Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-30
Mr.. HILLS SPEECH
II Will Compel the Senate Commit
tee to Investigate Further.
THE WIRE MANUFACTURER KNOWN
The Vice President Embarrassed
by the Committees Work.
COMMENT OF COUNSEL

The speech OF Mr.. Hill on the report Of
the Senate bribery committee yesterday is
very widely commented upon today, and
the almost universal opinions outside OF the
Senate itself is that the New York Senator
gave his colleagues some very keen thrusts
and had the best Of them throughout the
discussion. His suggestion that the COM
mittee should so directly at the matter If
they desire to ascertain the truth, and his
statement TO Mr.. Gray that he appeared to
be going long way around the barn 10
reach his point OF destination, together
with his keen thrust at Harris and the sug-
gestion that the whole Senate might be
called. sworn and examined, took all the
mittee that they were blocked and could
go no further until the newspaper testi-
mony could be compelled.
The Effect of the Speech.
The general impression is that the effect
OF his speech will be to compel the COM
mittee to go deeper into the investigation
and not to hide behind the silence of the
newspaper writer's. 1t is alleged that at
least one member OF the committee knows
the name of the wire manufacturer who
overheard the alleged conference at the
Arlington, and the name has also been
published In one Of the New York papers.
There Is therefore no reason why he should
not be called by the committee to testify
If they desire his testimony. 1t is said that
while he does not desire to be called and
will avoid II IL possible. he will, IL put on
the stand. make some very interesting IL
not startling statements.
The Vice President Embarrassed.
1t is believed that the Vice President
ppon whom devolved, under the most ex-
traordinary law which the committee has
INVOKED, the duty to report the case to
The district attorney, is greatly embarrassed
by the uncertainty as to the power of the
committee to direct a prosecution which
the Senate has not authorized. 1t Is stated
on very high legal authority that the COM
mittee Dy holding secret session put II be-
yond their yower to invoke this law, mas
much as no witness would be able to know.
former testimony having been withheld
nom him. whether the testimony he should
give would or would not criminate him.
1t Is held that a witness may apprehend
within the meaning OF the law that tes.i-
mony given by himself Of apparently the
most harmless character might. taken in
connection with testimony given by some
one else OF which he is ignorant, tend to
incriminate him. Therefore, while kept in
ignorance OF other testimony and of the
bearing of the questions asked him, he
may refuse to answer questions upon the
plea that his answers might tend to in
cxfminate him This would. put ii beyond
the power of the committee in a secret
INVESTIGATION TO compel any answer. 1t Is
not believed that the case against Edwards
and Shriver will ever get into the courts.
What Judge Dittenhoefer Says.
In speaking Of the Senate's action Judge
Dittenhoefer, the counsel for the two cor
respondents. said today: In the old case
of HaIlett Kilbourn after the Supreme
Court had decided that the proceedings by
which Kflbourn was arrested and COM
nIitted to the custody of the sergeant-at-
arms Of the House were illegal and un-
authorized by the court alb initio, Kilbourn
commenced an action against Mr.. Thomp-
son, the sergeant-at-arms of the House.
for damages for unlawful Imprisonment
by Mr.. Thompson. At the first trial the
jury gave Mr.. Kilbourn 100000 damages
This was reversed on some technical point
At the final trial the jury awarded him
S2o.UO damages, which, after nine years
Htigation.s was paid. The United States
stood behind Thompson and paid the
amount 1t seems to me-" continued Judge
Dittenhoefer. that with this experience
before the committee of the Senate investi-
eating Messrs- Shriver and Edwards they
were unwilling to place the sergeant-at-
he might be sued for damages, IL these
gentlemen were. by order of the Senate
held In contempt and committed, should
the court decide, as / have no doubt 1t
must, the proceedings on the part of the
senate are without Jurisdiction. The COM
mittee dug up this old statute with the
view Of adopting the safer course of hay-
ing an indictment by jury, well imagining
that II In that proceeding these gentlemen
are released there will be no one to sue
Tor damages. That is not manly or