Huntsville gazette., 1891-02-21

1t is necessary to pass into history some
what ancient in order to dispose Of the
nebulous charge of bribery and corruption
as member of the Pennsylvania Legislat-
ure nearly twenty five years ago, in con-
nection with an action for libel against the
then editor of the Pittsburgh Commercial.
With characteristic malignity my assailants
have been careful to emphasize the fact that
the case was never pushed for trial. They
fail to state that the libel was retracted and
that the defendants pleaded nolle con-
tendre, paying the costs of the case and
the fees of the counsel 1 may mention
in passing that in the prelimin-
ary hearing an effort was made to show that
was rich man, the inuendo being that my
wealth was unlawfully acquired. had been
prothonotary of Beaver County from 1856 to
1861, when / resigned to go into the Union
army; had served as private secretary to
Governor Curtin; as military agent of the
State in this city; as chief of the State De-
partment of Transportation and Telegraph,
and for three terms had been a member of
the Pennsylvania Legislature. My recollec-
tion is that the examination disclosed the
fact that after nearly twelve years of indus
try and opportunity my fortune was about
eight thousand dollars.
1t is proper also to dispose of some state
ments upon which much stress has been
laid. One accusation is that over twenty
years ago / attempted to bribe Alexander p.
Tuition, then Supervisor of Internal Revenue
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to
prevent the seizure of an Illicit distillery
This is a wicked and malicious falsehood,
without excuse for its utterance or evidence
for it's support Mr.. Tuition is now living at
Downington, Pa, and his reports are on
file, presume, in the Internal Revenue Bu-
reau.
A statement has been made that when the
present High License statute Of Pennsyrva-
mia was pending in the Legislature of that
State liquor dealers of Philadelphia and
Pittsburgh raised sum specified as 10000
and gave it to me and to Federal officer in
Philadelphia who is not named, for the pur-
pose Of securing an amendment to that
legislation in their interest. This also, l de-
nounce as an absolute falsehood MIR. VIM.
j. Friday, who is stated to have paid the
money, is reputable merchant now living
in the city of Pittsburgh.
Finally, i reach a charge that i'll some
mysterious way brought about the defeat
of the proposed amendment to the Consti-
tuition of Pennsylvania prohibiting the sale
of Intoxicating liquor in that State which
was submitted to vote of the people in
1889. Others, understand, have already ex-
ploded the silly falsehood of the publication
from which this charge arose, and 1 speci-
fically denied it at the time it appeared. By
my vote alone did affect the verdict of the
people upon the prohbitory amendment,
nor had ever in any contest any corrupt or
unlawful consultation with'the whisky men
concerned in legislation, constitutions al or
otherwise in the State of Pennsylvania or
elsewhere.
| have endeavored to make this utterance g
complete even at the cost of the time of the
| Senate, and the weariness of Senators.
| have endeayored to answer every special
| charge of malfeasance that could be ex-
tracted from careful reading of the mass
of direct falsehood, confus ed statements,
inuendo insinuation- and cunning applica-
tion, that with an industry worthy of bet :
ter cause has been gathered together for my
destruction. / deny them seratim and in
toto; they are false and foul to the core.