The record-union., 1894-05-22
Senator Kyle Says Major Buttz
Meant to Buy Votes.
INVESTIGATION OF THE MATTER
COMMENCED
Surprise Felt at the Treasury Depart
ment That So Much Gold Is Being
Taken for Export to Europe-The
Gold Reserve Down to Eighty
Three Million Dollars.
special to the REconp-USIoS.


Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
WASHINGTON, May Ex-senator Kyle
has arrived from South Dakota. de
talks freely about the bribery case in
which he, Senator Hunton and Major
Buttz are the principals. Senator Kyle
believes the man was in earnest; that be
meant to buy votes, and further, that he
was only the agent of a New York lawyer
sent to Washington by some powerful
syndicate.
His idea," said Mr.. Kyle, twas that
should name nay price and he would go
to his principal and arrange to have 1t
paid me. The figure he spoke OF was
$4,000 for my vote. / was TO get $1,000
and he s., 900 for transacting the business.
After each interview he would go to his
principal, and when l saw him again he
would tell me what the New York lawyer
said. After the first interview with him L
went to Senator Voorhees, and told him
that certain offers of money were being
made. After this man had been to see
me several times he got to the point OF
having me fix a day when L would agree
TO give my vote against the bill. l saw
that L must change my tactics somewhat
so | referred him to my Secretary, Mr..
McFariane | told him that Mac and
always worked together and that he
should see Mac about the matter. After
each interview l made full and accurate
record of what was said by both OF us
and McEarlane did the same. Senator
Hunton told me about month ago about
his experience. 1 see that Major Buttz
has denied my story. That forces us, Of
course, to tell what we know, and as
have my memorandum ana Mr.. McFar-
lane his, we shall have no trouble in
making straight case"
INVESTIGATING THE CHARGES.
WASHINGTON. May 21.-The Committee
to investigate the charges of bribery in
the Senate were on hand promptly at l
o'clock to-day, III the room of the Com
mittee on Privileges and Elections, Sena-
tor Hunton was at the meeting as a Wit
ness. Z. w. Buttz sat without the doors
of The committee room, and made writ
ten application TO be present
The committee sat in secret session un-
til 1920 O'clock, 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 and asked to state when
he knew of the alleged effort To bribe his
father. He was detained only about fiji
teen minutes. Both witnesses were eau
toned by Senator Gray against giving the
newspapers any report OF the proceed
ings, the Senator remarking that when
this branch of the inquiry should be con-
cluded the proceedings would ali be made
public. Both Senator Hunton and his son
stated that G. w. Buttz was the man who
had approached Senator Hunton. The
L,
the story heretofore given to the press by
Senator Hunton.
Senator Kyle was before the committee
more than an hour. and was informed
that be would probably be called again.
lie put the committee in possession OF all
the information in his power, 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 offered being
Sl4,000 In reply 10 question. Senator
Kyle said he was confident Buttz repre-
sented other parties. and the proposition,
If it had been accepted, would have been
made good. Mr.. Kyle also stated that
Buttz intimated to him that if Sl4, 900 was
was not enough he could have almost
any sum he would name as high as
$4,000.
The request of Major Buttz that he be
present while other witnesses were testi-
flying was denied.
Buttz announced that he wanted his
attorney present when he testified. He
still anchored to his determination not to
testify unless he is furnished a copy OF
the testimony heretofore given.
At 3:l5 Buttz was called, and his attor-
ney was admitted. The committee had
been considering the advisability OF going
to New York to obtain application of
testimony IN regard TO sugar allegations,
but the ultimate course has not been de-
cided upon. The committee has sum-
moned James W. Walker, an attorney of
Washington, ID. c., to appear before it,
He is the man who gave Buttz the letter
of introduction to Senator Hunton's son.
Buttz was before the committee about
one hour. and was excused with the re-
quest that he be in attendance again to-
morrow. Buttz said when he lett the
room that he was sworn to secrecy, and
could not give word of the proceedings.
Fragmentary references to the proceed
ings leave little room for doubt that when
the report of Buttz's testimony is pub
lished 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 at
tempted to corrupt them, and having in
his letter to Senator Hausbrough laid the
responsibility for this charge at the door
of the newspapers and relieved the
Senator 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
himself and explain away the entire
charge. He explicitly denied any inten-
ton OH his part to corrupt the Senators.
1t is also understood that he politely de
clined TO answer some of the more promi-
nent questions put 10 him by member
of the committee.
Private Secretary McFarlane also testi-
fed. He told how, after Senator Kyle
had referred Buttz TO him, he had talked
with him and made notes upon his con-
versation. He confirmed Senator kyle's
statements, and said emphatically that
Buttz had made direct proposition 10
bribe the Senator to vote against the tariff
bill.