The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-05-24
BRIBERY INVESTIGATION
THE COMMITTEES EXAMINING
WITNESSES IN SECRET.
Buttz Not Permitted to be Present-Hun.
ton & Son Incriminate Buttz, as Does
Senator Kyle, Who was Offered
Fourteen Thousand Dollars.


promptly at 10 o'clock today in the
room OF the committee of privileges
and elections. Senator Hunton was
at the meeting as q witness. G. w.
Buttz, with his attorney, was without
the doors of the committee room and
there was other expected witnesses in
the corridors. Mr.. Buttz made writ
ten application to be present. The
committee sat in secret session till 10 30
when Sepator Hunton was summoned
to testify.
Senator HunUon remained with the
committee about half an hour, and
after he emerged from the committee
room the son Eppa was called in and
asked to state what he knew of the al
legged efforts to bride his father He
was detained only about 10 minutes.
Both witnesses were cautioned by
Senator Gray against giving the news
papers any proceedings, the senator
remarking that when this branch of
inquiry should be concluded the pro-
ceedines would be all made public.
Both Senator Hunton and his son
stated that 9. w. Buttz was the man
who had approached the younger
Hunton. The narrative did not differ
materially from the story heretofore
given to the press by Senator Hunton.
Senator Kyle was before the com
mittee for more than an hour, and he
was informed that he probably would
be called again. He put the commit
tee in possession OF al information in
his possession, stating that he was
first approached by Buttz about two
months ago with the proposition to
vote against the tariff bill and receive
pay for his vote, the amount being
$4,000. In reply to question, Sem
ator Kyle said he was confident that
Buttz represented other parties and
that the proposition, if it had been
accepted, would have been made good.
Senator Kyle also stated that Buttz
had intimated to him that if $4,000
was not enough, he could have almost
any sum he would name, IS high as
$4,000.
The committee took a recess at 1
o'clock for lunch. Chairman Gray
stated that the committee had not
formulated any plans for the invests
cation of the sugar trust in connec-
ton with legislation in the senate.
When Senator Gray was asked what
the committee had determined to do
in response to Mr.. Buttz's requet to be
allowed to be present while other wit
nesses were being examined, that he
might question them, he said the re"
quest had been refused, as had a SINH
lar request from Senator Hunton to be
present when Mr.. Buttz should testify.
Asked what would be the effect of a
refusal of Mr.. ButtZ to testify he said
that his course on his part would ap~
pear against him in the published tes-
timony. IN
At 8 o'clock Major Buttz was called,
but after he had entered Chairman
Gray told him that he had been called
a little too soon and to retire until a
point which was under discussion
could be settled. Buttz announced
that he wanted his attorney present
when he testified He still adhered to
his determination not to testify unless
he is furnished with copy of the tes-
timony heretofore given, saying the
committee may send him to Jail for
eternity before he will change his res
olution on this point.
A few minutes later Buttz was again
called in and his attorney was admit
ted with him.
The committee has been considering
the ACCESSIBILITY of going to New YORK
to obtain portion of the testimony in
relation to the sugar allegations, but
the ultimate course has not been de-
cided upon. The committee has sum-
moned James w. Walker, an attorney
of Washington 10 appear before it.
He is the man who gave Buttz the
letter of introduction to Senator Hun
tons son.
Mr.. Buttz was the principal witness
during the afternoon. He was accom-
panied by his attorney, E. M. Nc
Gowan. Buttz was before the COM
mittee for about an hour and was ex-
cused with the request that he be in
attendance again tomorrow. Mr..
Buttz said when he left the committee
room that he had been sworn to Sc
crecy and could not reveal word of
the proceedings. Senator Gray also
declined ogive out anything concern
ing MIR. Buttz's testimony, saying that
no summary could be given thai
would not be liable to do injustice to
Mr., Buttz. Fragmentary references to
the proceedings leave little room for
doubt that when Buttzs testimony is
published it will make very racy |
reading. He first demanded trans
cript OF the report of the testimony of
tho preceding witnesses but cnnpro.
missed by accepting a proposition that
the reporter should read sections of
the testimeny of other witnesses
which reflected on him in any way.
He was thus confronted with the
statement that Senators Kyle and
Hunton had identified him as the man
who had attempted to corrupt them,
and handing in his letter TO
Hansbrough laid the
responsibility for this charge |
at the doors of the newspapers
and relieved the senators from all
blame, he was placed in a somewhat
Embarrassing position, and the brief
references to his testimony indicate
that he made an effort to excuse HIM
self and explain away the entire
charge. He denied explicitly any in
tention on his part to corrgpt the SEN
ators. 1t is also understood that he
politely declined to answer some OF
= H. n him hU |