St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-17

| state fled his written opinion with our
| decision. | am frank to say that ! have
no regrets for that vote, and would re-
| peat it under the same circumstances.
| Even had not the sentence been unlaW-
| ful, it is my opinion that the ends of
| justice had been fully served by the con-
viction Of the defendants. One of the
gentlemen involved has within the last
| few weeks received the unanimous
thanks of
Tiae Pennsylvania Legislature
for important services rendered human
| ity and the state incidentally, the
statement has been made that, III some
0nspecitied manner, [ procured, or at
| tempted to procure, the pardon Of man
named Lynch, under sentence for forg
cry, by threats delivered personally to
Mr.. ByerS, Of Pittsburg. | cannot at
this day remember the facts on the
pendency of the case, but the charge is
lie, for which there never was
shadow of foundation. Equally false is
the wOndrous lyric of my escape from
the Pittsburg rioters of 1877 under the
tutelage of Mr.. Dalzell. 1t is necessary
to pass TO history somewhat ancient
in order to dispose Of the nebulOuS
charge of bribery and corruption
as a member of the Pennsylvania legiS-
lature nearly twenty-five years ago, in
connection with an action for libel
against the editor of the Pittsburg Com
mercial. With characteristic malignity
my assaiIants have been careful to en-
phasiZe the fact that the case was
never pushed for trial. They fail to
state the libel was reflected, and that
the defendants pleaded nolle con-
tendere, paying the costs Of the case
and the fees of the counsel. | may
mention, in passing, that in the prelim-
mary hearing an effort was made to
show that / was rich man, the inuendo
being that my wealth was unlaWfully
acquired. l had been pr0thonOtary of
Beaver county from 1856 to 1861, when |
resigned to go into
The Union Army.
had served as private secretary to Gov.
Curtin, as military agent of the state IN
this city, as chief of the state depart
ment OF transportation and telegraph,
and for three years had been member
of the Pennsylvania legislature. My
recollection is that the examination dis
closed the fact that, after nearly twelve
years of industry and opportunity, my
fortune was about 5000. 1t is proper
also TO dispose of some statements upon
which less stress has been laid. One
accusation is that over twenty years ago
| attempted to bribe Alexander 7.
Tuition, then supervisor of internal
revenue for the Eastern district OF
Pennsylvania, to prevent the sez-
ure of an illicit distillery. This is
wicked and malicious falSehOod, with
out excuse for its utterance or evidence
for its support. Mr.. Tuition is now liv-
Ing at D0WnngtOn, Pa, and his re-
ports are on file, presume. in the in
ternal revenue bureau. A statement
has been made that when the present
high license statute of Pennsylvania
was pending In the legislature of that
state, liquor dealers of Philadelphia and
PittSburg raised sum specified as
$4,000 and gave it to me and to fed
eral officer in Philadelphia who is not
named, for the purpose of securing an
amendment to that legislation in their
interest. This, also, | denounce as an
absolute falsehood. William j. Friday,
who is stated to have
Paid the Money
Is a reputable merchant now living in
the city of Pittsburg. Finally, l reach
charge that i'll some mysterious way
l brought about the defeat of the pro-
posed amendment of the constitution Of
Pennsylvania prohibiting the sale of
Intoxicating liquors in that state which
was submitted to vote of the people
In 1899. Others, | understand, have
also already exploded the silly false
hood of the publication from which
this charge arose and | specifically
denied 1t at the time it appeared. BY
my vote alone did / affect the verdict
of the people upon the prohibitory
amendment; nor had l ever, in any
contest, any corrupt or unlawful
concern with the liquor or any
other interest concerned in legisla
ton, constitutional or otherwise in the
state Of Pennsylvania or elsewhere. |
have endeavored to make this utterance
complete, even at the cost of the time
of the senate and the weariness of SEN
ators. L have endeavored to answer
every specific charge of mesefeance or
malfeasance that could be made from
careful perusal of the mass of direct
falSehOod, confused statements, inn
uendO, insnuation and cunning impIi-
cation, that with an industry worthy of
a better cause has been gathered to-
gether for my destruction. l deny them
seratim and in toto; they are false and
foul to the core.