The record-union., 1891-03-19
STILL IN MYSTERY.
No Light Yet Shed Upon the Contents
of the Basket.
The Joint Legislative Committee Hears
Testimony, But the Paper Scraps
Not Opened.


Inc JOINT committee of the Senate and
Assembly appointed to investigate the
matter or certain scraps of paper found in
q waste basket in the State Library,
winch were reported to contain evidences
Oh transactions supposed to implicate
members of the Assembly in some way
damaging to their standing as members
OF that body, met last evening.
Chairman Voofhies called the commit
tee to order and explained the purpose of
the meeting.
Assemblyman Dibble asked the COM
mittee to permit e. F. Saloman to repre-
sent him, as he desired to attend the ses-
sion of the Assembly.
The request was granted, and Colonel
y. p. Jackson was permitted to represent
Hon. G. N. FELTON,. f. NJ. Stone ap-
peared as representative for NJ. III. De
Young, and John S. Davis appeared on
behalf of G.. G. Blanchard.
Chairman VOORHEES, said the particular
duty of the committee would be to ar
range the torn papers in such manner
that their contents might be readable.
Attorney General Hart appeared with
the papers sealed in q package. He said
OhC PhpcI5 were Gl1teT0u 10 ulul DY u
committee Of citizens s, including Senators
and Assemblymen. The papers had
been carefully sealei1, and We're now laid
before the commit tee in the shape in
which they were Civ en- to him. He con-
sidered that he would not have done his
duty had he allowed any person to ex-
anime or handle the papers before deliv-
ering them to a prope Fly constituted COM
mittee of the Senate and Assembly So
far as he was concerned, so far as the per-
sons said to be implicated were con-
cerned, as well as the Legislature and the
people of the State, he desired to say that
full and impartial examination of the
papers be had. If any person or persons
should be found to be implicated in any
dlshonorable transaction. the truth
should be known -sno guilty person
should escape.
On the suggestion of Mr.. Crandall At
torney-General Hart aud w. S. Leake,
Deputy State Librarian, We're sworn. The
latter examined the sea led package, and
testified that, to the best of his knowledge
and behef, the package had not been
opened since it was left n the possession
OF the Attorney General.
Mr.. Hart testified that the contents of
the package were placed in his charge by
the gentlemen whom h e found in the
State Library. The pap ors were sealed
in the presence of Mr.. Lea Ike and himself.
They then went to the Governors office
anu IequeSUeu H1lu 10 tdkSa possession OF
the package. The Governors Private
Secretary took the packae e, placed it in
his safe and receipted to witness for it.
The package then before the committee
was the one delivered to Secretary Hig-
gins.
In reply to question bv General Salo-
man, Mr.. Hart said he was sOn his way to
the Governors office, on Tuesday morn
ing, when young man informed him
that he was wanted in the State Library
He went there, and in the Librarians
private office some one remarked to him
that some important papers had been
found. There were present M. NJ Estee.
Senators Heacock and MEG opgan, Assem-
blyman Burt, w. S. Leake II. NJ Burns
and, he believed, some others, but in a
few minutes several other gentlemen ar
rived.
STATEMENT OF MIR. LEAKE.
Mr.. Lealle was asked about the finding
of the scraps of paper, and he ssid he first
saw them on desk in the private Office,
. company with Librarian Perkins. It
was not an unusual thing to find bits of
paper about the office. The fragments
were in witness way and he wa 5 about to
remove them. Mr.. Estee, who had come
into the room just after Mr.. Perkins went
out, asked witness if he was moi destroy
ing something that he should not, and
called his attention to certain ii .yures on
tire papers, and also to a pa per that
seemed to have inclosed money package
of $1,000. Mr.. Estee asked witness to
telephone tor Colonel Burns. Several
other gentlemen soon came in, and the
sli ps of paper on the desk, others on the
floor, and some in the waste bask ct, were
gathered up by them. Witness wished it
understood that he had not paid amy par
ticlllar attention TO the papers until Mr.
Estee called his attention to them, When
the parties arrived for whom Ma'. Estee
had sent. witness retired from the rOom
MIR. Lea8e further testified that Elssem-
blyulen Dibble and Marion had oo upied
the room before he went in. He knew of
no person having been in the office after
these gentlemen left before himSG IF, nor
before they were there. Before they oc-
cupied the Office no scraps of paper had
been left on his desk. Mr.. Dibble .lsked
witness for the use of the office, antt wit
ness asked:
well, Judge, do you expect to mike a
Senator to-day?"
IT do not KNOW" replied Mr.. Df!5ble.
81 am expecting gentleman here pretty
soon, and we are TO do little figuril sg."
With ess said that Librarian Perkins
and himself entered the office just as Mr..
Dibble and Mr.. Marion went out. They
had been there nearly an hour. Mr.. Per-
kins soon went out, and MIR. Estee elNer-
ed. The latter had been in the habit OF
remaining in the private office for some
time each day since the balloting for Sen
ator commenced.
Witnei,s did not see Mr.. Estee nePr the
desk before he (Leake) began removing
the scraps of paper from his desk. Mr..
Estee, after casually looking at the papers,
suggested to witness not to destroy them.
Witness did not know who sent for the
Senators and Assemblymen who soon
came into the Office. Mr.. Estee was NOV
ing about the room when he called WIT
ness attention to the papers. Senators
Heacock and MCGOWAN were among The
first to arrive. As soon as those present
began to examine the papers and discuss
them, witness left the room.
Mr. Leake was then examined by 1he
Attorney-G G. eneral, and said he generally
arrived at the library about O'Clock
He said he found the office in good con-
dition when he first entered the 3ooln
and he did not notice any scraps OF paper
about. 1t was about 9 O'Clock when Mr.
Dibble arrived. Witness was in the OF
6ce until Mr.. Marion arrived, and wit
ness went out. The fragments OF paper
afterward found on the desk, were moi
there when witness left the room. Shortly
afterward he wished TO go to the tele,
phone, in the private office, but founo
the door locked.
Witness said he knew of no person
having key to the hall-door of the prl--
vate room, except Mr.. Bledsoe, who hao
been doing some writing there on Mon
day night. The janitress enters the room
by the main door.
Mr.. Leake was cross-examlned a.
length by members of the committee ano
attorneys representing Senatorial candl
dates, but nothing material in addition tt
the above was elected.
GENERAL HART's STORY.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Leakeas testi
,oonv Attorney-General Hart asked K