Witl
|. him, and Kuntze wrote Wood that the!
7 would have nothing to do with him ant
! would not answer his letters. On October
. 18th. witness became i'll and had to retlr
Z from the campaign for ten days or tw'
s weeks. He went to his home and had M
correspondence with anybody: On the da.
after the election he saw McGrew AM
asked after Wood. McGrew replied
! about the intimations in the newspaper
# that he (Foraker) was at fault in what h
n had done in the matter and wanted to write
: but had been forbidden to do so. He want
e ed to set witness right in the world. Wit
s ness told McGrew that certificate OF chaI
acter at Woods hand would not amount
e much, but he might write if he wanted q
e do 40. Witness got letter Monday, No
IS yember II. and threw it on the table. hi
# wife found the letter and put it away in
a bureau. where it lay until witness saw tn
is published story that Butterworth had sal
e. that the witness had procured 1t for
e money consideration from Wood, when b
IL looked for and found it. 1t is dated Wash
lington,, November IA, and in 1t woo
said he was sorry witness was defeate
and saw that some of the papers said
was the ballot box matter an
II He 'CWood) did not believe II f
is witness had nothing to do with it and If
90 wanted, he Wood would give. statemel
% that would clear him of having an
er improper connection with M M
m ter or ballot box bushes
Wood added that he didn't do the social.
90 forgery. and didn't want him to think
TO did. Witness afterwards met Wood as
(witness) was coming out of the Commee
is eial office. Wood wanted TO talk to hi
3. there, but witness told him to cor
e. TO the Gibson house, which
m did. Almost the first thing Wo'
AZ did was to inquire about his smoke inspe'
re orship. Witness told him he could
nothing more about that. He had forfeit