The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-05-22

Washington, May 21.-The committee
to investigate the charges of bribery
in the Senate were on hand promptly
at 10 o'clock today, in the room of the
Committee on Privileges and Elections.
Senator Hunton was at the meeting
as a witness. C. w. Buttz sat without
the doors of the committee room, and
made written application to be pres
ent. The committee sat in secret ses-
sion until 1890. when Mr.. Hunton was
summoned to testify.
Senator Hunton remained with the
committee about half an hour, and
after he emerged from the committee
room, Desha Hunton, jr., was called
in and asked to state what he knew of
the alleged effort to bride his father.
He was detained only about fifteen
minutes Both witnesses were eau
toned by Senator Gray against giving
the newspapers any report of the pro-
ceedings, 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
stated that G. w. Buttz was the man
who had approached Senator Hunton-
The narrative did not differ materially
from the story heretofore given to the
press by Senator Hunton.
Senator Kyle was before the commit
tee more than an hour and was in
formed he would probably be called
again.
He put the committee in possession OF
all the information in his power, stat
ing he was first approached by Buttz
about two months ago. with the propo-
sition to vote against the tariff bill
and receive pay for his vote, the
amount offered being $4,000 In reply
to a question, Senator Kyle said he
was confident Buttz represented other
parties, and the proposition, if it had
been accepted would have been made
good. Mr.. Kyle also stated that Buttz
intimated to him if $4,000 was not
enough he could have almost any sum
he would name as high as $4,000.
| The committee took a recess for
lunch.
! The request Of Major Buttz that he
be present while other witnesses are
| testifying was denied.
| ButtZ announced that he wanted his
attorney present when he testified. He
| is still anchored to his determination
not to testify unless he is furnished
a copy Of the testimony her ere
given.
! At 315 Buttz was called, and his at
| torney was admitted.
| The committee has been considering
the advisability of going to New York
to obtain portion of the testimony in
regard to the sugar allegations, but
| the ultimate course has not been de-
cided upon.
The committee has summoned James
w. Walker, an attorney Of Washington,
D. c., to appear before it. He is the
man who gave ButtZ the letter of in
PRODUCTION to Senator Hunton's son.
Buttz in Bad Boat.
| Buttz was before the committee
about one hour and was excused with
the request that he be in attendance
again tomorrow. Mr.. Buttz said when
he left the committee he was sworn
to secrecy and could not give a word
of the proceedings.
! F'ragmentary references to the pro-
| ceedings leave little room for doubt
| that when the report of Buttz' testi-
mony is published, it will make very
racy reading. He was 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 door of the news
| papers and relieved the senator from
all blame, ne was placed in a some
|
brief reference to his testimony indi-
Gates that he made an effort to excuse
himself and explain away the entire
charge. He explicitly denied any in
tention on his part to corrupt the sena-
tors. 1t is also understood he politely
declined to answer some of the more
prominent questions put to him by
members of the committee.
Other witnesses of the afternoon were
4 Duncan McFarlane, Senator KyIe's
clerk, and James W. Walker. an attor-
ney of this city, who gave Buttz a let
ter to Epha Hunton, jr. Mr.. Walker
said that when Buttz had asked for a
letter to Mr. HuntOn he had said ne
wanted to employ him as an attorney
and had given no other reason for
wanting to know that gentleman.
Mr.. McFarlane told how, after Sena-
tor Kyle had referred Buttz to him, he
had talked with him and made notes
upon his conversation. He confirm ed
Senator Kyle's statements and said en-
/, phatically that Buttz had made a di-
rect proposition to bride the senator
to vote against the tariff bill. He also
submitted mis- notes on his conversation
with Buttz.