The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-06-08

THEBRIBERY.CH.AlI.Rj8G .lI.j8
BEING INVESTIGATED BY A COM.
MlTTEB.
Senators Kyle and HuAton Testify
That c. w. Butts ORered Them
Money to Vote Against the Tari0
8ul-B1ttE Called ns . Witness.
Washington. May 20.-The report of
the senate committee appointed to In.
vestigate the charges of attempts to
brtbe United States senators to vote
against the tariff bill and the charges
of improper influences being used in con-
nection with the sugar schedule was sub
mitted to the senate to-day, go 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-
fled in stating that the facts have been
established by the evidence, notwith.
stenGing the denial on the part of Charles
w. Butte. There is no evidence to snow
the truth Of Mr.. Butts's statement to
S.nator Kyle and Eppa Hunton, Jr., that
syndicate Of bankers and capitalists
bad raised sum of money to bc useL
for the purpose Of defeating the pending
thrift bill. or that there was an agent Of
D, ch 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 II
syndicate, or that he was the agent or
repro sentative of any one. He further
denies that he has any money himself"
Judge DittenhOefer, counsel for Cor
respondent Edwards, appeared before the
sugar trust investigation to-day and an-
ntunced 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-
preme court decisions in the Ililbourne
and COunselman cases in support of his
position. Among other reasons Judge
Dittenhoefer stated that for Mr. Edwards
to disclose the names of his informants
would be to degrade him as newspaper
man.
The committee overruled Judge Dittcn-
hoefer's objections and again called Mr..
Edwurds in, repeated its demand that he
give tie names requested in the first in
stance, and received his final decision not
to comply with the demand. He was
theE excused and the committee again
went into secret session. No decision az
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 20.-The scnat. com.
rittee 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.
MIR. Walker, one # the correspondents,
expected to have MIR. Sulzcr appear for
Lin before the committee, but the com.
mittee Informed Mr.. Walker that he
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 its course with
reference to their refL sui to answer aues-
tions. Judge Dittenhoefer sent a cou.-
municatiOn to the committee asking if
Edwards and Shriver would be wanted
to-day. Senator Gray replied that the
called today, but further he could not
say. -5.- '---,5s -r.-'
Washington, May 30. - The right Of
newspaper correspondent is to refuse to
give Senator Gray's bribery aud sugar
investigating committee the sources of
their information wus brought before the
senate in the shape of report from
that committee.
The report, after reciting the resolution
by which the committee was authorized
to sit, states that Il. J. Edwards, whose
Holland" letter was one of the melting
causes of this investigation, Ind re-
+, ted to reply to questions by the com.
mittee. The chairman read him por-
tiOn of his letter in which he stated that
Sccretery Carlisle had secretly visited the
Democratic members of the finance COM
mittee and had demanded that the sugar
int rest be taken care of because the
Democratic party was under obligations
to the sugar interests. The fact that
Correspondent Shriver refused to divulge
the name of his informant regarding u
recent meeting of senators and repro
sentatives of the sugar interests was also
mentioned. The recommendation of the
committee is:
"In the opinion of the committee each
of the questions put to each of said wit
nesses was u 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 OH such cases made and pro-
vided, being chapter Z of the Revised
Statutes of the United States
Here the report sites this old law,
which provides that witness who re-
fuses to answer questions put by a con-
grcssional committee shall be deemed
guilty Of a misdemeanOr, punishable by
fine of not more than $1,000 nor less
than 500, and by Imprisonment in n
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
certify as to each witness his aforesaid
refusals to answer and all the facts here
in under the seal of tha senate to the
United States district attorney of the
District of Columbia, to the end that each
Of tie witnesses may be proceeded against
in manner and form provided by law"
The vice president refused to allow any
resolutions regarding the newspaper cor
respondence to be introduced, and held
that the prest Ltation of the report was
privileged; that the statute prescribed the
duty Of the chair, and upon demand Of
the regular order stated that the tari0
bill was before the senate. This meanf
that the report will be certified to by
the district attorney for proceedings
against Edwards and Shriver.
Senators Voorhees,, Jones and Vest
were before the committee to-day and
made a general denial of all charges that
the sugar trust had attempted to ill.,
fiuenoe legislation.
washington, J:ne 1.-The cor E'mittce
investigating the sugar II ust resumed its
stfsion yesterday. Choirman Gray says
the committee will continue its investi-
Al. A..