St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-13
EIefcher's Interview.

FIeIcherS interview.
81 have not read the report i'll full,
ONLY few sketches. 1t is the same old
chestnut that has been gone over time
and again by cheap political shysters
who want to create little stir Ill the
community to magnify themselves be-
fore the people who enjoy being fooled
with. 1t has been gone over and over
for the last twenty-five years, and 1t has
been my experience in years past that
the men who are so anxious to inveSti-
gate and have discovered so many
frauds in their minds eye are the very
class of men that their neighborS and
constituents had better keep their eyes
on. think it is simply boSh that men
with very little character should at
tempt to malign or belittle men who IN
every walk of life have been gentlemen
amp business men, and who have done
so much to build up this state and ma
ton and for the general welfare of man
kind. l think it bosh that these men
should be dragged before the public by
this rat headed gang of reformerS tnat
seek notOriety at the expense or gentle-
men,"
This caused profound sensation, for
the Fletcher interview had escaped the
notice of most the senators.
Angry and Browning Faces
accentuated the disgust of the body,
and the feeling was intensified as the
Sage proceeded with his question OF
privilege.
81 think it would be difficult to find
parallel tor this attack" said the Sage.
"Our committee has simply acted i'll
obedience to the will of the senate.
The chair will bear me out that when
h. rod ia Of bQr afflil q re
of this committee that we knew nothing
about it until the appointment was
made. We proceeded to receive the
evidence of the witnesses. We were
most kind and considerate; we re-
Trained from bringing before the public
the names of the parties implicated be-
cause, as we stated in our report, we
| were conscious that the testimony was
ex parte. There has been no attack
upon any individual except in one case,
and that was necessary to identify the
robbery. Now, Mr.. President, If this
senate is to sit still and not resent such
| attacks, l think it will prove itself un-
worthy of the dignity Of this honorable
body.
ssA Hell of a FiX.''
SIT is shameful attack, more shame
! full that it comes from member of cOn-
gress, sent there by the people of this
| state in the belief that he would go
there to represent them; that he would
| represent their honor and virtue, pro-
| tect their rights and work i'll the interest
| of proper principles. And now he stands
here not only as the champion of these
| gigantic wrongs that are being perpe-
| trated, but as the assailant of men who
| have simply done what the state called
upon them to do. And | am here to say,
Mr.. President, that when he denounces
| our committee he reminds this people
| that he has made his own wealth by
| these or similar arts.
This man who has now gone to the
congress of the United States to repre-
sent this people was himself violator
of the law; years ago he invaded the
territory of neighboring country, Can
ada, and was thrown into prison for an
act of fraud and dishonesty, trying to
kidnap a resident of that country for a
reward. He telegraphed that he was in
a hell of a fix and | will say right
here that he will be in still worse
hell of fix 1 hope before this commit
tee gets through with him. hope the
new commission will thoroughly inves-
tigate the means by which this man
achieved his fortune, and send him
properly branded to his seat in con-
gress. i for one have TREND to be kindly
and generous to all men; have not ut
tered an uRkind word of a member of
this senate or any one else; but when a
member of congress brands me and my
associates and fellow senators as men of
no character, Mr.. President, l cannot
remain silent In my seat; and leave 1t
for this senate to say what it will do to
resent the insult put upon it and all its
members by this miscreant and de-
fender of robbers"
Senator Keller, the chairman of the
investigating committee, also desired to
! Speak to question of privilege.
81 object" interposed Senator Little,
! but Senator Stevens, the popular medi