Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-10-23
IGNATIUS ON TRIAL.
Is the Great Cryptogramist a
Great Boodler?
LIBEL SUIT AGAINST A NEWSPAPER,

Naich Is Really an Inquiry Into Certain
Alleged Shady Transactions of the
Granger Statesman and Baconian De-
fender = Some Important Evidence
Ruled Out, Giving DonneIIy Something
of an Advantage in the Contest-Con-
Trajectory Testimony Regarding His
Reputation.
ST. PAUL, Oct 23.-The question
whether Ignatius Donnelly, the great
cryptogramist and granger politician, is
one of the worst boodlers ever raised" in
this country is the one that is now on
trial before the court in this city, al
though 1t seems that most of the evidence
upon which the charges were based will
be ruled out by the judge. The Pioneer
Press is the accuser, and Donelly has sued
the paper for 100000 for libel. The
Pioneer Press first charged that Donnelly
had accepted bribes as legislator and
this brought on the suit. 1t now charges
that Donnelly is a practiced hand at
boodlery; that he obtained from Richard
Franchot, while a member of congress,
Is, 600 for his influence in favor of the
Central Pacific railway, and that he tried
to get more from the officials of the rail-
way in New York city.
Tried to Corrupt Springer.
Furthermore it is charged that Don
nelly offered, through an anonymous let
ter, to pay to the wife of William NJ
Springer, of Illinois, 5000 if Springer
would help the cryptogramist in his con-
test with Washburn for a seat in the ma
tional house. Another charge is that he
wanted money 10 work for land grant
to the Hastings and Dakota railway, and
finally did get 1850 in stock; another is
that he took from the Memphis, FL Paso
and Pacific railway $500, 900 in stock and
$50, 900 note in payment for his help to
that road while in congress. All this and
more the Pioneer Press says it can prove,
and it goes without saying that the court
is crowded and that their is interest in
tense now that the trial is on
Legal Battles Over Evidence.
Yesterday forenoon was entirely taken
up with legal battles over the admission
as evidence of the records of congress in
connection with the investigation of
the authorship of the anonymous letter
sent to W. NJ. Springer. All that the de-
fense We're allowed to do was to show that
Donnelly had submitted letters and that
they were used as testimony in the con-
gressional investigation evidence of which
has been given by w. S. King, ex-Con-
gresham from the Third Minnesota dis
trict, who testified Wednesday to the
truth ofEthe charges of The Pioneer Press
Exhibit l, attached to the report, the pho.
tograph of the printed letter, was offered
In evidence and objected to.
The Letters All Photographic.
Mr. Squires for the defense (The Pioneer
Press explained that the photographs
were the ones before the congressional
committee. 1t was contended that there
was no evidence to show that they were
| even printed from the. same plate Judge
Flandrau explained how -lithograph-
| ing was done to prove that it was a cor
rect process. He claimed that the fact of
the letters being attached to the report
was proof that they were accurate. There
was quarrel over Photographic expert
ence, in the midst of which a recess was
taken for dinner.
The Court Asks Some Questions.
The deposition Of experts who had tes-
| titled before the committee was offered
and objected to for the reason that it had
| not been made from correct copies of the
letter, so far as was shown Mr.. Squires
| explained that the testimony was given
on the photo-engraved letters They had
| asked for no other.
What proof have you that they are
correct," asked the court.
"None, to be candid wish you"
"Theu how can we assum that they
were:n
| "Do / understand that the testimony is
| not admissable:"
The court reflected and then said they
| must show some reason.