Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-17
ATTEMPTAT BRIBERY
Senators Hunton and Kyle offered
Money for Their Votes.
TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
That the Amount Tendered the Viz
giuian Through His Son.
THE WOULD-BE BR1BER.
Said tn he C. w. Butts. ex-Carpet-Bag
Member Of Congress from South
Carolina.
TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THE WOULD-BE BR1BER

WASHINGTON. D. C.. May 1s.-Sena-
tors Hunton, of Virginia. and Kyle OF
South Dakota Qhe latter through MS
clerk this morning admitted the truth
of the published statement that they have
been approached and offered money for
their votes against the tariff bill. although
both gentlemen declined TO name the
man who made the offer. The story
was published In full in a New York paper
this morning. and with the exception OF
matters OF detail, is substantially correct.
yes" said Mr.. Hunton. "the story is
correct although / am sorry II mas been
made public. 1t was not matter OF
recent occurrence, however. for 1t happened
more than a month ago, and l I'M
| mediately notified the managers OF the
bill on the floor Of the Senate. and II Is
in their hands for such action as they
may see fit to take. l do not care any
thing for congressional investigation
| hut n the managers OF the bill think II
| Is the best thing 10 do will assist them
all in my power. The offer was not
made to me personally. but through my
| son. the sum to be paid being nxed AZ
| S25. 900 by the man who attempted 10
| bribe. No. l cannot give the name OF
the man who sought TO get my vote
Mr.. Kyle is out Of the city, but Mr.
| Hunton said he knew the same man had
1 approached him, and this was corrobo-
rated by Mr.. MacFarlane. Mr.. kyle
clerk. Mr.. Hunton went so far as TO say
I that the man who had attempted to
conduct the negotiations for these votes
was formerly connected with the carpet,
| bag government OF South Carolina. ana
! that he had subsequently gone 10 North
| Dakota, where he resided for number OF
! years Recently. he said, he had been
| about the Capitol in the role OF lob
! byst.
! A pertinent query In connection with
| the case Is. "Who Is the man.? The
principals in the bribing episode decline
! absolutely TO say anything about the
| mans identity. "A prominent Democratic
| senator, however told reporter that he
| knew the man well. and that he was Z.
| w. Butts ex-menber of Congress from
South Carolina during the period OF re-
| construction.
| The Newspaper Article.
| CWashington Cor. New York Sun, 15th)
sensation was created in the Senate
! cloak-rooms to-day by an authorized an
nOuncement that an attempt was recently
l
gnia, and Senator Kyle, of South Da-
! kota, with money to vote against the
/ pending tariff bill. Ever since the tarin
( fight commenced in the Senate there
have been rumors floating around the
/ Capitol 10 the effect that certain bene-
ficiaries OF the high protection system
/ proposed TO spend large sums of money
! II necessary TO prevent the passage oil
/ the tariff bill. Suspicion has rested upon
more than one Democratic senator
! although IL has been practically impossi
| BILE TO find any direct and convincing
I proofs OF their yielding 20 temptation
/ To-day, however, for the first time Sena-
| tor Hunton informed some OF his sena-
torial colleagues that a man who now
resides in South Dakota had offered to
| pay $4,000 for his vote against the
tariff bill. Senator Hunton was naturally
! greatly mortified that any one should for
4 single moment imagine that his vote
/ ON any measure is purchasable, and he
was naturally reluctant to have the fact
that he had been thus approached made
public.
To the reporter of the Sun the following
| story of the affair was told to-day by "A
senator who was coDsulted on the subject
| by Senator Hunton. The man who offered
the bribe is well known and is remem-
| bered in South Carolina as a member OF
!
| He has for several years resided in Da-
kota. Since the tariff fight began in the
| Senate he has been In Washington fire.
| quently. and says that he represents GER
tain business interests In New York.
and that million dollars, If necessary,
will be spent by those whom he represents
| TO prevent the passage of the tariff bill.
This man did not submit his proposition
| directly TO Senator Hunton. but went to
| "a Va hs. home soma
tor, and submitted the proposition TO the
| Senator's son. The correspondence that
has passed between father and son on the
| subject Is in existence, and Will probably
| come out in the congressional investiga-
ton that is likely to follow. when the
name Of the man who offered to bribe will
| be made known 1t Is said that he offered
to give the younger Iiunton $4,000 If his
father could be induced TO vote against
the bill. The Senator's son resented the
attempt to dishonor his fathers good
name, and at once notified the Senator.
Mir. HuntOn promptly consulted some of
his personal friends on the subject. He
was advised TO ignore the matter and
dismiss IL without further notice The
mere intimation that he might be open
10 such a proposition. either directly or
indirectly. was SO repulsive TO him that
he quietly commenced an investigation 10
ascertain who is behind the gentlemen
from Dakota and South Carolina in this
transaction. The Senator has not yet
fully succeeded In this, however.
In the course of his investigation Sena-
tor Hunton discovered that Senator Kyle
had also been approached by the same
man on the same business. Ii appears
that the agent of the brbers was not
| discouraged by his unsuccessful efforts
TO buy Senator Hunton's vote. but turned
his attention TO the Populist Senator from
South Dakota, who was a Congregational
minister before he entered the Senate.
Senator Kyle did not lose his temper
when the man called upon him and offer
ed to guarantee him a snug sum If he
would vote against the bill He was
shrewd enough to realize that he might
need a witness to such transaction,
so he politely referred his visitor to the
clerk of the Senate Committee on Educa-
ton, Mr.. McFarlane. who Is his personal
friend and private secretary, To Mr..
> McFarlane the man with the bribe said
that he was authorized to enter into
financial negotiations with Senator Kyle
or his representative for his vote against
the bill. He explained that he represented
a business syndicate that would be will
ing to spend 81 900. 90 TO defeat the pend.
worth at least $1,000 to Senator Kyle OF
, his friend If the Senator votes to defeat
! the bill.
Mr. McFarlane endeavored TO extra >,
more detailed information from his caller
as to his responsibility and his clients
In this he was not successful, for the
agent was very cautious and declined =
; reveal the names Of those for whom he
, claimed to be acting. He was at the
, Capitol yesterday looking for Senator
4 Kyle. but the latter is at present absent
from the city.
This story was told at the Senate cham
G Der to-day, and the friends Of Senator.
$ Hunton and Kyle are insisting that th,
$ matter shall be probed to the bottom. II
> Is said that other Democratic senators
have been approached directly or indi
j rectly on the same subject, and In more
: than one instance the propositions have
been submitted TO senators by well
known women OF some social standine
. In Washington. Senator Butler. OF Souti
: = Carolina, who knows the name of th'
man who Is attempting to buy votes, re
marked to-day that he had heard 4
= stated that as high as 10000 has beer
offered for Democratic votes against tn,