Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-29
OF INTEREST TO NEWSPAPER ROW.
Said to Have Prohted by Pretending
to Bribe Correspondents.

If current reports are true, there is
syndicate writer in New York, whose name
is to be found at the foot Of articles In
many cities Of the Union, who may have a
very unpleasant quarter Of an hour with
the Washington correspondents before the
next session of Congress shall end. The
story has reached here, vouched fol- by
authority that would seem to be credible.
that one of the incidents of the sugar trust
campaign in Washington last winter was
the raising of purse by the sugar trust
people, to be given to this enterprising cor
respondent, to be distributed in Washing
ton among the press people, where lit
would do the most good" in the opinion of
those who furnished the money. And that
place was the pockets of those representa-
tives of the press of the country here who,
with or without right, are supposed to have
influence in Congress, and in the making of
public opinion throughout the country.
There are intimations even that the men
who furnished the money did so under the
impression that it was to be distributed
pro rata among the representatives of. the
press in Washington in the expectation
that the comments upon the operations Of
the sugar trust would be either less severe,
or that they would be altogether withheld.
1t is, of course, assumed that the dis
tributor of this fund was to receive his
commission. There are intimations even
that a list was furnished of the names of
be distributed, and that the expectation
was that 1t would be expended in part in
dinners, and in part in ways that would
be appreciated by those for whom it was
intended.
If there is anything in this story, 1t is safe
to say that not 81 of this alleged fund ever
passed to the representative correspondents
for whom 1T is reported that 1t was de-
signed. The man who undertook to dis
burse this fund did so with the full knowl-
edge that it would not be safe for him to
approach any of the gentlemen whose
names may have appeared on this pretended
list for any such purpose whatever. He not
only is not on relations of confidence with
them, but he never calls upon many of them
when in Washington.
Efforts are being made to ascertain the
truth of this report, and If 1t shall be veri-
fed, some of the correspondents intend that
he will hear more later, possibly in the
courts and probably before committee of
investigation.
man who knows what he is about who
would venture to approach the corps of
Washington correspondents with any such
proposition as has been here suggested.
Representatives of business organizations,
who have intrusted money to any one to he
distributed for any such purpose, nave been
made the victim of a bunco game. II any
fund was supplied to the New York man in
question for any such purpose 1t is probable
that he kept every dollar of ii.
That trick has been tried once before In
this city, and there Is public record Of 1t.
If any one is disposed to ascertain what 1t
was, from the sworn testimony of the prin-
cipal, all that will be necessary will be to
turn to the testimony of the Pacific Eiail in
vestigation, where it will appear that a cor
respondent was proved to have received .
some $4,000, nomiually, Ito be held for the
boys" and that he kept every dollar CT the
money, purchased real estate with 1t, and
became rich. as 1t is supposed, out Of the
fund which he accepted.