The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-05-25
SENATORIAL SCANDAL.
The Sugar Trusts Interest in the
Tariff Bill.
EXAMINING THE NEWSPAPER MEN.
Edwards and others Reiteratc Published
Statements of Alleged Corrupt Prac-
tIces, but Decline to Reveal the source
of Their Information,

WASHINGTON, May 25 - The senate
bribery investigation committee yester-
day began the second and by far the most
important branch of the investigation for
which the committee was created, the in
quiry into the connection of the sugar
trust with the tariff legislation. e. j.
Edwards, the author OF the "Holland"
letter in the Philadelphia Press, was be-
fore the committee for several hours.
Owing to the fact that the committee
sat behind closed doors, it has been inn
possible to obtain detailed account of
the inquiry. 1t is known, however, that
Mr.. Edwards presented a written memoir
andum giving some of the sources Of the
Information contained in his letter, and
stating that he could not give his author
ity in other cases, as 1t would be breach
of faith
He declined TO state his authority for
the information contained in his letter to
the effect that Secretary Carlisle had ap-
peared 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 to election, or for
the statement that MIR, Carlisle himself
ule.
He stated that he understood that this
schedule as prepared by Mr., Carlisle was
still in existence, and suggested that If it
were it could be obtained He intimutcd
that 1t was his opinion that this fact could
be definitely ascertained by summoning
members of the finance committee. He
said that his authority was such as to sat
isfy him of the truth Of the statements
made.
Other statements in his letter, the
authority for which Mr.. Edwards de-
clined TO give, were those that $500, 600 WAS
the amount contributed by the sugar
trust to the Democratic campaign fund in
1892 and that member of the firm Of
Moore & Schley, who he said in his let
ters were Senator Brice's brokers, had
been in possession of the latest amend
ments which had been agreed upon to the
tariff bill before the time when Senator
Foorh ees still insisted on the floor of the
senate that no amendments had been
agreed to-
After brief conference the committee
decided to postpone consideration of ex-
cusing Mr.. Edwards from divllging his
authority for certain of his statements un-
til today to allow Judge Dittenhoefer, his
attorney, to consult the authorities bear
ing upon the case.
John S. Shriver, the Washington cor
respondent of the New York Mail and Ex-
press, was also before the committee. He
was examined in regard to dispatch
which appeared in his paper on May 10, in
which he stated that an interview between
certain United States senators and NOM
bers of the sugar trust held in a pnrlor of
the Arlington hotel had been overheard
By wire manufacturer who occupied the
adjoining room. After acknowledging
that he had written the dispatch MIR.
Shriver was asked the name of his author
tty nud also the name of the wire manu-
fheturer mentioned III his dispatch.
Mr.. Shriver said that the story had beon
given him by congressman, but he de-
clined either to give his name or the name
of the wire manufacturer, his reasons be-
Ing that the congressman who gave him
the story for publication did not wish to
be brought into the scandal or to be called
upon to testify, and had made witness
promise not to reveal his name. The Com
mittee tried by various methods to make
Mir Shriyer disclose his authority, but
without success.
Mr.. Shriver said that the wire manufnc-
turer on the morning after the conference
met the congressman and seemed in an
excited state of mind He slapped the
congressman on the shoulder aud re-
marked that now lie was certain that the
Wilson bill would never pass, because the
night before he had occupied room next
70 that occupied by some sugar trust men
and he had overheard enough of the con-
versation to lead him to believe that the
tariff bill was dead.
After Mr. Shrivers was excused Mr..
Harry W, Walker, Washington corre-
spondent of the st, nuis Post Dispatch,
was called and asked TO state where he
had obtained the information published
by him In a dispatch in which he had
stated that a prominent member of the
cabinet and had irtimated that the presi-
dent himself, had confessed that the DEM
pcrutic party WAS undor obligations to the
sugar trust. Mr.. Walker also confirmed
Mr.. Sbriyer's story about the occurrences
at the Arlington hotel between mainbers
of the sugar trust and certain senators,
saying that hs had also received HIS infor-
NATION from u member ef the house. Like
MIR, Shriser he declined to give the name
OF the congressman who had given him
khe Information.
The committee is deyoting today's aes-
sion to the problem OF deciding what to do
with the newspaper writer's who refuse to
diyulge the authority for portions of the
Information which they had used in their
papers. Upon the decision will depend tn
certain extent the fneare progress of the
eomGittces work.
Victory for Eosebsry.
LONDON, May 2SSir John Lubbock,