The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-22


Senator Kyle's Clerk Declare Positively
That Buttz was the Man who At
tempted to Corrupt the Senators.
WASHINGTON, May 22.-The committee
TO investigate the charges OF bribery in
the senate began taking testimony yester-
day. Only one witness at time was al
lowed to enter the committee room, Sena-
tor Hunton being the first one called. The
senator remained with the committee
about half an hour, and after he emerged
from the committee room Eppa Hunton,
Jr., was called in and asked TO state what
he knew Of the alleged effort to bribe his
father. He was detained only about fifteen
minutes. Both witnesses were cautioned
by Senator Gray against giving the news
papers any report of the proceedings, the
senator remarking that when this branch
OF the inquiry should be concluded the
proceedings would all be made public
Both Senator Hunton and his son were
questioned very closely as to the eff
| fort at bribery, and the latter was re-
quired to give as accurately as he could
the language of the man who had at
tempted the bribery. Both stated that c.
| W. Butz was the man who had approached
the younger Hunton.
The correspondence between the son and
the father on the subject of the attempted
bribery was laid before the committee.
The narrative did not differ materially
from the story heretofore given to the
press by Senator Hunton.
Major Buttz was the principal witness
| during the afternoon. He was accom-
I panied by his attorney, G. H. MCGOWAN.
Buttz was before the committee for about
! an hour, and was excused with the re-
| quest that he be in attendance again to-
day.
Fragmentary references to the proceed
ings leave little room for doubt that when
the report of the Buttz testimony Is pub
lished 1t will make very racy reading. He
first demanded transcript of the report
Of the testimony of proceeding witnesses,
but compromised by accepting proposi-
tion that the reporter should read the por-
tions Of the testimony of other witnesses
which reflected upon him in any way.
ButtZ was thus confronted with the
statement that Senators Kyle and Hunton
had identified him as the man who had
attempted to corrupt them, and having in
his letter to Senator Hansbrough laid the
responsibility for this charge at the doors
of the newspapers, and relieved the sena-
tors from all blame, he was placed in a
somewhat embarrassing position, and the
brief references to his testimony obtain
able indicate that he made an effort TO ex-
euse himself and explain away the entire
charge. He explicitly denied any inten.
tion on his part to corrupt the senate, and
made more remarks the petinence OF
which the committee found it difficult to
understand. 1t is also understood that
he politely declined to answer some of the
more pertinent questions put to him bJ
members of the committee.
! Other witnesses Of the afternoon S IS
sion were Duncan McFarlane, Senator
Kyle's clerk and James W. Walker, ar
attorney of this city, who gave Butts
letter Of introduction TO Epps Hunton, Jr
Mr.. Walker stated that when ButtZ haf
asked for letter to Mr.. Hunton he hat
stated that he wanted to employ him a,
attorney in land case and had given hin
no other reason for wanting to know thai
gentleman. Mr.. McParlane told how
after Senator Kyle had referred Butts K
him, he had talked with him and mad
notes upon his conversation. He con
firmed Senator Kyle's statement and saiC
explicitly that Buttz had made direc
proposition to bribe the senator to votI
against the tariff bill. He also submitted
his notes on his conversation with Buttz
Mr.. Buttz said when he left the com
mittee room that he had been sworn X
s. 'reCy and could not reveal a word of thu
proceedings. Senator Gray also declined
to give out anything concerning Mr.
| Buttz's TESTIMONY