The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1894-05-24
GRAND FINALE
Messers Griffin and SleeDer
Have a Love Feast.
Attempted Bribery is Open
ly Charged in the
House.
Col LtMBERT MAKES His ESCAPE
While Amid Scenes of Wild Disorder the
Hooking Canal Bill is Voted Upon
Through All the Excitement the Lobby
lists Hold Firm to Their Project.

COLUMBUS, May 17.-(Special. y
The house convened at 7.30 tonight
and at once took up consideration of
the committee report providing for the
sale of the Hooking canal to the high.
est bidder.
The hall was crowded with the
brazen lobbyists. The job had been
fixed, and every man was known to the
managers for the Columbus, Athens &
Hooking Valley road. They knew
just how many votes they had, and
proceeded to use them at every beck
and call. Under the watchful ewes of
the lobbyists not one vote got away
from them.
The two leaders on the Republican
side were opposed to each other. Mr..
Sleeper Of Athens championed the
the cause Of the G. A. &, H. V. and
opposed the substitute, preferring the
original bill, with an amendment in
creasing the price to be paid for the
property to $50, 900 cash and an annual
rental of $4,000. which had been
agreed to by the company he represent
ed.
He made studied plea for his side,
and pictured the Chicago, Columbus &
Southeastern as straw company, head
ed by Col. w. Lembert of Bucyrus.
He declared that this company had
been organized in the New York office of
Senator Brice, director in the Colunl-
bus, Hooking Valley & Toledo Co.,
for the sole purpose Of defeating the
line.
Then Mr.. Griffin took the floor to
rep'y and the lobbyists craned their
necks. lie argued i'll favor of the
adoption of the substitute, in the in
terest of the company represented by
Col. Lembert. Mr.. Griffin, coming to
the point, said the Chicago, Columbus
4 Southwestern road was organized in
Columbus and that it had no connect
ion with the old established Hooking
Valley road. He then declared that
the statements made by Mr.. Sleeper
we're false and that the latter knew
hem to be false when he made them.
Arising to a question of privilege,
with excitement and rage, Mr..
Sleeper said: sis it possible that men
must sit here and be called liars by
men who would not make such declar-
atoms off the floor"
Griffin broke in with the statement
hat he was responsible for what he said
N or off the floor. Continuing, Mr.. |
Sleeper said: 81 have been denounced |
Is liar, and do not purpose 10 sub
nit to it. l have the Information !
!irect from New York that the Chica-
70, Columbus & Southeastern Co. was
at No. 80 Broadway, New
York, in Senator Brice's office, presid-
ID over in the absence OF the senator
" Gen Samuel Thomas. An attorney
or Col. Lembert, the manager for this
approached me on the sofa,
lere in this house and offered me S5,-
100 and all my expenses to Withdraw
ny support from the Columbus, Athens :
I Hooking alley road and transfer
to the one represented by him. l re-
used to sell out"
These remarks created the greatest .
ensation ever sprung in the house, and
D an instant everything was in con-
usion. Speaker Boxwell raped for
rider, but the sound of the gavel was
lrowned by the confusion, ''sit down"
elled number Of persons from diff
erent parts Of the hall, but it was
ully ten minutes before order could :
'e restored and business proceeded. i
Col. Lembert during the chargs of
'r.bery made by Mr.. Sleeper, occupi-
d seat on the raised platform by |
he side of Mr.. Griffin and was direct
ng the fight from this vantage ground.
Sleeper, who had been surrounded by
group of his hackers, took in the sit /
lation at once, and seeing Griffin be-
ng coached by the lobbyists, walked
o commanding position in the CEN
raj aisle, and pointing his finger direct
Y at Col. Lembert, shouted in stentori-
IN tones: "There is the man and Mr.,
Speaker, demand that he be removed
rom the floor of this house" Again
jumped to his feet, and before
he speaker had time to speak Col.
Lembert slipped out of the north door
# the hall.
There never has been scene to equal
his in the legislature, but through all
he excitement the lines of the jobbers,
who were bent on having the canal at