Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-03-19
LELAND OFFERED BRIBES.
Ten Thousand PIunks for POpulist Vote
for senator and HaIfss Much for Public



Ten Thousand PIunks for a POpuiist Vote
for senator and HaIfss Much for Public
Printer.
TOPEKA, KAs., March 1S.-The bri-
berry investigation now in progress here
before a committee Of the State Senate
intended originally to cover charges OF
corruption made in connection with
gamblers, developed a huge sensation
this morning and no one car tell where
is will end. The testimony had
no connection with the orig
inal charges, but was unaacidentally
brought out. Representative McEleney
(Populist) Of Kansas City, kas.. swore
that he and Mr.. Burgard, (Populist)
Representative from the same city,
were both subject to corrupt offers
made by Cyrus Leland, the noted Kan
sas Republican, if they would vote as
he suggested. He testified that Leland
offered him $4,000 TO vote for w. ii.
Rosslugton (Democrat) for [. ). Sena-
tor, and that Burgard told him that
Leland had offered him $4,000 to vote
for the Republican candidate for State
printer, and that Burgard had alse told
him about proposition made to him
(Burgard) by Leland To vote for State
printer.
Speaking Of Leland's position, Nc
Eleney said: "Having agreed on an
amount, the next question was the
stakeholder. told him would act as
stakeholder, and that was where the
first serious hitch came in. He wanted
me to accept some of the politicians or
Senators, or some Of the banks. He
said he could not think Of giving me the
cash, because IL would place him at my
mercy. He wanted me to 90 with him
TO one of two banks which he did not
name, 1 suggested certified check,
but he objected. When we talked about
the place, / told him that large
sum had been offered when Andy
was the Republican candidate; $4,000
had been offered for single vote. He
denied this at first. but knew better
and told him the trouble then, as now,
was about the stakeholder. l told him
the money was offered to Mr.. Burgard,
of Wyandotte county, in a cloak room
five minutes before Judge Martin was
elected Senator, and that the deal broke
off at the last moment because they
could not agree to a stakeholder. Bur
gard insisted on 8 stakeholder Leland
would not trust Leland then admitted
the offer and said Burgard should have
kept his fool mouth shut. Then when !
insisted that my vote was worth half as
much as Burgards he said the offer to
Burgard was for State printer. AT 10
o'clock Leland went away. That Is
the last time l saw him. Leland said
that the Republicans had agreed upon
Rossington, because all the Republl-
cans would not vote for r. p. Wagon
er. Leland did not want to discuss the
Burgard deal, but he practically ad-
mitted that he had made an offer to
him. McEleney further testified that
on the Tuesday evening before the Le-
land interview, Frank Strickland, OF
Kansas City, approached him aud told
him that if he would vote for K. =.
Waggoner for Senator he could control
the federal patronage Of Wyandotte
county. II he was not wanting that may
be something else could be obtained for
him, and promised to see him later
Owing TO the absence oil three Repub-
licans, Strickland went TO Kansas City,
saving he would be back Friday, but he
arranged his affairs and left the country
TO keep out OF jail.
II was approached the afternoon
after Martins election, but did not let
it go very far. 1t was Burgard himself
who tcld me Leland offered him S10,0 900.
Leland's proposition then was for Bur-
gard to vote for Ady.
This closed the work Of the commit
tee for the day and an adjournment was
taken till Tuesday at IL a. m, when IL
is expected other witnesses will be pres
ent.