Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-05-16
Attempt to Bride.

NEW YORK, May 16.-The Sun of to-
day says :
A sensation was created in the Senate
cloak rooms yesterday by an authorized
announcement that an attempt was re-
Gently made to bride Senator Hunton
of Virginia and Senator Kyle, of South
Dakota, with money to vote against the
pending tariff bill. Yesterday Senator
Hunton informed some of his senatorial
colleagues that man, who now resides
in South Dakota, had offered to pay
S25, 900 for his vote against the tariff
bill. Senator Hunton was greatly
mortified that any one should imagine
that his vote on any measure Is pur-
chasable, and he was reluctant to have
the fact that he had been thus ap-
preached made public. The story is
that the man, whose name has not been
made public, did not submit his propo-
sition directly to Senator Hunton, but
went to Warrenton, the home of the
Senator, and submitted the proposition
to the Senator's son. The correspond
ence that has passed between father
and son on the subject is in existence
and will probably come out in the con-
gressional investigation that is likely to
| follow, when the name OF the
man who offered to bride will
be made known. 1t is said that
he offered to give the younger Hunton
$50, 600 if his father could be induced to
vote against the bill. The Senator's
son resented the attempt to dishonor his
fathers good name, and at once mott
fled the Senator. Mr.. Hunton prompt
" consulted some of his personal
friends on tho subject. He was advised
to ignore the matter and dismiss it
without further notice. The mere init
nation that he might be open to such
proposition, either directly or indi-
recllv, was so repuisive to him that he
quietly commenced an investigation
to ascertain who is behind the gentle
men from Dakota and South Carolina
in this transaction. The Senator has
not yet fully succeeded in this, how
ever. This story was told at the Sen
ate chamber yesterday, and the friends
of Senators Hunton and Kyle are in
sisting that the matter shall be probed
to the bottom. Ii is said that other
democratic Senators have been APP
preached directly or indirectly on the
same subject.
WAsHINGroN, May Ex-senator
Hutton and Senator Kyle (the latter
through his clerk this morning admit
ted the truth Of the published state
ment that they had been approached
and offered money for their votes
against the tariff bill, although both
gentlemen declined to name the man
who made the offer The story was
published in full in a Ne@' York paper
this morning and, with the exception
of matter Of detail, is substantially
correct.
''Ycs," said Mr.. Hunton, "the story
is correct, although al sorry ihat it
has been made public. Ii was not Il
matter of recent occurrence, however,
for it happened more than a month ago,
and l Immediately notified the mana
gers of the bill on the floor of the Sen
ates and it is in their hands for such
action as they may see fit to take. l
do not care anything for COMPRESSION
al investigation, but if the managers of
the bill think it is the best thing to 10
1 will assist them all in my power
Mr. Kyle is out OF the city, but Mr..
Hunton said he knew that the same
man had approached him and this was
corroborated by Mr.. MacFarlane, Mr..
Kyle's clerk. 41r Hunton went so far
as to say that the man who had at
tempted to conduct the negotiations for
these votes was formerly connected
with the carpet bag government Of
South Carolina and that he had subse-
quently gone to North Dakota where
he resided for number Of years.
Mr.. Kyle, it appears. was little too
shrewd for the would-be briber and
when he was approached said "You
should not approach a Senator upon
such matters see my clerk" The
clerk was then notified how to conduct
the business aud it was so arranged, it
is said, that the briber made his offer
TO Senator Kyle, through his clerk in
the presence Of witness. Twenty-Five
thousand dollars was the sum named
in both cases although, according to
l
facts, the man admitted that the parties
behind him had a million dollars they
would spend if necessary to defeat the
bill.
A prominent democratic Senator
told the reporter of the United Press
this morning that he knew the man
well and named G.. w. Buttz, an ex.
member of Congress from South Caro-
lima during the period ofreconstruction.
This man, who stands charged with the
commission of this otiense, has been
about the Capitol for some time but it
is not known that any Senators other
than those named have been approach
ed. Buttz resided originally in Viz
ginia, where, as democrat, he filled
various Offices.
1t is said that Congressional inves-
tigation may grow out of this matter
In some quarters of the democratic
household such an investigation would
be hailed with delight as it would at
tract attention to the methods which
democrats claim are being used to de-
feat the bill for tariff reform and would
tend to strengthen some of the demo
Gratis who are supposed to be weak in
their support Of the pending measure.
Republicans are indulsing in good
deal of quiet laughter over the story,
for as soon as the name of the man who
is charged with the commission of the
oifense became known they at once
saw, as they say, that the offer came
from a man well-known about the Cap
itol, who represents DO one. They
claim that an Investigation will show