Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1894-06-07
THE BRIBERY CHARGE
BEING INVESTIGATED BY A COM.
MITTEE.

Senators Kyle and HuntOn Testify
That C. w. Butts offered Them
Money to Vote Against the Tariff
Bill-Buttx Called as a Witness.
Washington. May 26-The report Of |
the senate committee appointed to in
vestigate the charges of attempts TO
bride United States senators to vote
against the tariff bill and the charges
of improper influences being used in con-
necti0n with the sugar schedule was sub
mitted to the senate to-day, so far as
concerns the attempted bribery of SEN
ators Hunton and Kyle. The report af-
ter reciting the facts of Buttz's proffer
Of money to the son of Senator Hunton
and to Senator Kyle says:
"Ycur committee are absolutely justi-
fed in stating that the facts have been
established by the evidence notwith-
stan1ing the denial on the part of Charles
w, Buttz. There is no evidence to snow
the truth of Mr.. Butt:'s statement to
s. nator Kyle and Eppa Hunton, Jr., that
a syndicate of bankers and capitalists
had raised a sum of money to be used
for the purpose of defeating the pending
t: riff bill, or that there was an agent of
5, oh a syndicate in Washington, and that
any money was in Washington for that
purpose. Buttz denies that he. made
any such statement, or that he had any
Knowledge of the existence of such a
syndicate, or that he was the agent or
repro sentative Of any one. He further
| denies that he has any money himself"
Judge DitteDhoefer, counsel for Cor
| respondent Edwards, appeared before the
sugar trust investigation to-day and al
NJ unced that he had advised his client
not to give the committee the names of
persons from whom he received certain
information bearing upon the subject un-
der investigation. He quoted the su-
prone court decisions in the kilbourne
and Counselman cases in support of his
position. Among other reasons Judge
Dit elhoefer stated that for Mr.. Edwards
to disclose the names Of his informants
would be to degrade him as newspaper
man.
The committee overruled Judge Often
hoefer's objections and again called Mr..
Edwards in, repeated it's demand that he
give the names requested in the first in
stance and received his final decision not
to comply with the demand. He was
then excused and the committee again
went into secret session. No decision as
to future course of action was reached
to-day.
Senator Caffery and ex-Congressman
Lefevere of Louisiana were before the
committee later in the day and absolute
ly denied the story of their participation
in the alleged conference with the sugar
trust people,
Washington, May 29-'The senate COM
nittee investigating the alleged influence
of the sugar trust upon tariff legislation
was in secret session to-day considering
the subject of compelling witnesses to
disclose the source Of information.
Mr.. Walker, one # the correspondents,
expected to have Mr.. Sulzer appear for
Linn before the committee, but the COM
mittee informed Mr.. Walker that he
she uld not be wanted again by the COM
n,ittee. 1t is inferred from this state
ment that the committee has decided not
to hear any more from the witnesses
until it shall decide on it's course with
reference to their refl sal to answer ques-
tons. Judge Dittenhoefer sent CON-
munication to the committee asking if
Edwards and Shriver would be wanted
to-day. Senator Gray replied that the
witnesses he mentioned would not be
callt,.. to-day, but further he could not
say.
Washington, May 80. - The right Of
newspaper correspondent is to refuse to
give Senator Gray's bribery and sugar
investiga ting committee the sources OF
their information was brought before the
senate in the shape of a report from
that committee.
The report, after reciting the resolution
by which the committee was authorized
to sit, states that E. j. Edwards whose
Holland" letter was one of the melting
causes of this investigation, had re-
f, :ed to reply to questions by the com.
mittee. The chairman read him por.
ton of his letter in which he stated that
Secretery Carlisle had secretly visited the
Democratic members of the finance com.
mittee and had demanded that the sugar
inttr be taken care of because the
Democratic party was under obligations
to the sugar interests. The fact that
Correspondent Shriver refused to diyulge
the name of his informant regarding a
recent meeting of senators and repre-.
sentatives of the sugar interests was also
mentioned. The recommendation of the
committee is:
I'm the opinion of the committee each
OF the questions put to each OF SAID VIII
nesses was proper question and peril
nent to the question under inquiry be-
fore the committee, and was necessary
to make the examination ordered by said
resolution of the senate, and that each
of said witnesses is in contempt of the
senate and ought to be dealt with for
his misconduct and that each of said
witnesses, by his various refusals to
answer the questions as herein set forth,
has violated the provisions of the act
of congress on such cases made and pro.
vided, being chapter of the Revised
Statutes of the United States"
Here the report sites this old law,
which provides that a witness who re-
fuses to answer questions put by a con-
gressional committee shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor. punishable by
fine of not more than $1,000 nor less
than 500, and by Imprisonment in a
common Jail of not more than one year
nor less than month. The report
closes as follows:
Wherefore. the committee report and
request that the president of the senate
| ,ov%;f,, q, ooch witness his afOraSo ii