The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-06-18
MR., MASON AND THE SENATE
TIE CLERGYMAN BEFORE THE IN
YESTIGATING COMMITTEE.

Said in Answer to the InterrogatiOns-
Rev. MIR. Mason's Statement in Full
Interesting Proceedings.
Hartford, June 1.-THE Rev. ]. Fl.
Mason of New Haven and Rev. c..
A. Paddock Of this city, editor of the
Christian Secretary, were on hand this
morning in the senate chamber when
the special committee of the senate,
Senators Webster, Lounsbury and
Palmer, began the investigation into the
alleged charges affecting the integrity
of the senate. The object of the in
quiry was to ascertain what truth
there was in the statement made by
the Rev, ]. Fl. Mason in his address
on Sunday, June 2, at New Haven, that
members Of the Legislature had been
bought like cattle in the shambles.
The senate chamber was filed with sem
ators, representatives, ministers and a
large crowd of spectators.
MANY INTERESTED SPECTATORS.
Among the spectators present in the
senate chamber were Ex-Governor
Buckley, Senators Crosby of Glas-
tonbury, Marigold of Bridgeport, john
son of New Haven and Fuller of Toll
land; Representatives Dayton Of Water
town, Tucker of Ansonia and Range
of Guilford; Patrick McGovern, CID
Winslow, Charles Dillon, Lawyer Cham
berlain, City Marshal Daran, Messrs.
Williams and Maynard, ex-chief clerks
of the state treasury, Chaplains Thomp-
son of the senate, and Irons of the
house, and a number of other clergy
men, including the Rev. Mr.. James Of
Rockville, the Rev. DR., Stone of Hart
ford, the Rev DR.. Dixon Of the South
Baptist church, Hartford; the Rev. w.
T. Hill Of Forestville, the Rev. DR..
Young of New Britain, the Rev DR..
Billiard of Hartford, the Rev. DR.. Brig
ham of the American Apostolic church,
and the Rev. DR.. Breckenridge.
In opening the hearing Senator Web
ster, chairman of the committee, said
that the inquiry would be confined to
ascertaining what personal knowledge
the two witnesses had as to official cor
ruption Of any member of the senate
of 1896, or what information they had
as to any other persons knowledge on
the subject.
The Rev. j. H. Mason admitted the
correctness of his remarks in the pulpit
as published in the press, and the Rev
C. A. Paddock admitted having written
the approval of Mr.. Mason's remarks,
which appeared in the Christian Sec
rotary, Their attention was called to
the following extracts from Mr.. Masons
address, ut means the passage of the
anti-pool law amendment, that mem
Forc Of n oil nv,
bought like cattle in the shambles."
Mr.. Mason said that he was prepared |
to substantiate his address, which he |
said has been misrepresented mis-
quoted and misunderstood. He said:
II am prepared to substantiate the |
statements made by me, but l am not |
here to make charges Of corruption or |
bribery against any person"
Senator Webster-Eave you any |
facts within your knowledge of any |
bribery or corruption on the part of |
any member of this senator"
Mr.. Mason admitted that he had not
Senator Webster-Have you any facts
or information received from any other
person to substantiate any charges of
BIB ~ or corruption against the men,
bes II the senate?
Mr.. Mason-T have not
The same questions were put to Mr.. |
Paddock, who made similar replies. Mr..
Mason said that he was not willing to
disclose the sourse of the information
upon which he based his remarks. He
had not heard of a specific charge
against any member of the senate of
1895. He had received no specific infor-
nation tending to show any specific act
If bribery on the part of any member
IF the senate
Mr.. Mason declined to make any ex-
olanation as to the tenor of his address
and the motive underlying his public
as a minister in deducting
certain facts, but the committee con-
lined the inquiry to any facts within
ais knowledge.
Mr.. Mason mentioned the names of
9x-Governors Waller and Buckley, A.
e. Walker of Hartford, H. E. Benton of
New Haven, chairman of the republi-
IAN state central committee; the Rev.
Dr.. Newman Smyth of New Haven,
Hall Of wellington, and
Gardiner Greene, jr., of Norwich, as
Lmong those who he thought could give
Information as to legislative corruption
the scope of the inquiry was made
more general. When he mentioned ex-
Governor Bulleley's name, that gentle
nan took the stand saying that the
need not wait for him
He was sworn and declared that he NJ
new of no bribery or corruption on the :
art of any member of the senate of 2
1896. He thought it as honorable a body
S any which ever met in the senate :
hamber. He advised the committee \
o ask each member of the senate per- y
onally if he was corrupt, and thought
ach would answer truthfully. h
Mr.. Mason asked leave to present a n
,ritten statement which he said would h
his address, but the COM y
littee decided to confine the inquiry lb
} facts within his knowledge, and
Id not receive the statement. n
At / o'clock the committee declared a
he hearing closed. Both the Rev. Mr.. N
Jason and the Rev. Mr.. Paddock de- 9,
AIRED that they were disappointed that e
lie inquiry was not to be made general, q
nd Mr.. Mason said that if the COM N
littee would only enlarge the scope NJ
e would in a few days present the r.
ames of several other persons whom s,