The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-05-30

= WASHINGTON, May &C. W. Buttz,
who is accused of attempting to bride
kenators to vote against the tariff bill,
WAS before the investigating committee
noday. He gave the committee the name
of E. E. Holman, claim attorney in
hhis city, as one who could throw light
on the whole transaction so far he
1Buttz) was concerned. Mr.. Holman was
summoned. Holman's testimony fur
unished the key to BUTTS explanation of
his course in the whole transaction.
when he emerged from the committee
room Mr.. Holman said: My mouth is
sealed as to the proceedings in the COM
unittee room, but I can say TO you that
That story that I was the principal in
The bribery affair is without foundation.
IT was through pure accident that l
chanced TO know anything Of the bust
ness, and it came about through my
happening TO be in the office Of Maj.
Harris one day when Mr.. Buttz came IN.
Cdr. Harris was a lobbyist and talk
drifted to the tariff. / think | know,
kaid Maj. Harris where I could make
S25,0 900 or $4,000 if 1 knew how the popu-
lists would vote on the BILL and turning
to Buttz, remarked 10 him: You are
Dust the man to learn that fact and /
will give you 81, 900 TO find 1t out for me.
/ heard this conversation and l suppose
that is the reason why I was summoned.
] certainly had no connection with any
attempt at bribery or lobbying on the
bill. and I cannot afford to have that
impression concerning me go out
Mr.. Holman said that the man Harris,
who had made this proposition TO ButtZ,
had died on the 18th Of last April and that
he was the only witness to the CONVEX
sation between Harris and ButtZ.
Mai. BUTTS testimony was devoted
largely to an explanation of his absence
from the city yesterday. He denied
again that he had made direct propo-
sftion to bride Senator Kyle and stated
that his only purpose In approaching
him was to learn how he would vote.
After he came out of the committee
room Maj. Buttz said he had gone yes
terday to Loudon county, Virginia, 10
look for witness whom he did not find
and had been detained there. He de-
clared his intention Of remaining until
the investigation was concluded and
take the consequences, whatever they
might be.
Senator Gray said today that he knew
of no other witnesses to call in this
branch Of the inquiry and that the re-
port on the alleged effort to bride Sena-
tors HuntOn and Kyle would be pre-
pared as soon as possible and submitted
TO the senate.
WASHINGTON, May 24.-The senate
bribery investigation committee today
began the inquiry into the connection
OF the sugar trust with tariff legislation.
Z. j. Edwards, the author Of the "Hol-
jand'' letter in the Philadelphia Press
was before the committee for several
hours. Owing TO the fact that the COM
nittee sat behind closed doors and the
additional fact that after emerging from
the committee room Mr.. Edwards was
unwilling TO discuss the proceedings, de-
tails Of the inquiry cannot be had. 1t is
known. however, that Mr.. Edwards pre-
scented a written memorandum giving
some Of the sources of the information
contained in the letter and stating that
he could not give his authority in other
cases and why he could not. He de-
clined to state his authority for the in
formation contained in his letter, to the
effect that Secretary Carlisle had APP
peaTed before the tariff subcommittee
consisting of Senators Jones, Vest and
Mills. before the original senate bill was
reported, and had insisted that sugar be
given protection because Of the party
pledges made previous 10 election, or
for the statement that Mr.. Carlisle had
himself revised and written the sugar
schedule. This schedule as prepared b.
DIR. Carlisle is still in existence and
might be obtained. The fact could be
definitely ascertained by summoning
members Of the finance committee.
Other statements in his letter, the au-
thority for which Mr.. Edwards declined
20 give, were those that $500,000 was the
amount contributed by the sugar trust
20 the democratic campaign fund in 1892
and that member of the firm of Moore
e Schley, who, he said in his letters
were Senator Brice's brokers, had been
In possession Of the latest amendments
which had been agreed upon to the tariff
Ii
hees still insisted on the floor Of the
senate that no amendments had been
agreed to. 1t was his information that
this firm had a representative in Wash
zngton, who was the man to whom the
amendments were handed. He could not
TecaI this mans name, but he suggested
that it would be a comparatively easy
1natter for the committee to establish his
identity.
Alleged Political Contributions.
With reference to the contribution Of
q half million dollars to the campaign
fund in the last presidential election, Mr.
Edwards said that it would be a. breach
of faith TO reveal the name Of his author
1ty. He also stated that it was his in
formation that that money had not been
contributed directly to the national COM
rnittee. but had been given to other or
CARNATIONS, where IL was understood the
money would be used in ways to result
TO the benefit Of the national campaign
Ncr was his information positive that the
sugar trust as such had made the con-
fribution; il may have been made by or
through individual members Of this
trust, with the understanding that in case
of democratic success the trust should
be protected against damaging legisla-
tion. He gave in support Of this infOr-
nation statement made by Governor
Waller Of Connecticut before an inves-
figating committee in that state, in which
he said Governor Waller had stated that
wealthy men Of New York had contrib
uted 100000 toward democratic success
in Connecticut Mr.. Edwards said il
was his information that half of this
amount had been contributed by Mr.
Havemyer and the other half had been
raised by F. G. Benedict
In the case Of Colorado. which IL had
been stated in his letter had been car
Tied for .the populists by the aid of
money thus obtained, he said that it was
q notorious fact that leading members of
the democratic party in Colorado had
been in consultation viii the wealthy
democrats Of New York prior to the cleo
tion.
Mr.. Edwards said that his first infor-