The Goodland republic., 1894-06-01
PROCEEDINGS AGAINST RE-
PORTERS ADVISED.
TO COMPEL THEM TO GIVE NAMES.
The Senate Sugar Trnst Eoodle InVesti-
eating Committee Report Messrs. Ed
wards aud ShrIyer for Contempt
in Refusing to Give Their
Source Of Information
Washington News.

WASHINGTON, May 30.-Senator Gray,
chairman of the select committee to
investigate the alleged operations of
the sugar trust in connection with the
tariff legislation. to-day submitted to
the senate a partial report of the pro-
ceedngs of that committee bearing
upon tho refusal of the newspaper
correspondents Edwards, Shriver and
| Walker TO answer the questions pro-
pounded by members of the commit
tee.
The report1 gives the various ques-
tions asked .sof Mr.. Edwards and
which he declined to answer. They
| include the questions about Mr.. Car
Isle, regarding the informant as to
the ting of senators in a Wash
ingtOn hotel with members of the
sugar trust; as to the statement that
the sugar schedule was in the hands
of Moore and Schley, brokers, before
being reported to the senate, and as
to the statement that Sunday before
the tariff bill was reported there had
been delegation of sugar trust rep
resentatives at the capitol who die
tated the sugar schedule. To each of
these Edwards said the same person
gave him the information but declined
TO give his name.
The report next cites the cxamina-
tion Of John ). Shriver, another
Washington correspondent who, on be-
ing shown Il copy of 4 dispatch to his
paper Nav 10. relating 10 the par
ticularS of an alleged conference on
night while the tariff bill was in COM
mittee a the Arlington between GER
tain senators and members of the
sugar trust. which had been overheard
! by wire manufacturer occupying an
| adjoining room. admitted having sent
| the dispatch to his paper. but refused
to give the name of his informant or
the manufactures.
ALL HELD TO BE IN CONTEMPT.
The recommendation of the com
mittee is as follows:
In the opinion OF The committee each of the
! questions put TO each of said Witnesses was
proper que ,tion AID pertinent 10 iIle que lion
under inquiry before the COMMITTEES and
necessary 10 make the examination ordered
by said resolution OF the senate. and that each
OF the said Witnesses IS in contempt of the
senate and nu9ht TO be dealt with for his mis-
! conduct, and that each OF SAID witnesses by
his various refusals 10 answer the questions
as herein set forth has violated 1he provisions
| ot the act OF congress N such cases made and
! provided being chapter : OF the revised
statues of the United States.
The report cites this old law which
provides that a witness who refuses
| to answer questions put by a congress
sional committee shall be deemed
/ guilty of Il misdemeanor. punishable
! by fine of not more than $1,000, not
less than SlOO, and by imprisonment
| in n common jail of not more than one
year nor less than month. especially
| provides that no witness shall be eX-
! cused from testifying on the ground
| that such testimony would disgrace
/ him, and directs that in such cases
| the president OF the senate and the
/ speaker of the house shall certify the
facts to the district attorney of the
District of Columbia. 1t closes as
| follows:
Wherefore the committee report and request
| that the preside Mt of tho senate certify as 10
each witness. his aforesaid failure TO testify
and his aforesaid refusaIs to ans wer and all
the facts herein. under the seal OF the senate,
District of Columbia. to the end that each of
the Witnesses may be proceeded against in
manner and form provided by law.
Senator Gray prepared and submit
ted to the vice president q warran
directing the district attorney to pro-
ceed against witnesses Edwards and
Shriver under this act of 1877. This
warrant certities the fact set forth in
the report and was signed by the vice
president. Senator Gray had con-
sultation with the vice president when
the written document was first pre-
sented to him and eXpla ined that it
was to be issued when the senate
should authorize it.
HILL. AGAINST THE COMMITTEE.
Mr.. Gray at the close of a speech on
tariff by Mr.. Pettigrew. presented to
! the senate the report of the committee
but Mr. Hill objected to its presenta-
/ ton
saying it was privileged and after
some time was spent in discussing
/ that point the senate agreed and the
report WAS read.
/ At the conclusion Of the reading of
the report discussion was renewed as
/ to whether or not it was privileged.
1 Mr.. Hill said that the matter of the
specula tion in sugar stock would in
yolve only question of propriety.
Mr. Lodge said that this was a
| question of general parliamentary
law. The report on the contumacv of
a witness was a question of high
| privilege. The only thing before the
senate was for the chair 10 decide
whether the matter was privileged or
not.
Vice President Stevenson ruled that
it was a privileged report. The effect
/ of the decision will be to shut OFF de-
bate upon the report.
Mr.. Hill appealed from the decision
of the chair and asked to be heard. He
made a vigorous speech against the
decision.
PROCEEDINGS WILL BE TAKEN
The vice president refused TO allow
any resolutions regarding the news
/ paper correspondents TO be intro
duced and held that the presentation
of the report was privileged: that
! the statute prescribed the duty OF the
chair and, upon demand of the regu-
lar order. stated that the tariff bill
was before the senate. This means
that the report viii be certified to the
district attorney for proceedings
1 against Edwards and Shriver
Chicago has 3.0oa acres IN parks.
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7 2e, 900 and Paris IS, co.,