The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-10-31
Extracts From Report
of Investigating
Committees
Upon Charges of Bribery in the
Senatorial Caucus for United
States Senator for State
of Minnesota in 1889.
WASHBURN AGAIN INVOLVED.
Evidence Taken Before the House
Investigating COmmittee-A
Terrible Record.
CONCLUDED.

Examiner by Mr.. smith.
.. You are a member of the house?
A. Yes, sir.
9. Do you know whether any member
of the house of representatives has been
paid or offered any money or any other
valuable consideration by any of the can
didates for the senatorship or by their
agents or by any other persons to influence
votes?
A. l do.
q. Please state what it is?
A. / Will simply state with regard to
myself. l do not know about any one else.
l was offered $500 for my vote in the
caucus and in the house afterward.
@. For your vote, for whom?
A. For Mr.. Sabn.
@. Please state where those offers were
made?
A. The offer of $500 was made in one
of the closets in the Merchants Hotel, in
the saloon or restaurant, saloon l think
You would call it.
q. About when?
a. | think it was about week ago to-
day. | am not positive that was the day,
but that is my impression.
g. And the second offer?
a. The other offer was made at different
times. In order that the committee
may understand it will be neces-
sary for me to state just
how it was made. In Inc first place the Of
fer was made during the campaign and De
fore the election that Il certain amount of
money would be furnished me en- Mr. Sal
bins behalf if elected 1 would support him
Tor United States senator. 1 declined the
offer not with thanks. After the election
and stating at that time / shoull support
for United States senator whoever my con-
stituents wished me . support and about
three weeks ago l met the same gentleman
here in st. Paul and he wanted to know
then what | had decided TO do, and re-
newed the offer OF Il certain amount of
money which L could have towards paying
my election expenses.
q. Was the amount named?
a. The amount was not named. I was 20
name the amount. J. told him that it didn't
make a particle Of difference, that the only
reason why l didn't ask title more plain
ly was the fact that he was a friend of
mine, and did not wish il known that he
had made a mistake Il grave mistake.
That did not know Yet what my constitu-
cnts required, but then 1 should vote with
out any consideration or pay from any
body. / met him agan about two we aks
ago last Friday, think. In the meantime
down at my home l had inquired among my
constituents and informed myself of the al
most universal opinion OF that time and
ted him l should vote for Gen. Washburn.
lie said you are making a mistake. We do
not want to be mean about this matter at
all. He handed me Il clrd and said we want
to pay your campaign expenses. you lad
hard fight. We want you TO state III figures
what tn account is and be very liberal in
stating the amount. We do not want 20 be
mean about it. Your ,ima in me campaign
besides the regular expenses. | stated to
hin, then that we Il I'd Lcen friends for d
long time but p">5loly should lie no lcrg-
CT | told hi II l VAS not on the in.trket;
that the reiteration of the offers lead me to
break the friendship.
Q. Was it the same individual?
a. Not the one who offered $500. That
was made by another party.
9. Who made the offer of $500?
A l will state to the committee that I'M
less they request it l should prefer not to
give the name of the party.
Mr.. Diment: We have granted that priv
iege to other witnesses and we extend it to
Mr.. Crossfield.
A. If it makes particle of difference to
the committee l will state it. 1 am here to
tell the whole truth. l presume the objec-
ton at this time ought to have weight
as l was compelled to give the name to the
senate committee.
Mr. Diment: We will leave Mr. Cross
field to do as he sees fit.
A. 1t would make no real difference with
regard to the matter, because l should pre-
fer not to have it come out in the first
place, still if it makes any difference, the
first offer was by j. f. Barlow-the $500
one of the deputy sheriffs of Big Stone
county, my own district, and he stated at
the tme-presented me with an envelope
that all that was necessary would be for me
simply to say on that envelope addressed
to Mr.. Sabn, "All right" Signed, A. S.
hands in five minutes. 1 recognized the fact
that he was a friend of mine and that he
had made mistake.
Mr. Dment: Did Mr.. Barlow say that he
authorized him to make the statement?
A. He said he authorized by Mr..
Hay, the boiler inspector of the district
and that he came from Mr.. Knox, of Aitkin
county.
Q. Did he say who was furnishing the
money?
II. w. Lightly called and worm
Examined by Mr.. Smith.
9. You are member of the house?
q. DO you know whether any member of
the house has been paid offered AIRY
money other valuable consideration by
any of the senatorial candidates, prior to
the caucus l mean, or by their agents or
any person to influence his votes upon the
nomination Of a United States senator?
A. l am not prepared to say what their
intention was as regards influence.
@. Well, waving that?
A. Yes sir.
@. Please state what they were
A. One man represented to me that Mr.
Thompson of st. Paul, rather that Mr.
Thompson was introduced to me at St.
Paul, and who offered me consideration.
q. What was 1t?
A. / do not know. The amount you
mean?
O. Yes.
A. ! do not know.
@. State the conversation?
A. 1t was in regard to helping his
friends. No names mentioned, and the gen.
tleman stated to me that what he was do
ing he was doing on his own responsibility,
no one knowing of it, and what he done
he done for Thompson, for himself, words
to that effect.
Q. You didn't see who his friends were
A. The only inference I got from the
gentlemanS conversation as to whom his
friends were was in this way. In speak
ing that he was doing thus and so Lnbe-
known to his friends and unbeknown to
Mr. Washburn.
Q. What were his words as nearly as
you remember them, indicating the amount
of the consideration?
A. That was not mentioned.
Q. Well, what words did he employ?
A. He had money in mis- hands, naming
no amount nor asserting how much there
was. AS to the amount though he carried
1T in his hands. a roll of bills.
q. VIII you please repeat his language
as nearly as possible Il will give you this -
or Il will make it profitable to YOU" or
what
A. He said he would make it interestinp
or make 1t an object to me to do as he
desired l cannot repeat his exact words.
He could make it an object to me to be ac-
quainted with him, and he solicited q nri
vate interview.
@. Did he offer you the money?
A. He laid it on chair, l think directly
to my right. Right near me at least
@. Did the money consist of bills?
A. will say bills
.. More than one? =
A. 1 cannot say, 1t was rolled ND will,
state that it was more than one bill or else
&C w n hi 7