The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-05-22
LOOKS BAD FOR BUTTE.
Taking Testimony in the Alleged
Effort to Bribe Senators.
THE ACCUSED MAN IDENTIFIED.
Both Senator Hunton and His Son and
Senator KyIe's Clerk Declare Positively
That Buttz Was the Man who At
tempted to Corrupt tho Senators.

benntor hyles CLERK Dsclers fcattNey
That Buttz Was the Man who At
tempted to Corrupt tho Senators.
WASHINGTON, May ae-The committee
to investigate the charges of bribery in
the senate began taking testimony yester-
day. Only one witness at time was al
lowed to enter the committee room, Sena-
tor Hunton being the first one called. The
senator remained with the committee
about half an hour, and after he emerged
from the committee room Eppa Hunton,
Jr., was called in and asked to state what
he knew of the alleged effort to bribe his
father. He was detained only about fifteen
minutes. Both witnesses were cautioned
by Senator Gray against giving the news
papers any report of the proceedings, the
senator remarlsiug that when this branch
of the inquiry should be concluded the
proceedings would all be made public.
Both Senator Hunton and his son were
questioned very closely as to the eff
fort at bribery, and the latter was re-
quired to give as accurately as he could
the language Of the man who had at
tempted the bribery. Both stated that G.
w. Bntz was the man who had approached
the younger Hunton.
The correspondence between the son and
the father Oh the subject of the attempted
pflbery hAS ldlu DtlOFe Vile
The narrative did not differ materially
from the story heretofore given to the
press by Senator Hunton.
Major Buttz was the principal witness
during the afternoon. He was accom-
panied by his attorney, G. II, MCGOWAN.
Buttz was before the committee for about
an hour, and WAS excused with the re-
Quest that he be In attendance again to-
| day,
Fragmentary references to the proceed
| ings leave little room for doubt that when
| the report of the Buttz testimony is pub
lished it will make very racy reading. He
first demanded transcript of the report
| OF the testimony of proceeding witnesses,
but compromised by accepting a PROPOSE
tion that the reporter should read the por'
tions of the testimony of other witnesses
which reflected upon him i'll any way.
Buttz was thus confronted with the
statement that Senators Kyle and Hunton
had identified him as the man who had
attempted to corrupt them, and having in
his letter to Senator Hnnsbrough laid the
responsibility for this charge at the doors
of the newspapers, and relieved the sena
tors from all blame, he was placed in 6
somewhat embarrassing position, and the
brief references to his testimony obtain
able. indicate that he made an effort to OK
charge. He explicitly denied any inten
ton on his part to corrupt the senate, ant
made more remarks the petlnence o
which the committee found it diff1crlt t.
understand. 1t is also understood tina
he politely declined to answer some of tn
more pertinent questions put to him b.
members of the committee.
Other witnesses of the afternoon ses
sion were Duncan McFarlane, Senate
Kyles clerk and James w. Walker, Al
attorney of this city, who gave Buttz
letter of introduction to Eppa Hunton, j
Mr. Walker stated that when Buttz ha
asked for letter to Mr.. Huuton he ha
stated that he wanted to employ him q
attorney in land case and had given hiI
! no other reason for wanting to know this
gentleman. Mr.. McFarlane told hoy
after Senator Kyle had referred Buttz
him, he had talked with him and mad
notes upon his conversation. He col
firmed Senator Kyle's statement and sal
explicitly that Ruttz had made dire
proposition TO bribe the senator to vo
against the tariff bill. He also submitte
his notes on his conversation with Butt
Mr.. Butte said when he left the con
mittee room that he had been sworn
secrecy and could not reveal word of II
, proceedings. Senator Gray also decline
, to give out anything concerning NJ
Bubtz's testimony.