The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-19
BRIBERY IN INDIANA.
Ugly Charges AhOat About the Fail
ure to Fuse.


Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. 1S.-Charges
are flying thick and fast to-day in connec-
ton with the failure of the populist COM
mittee of thirteen, and the democratic
leaders to accomplish fusion at the con-
ference of yesterday afternoon. Charges
of bribery are openly made. The Senti-
mel, the democratic organ, under the head
line frank bribery attempted" gives a
two-column story of the affair, which con-
tains interviews with l.. w. Hubbell Of
Pulaski county, and Capt. S. M. Shepard
of Indianapolis, both members of the pop
ulist committee, in which they say they
were approached and offered large sums
of money to prevent fusion.
Members of the populist committee of
thirteen deny emphaticaly that the decis-
ion against fusion was Influenced in the
least by money and all declare that Sewall
must come off the ticket before fusion, on
any terms, will be agreed to.
In regard to the charges of alleged at
tempted bribery Mr.. Hubbell to-day con-
firmed his earlier statements. Said he:
"A short time ago a fellow resident OF
Francevile my home, accosted me. The
man, whose name 1 have not diyulged,
was a republican. He asked me what my
ideas were regarding the Bryan-Sewall
ticket. l replied that, being middle or
the road populist and doubling the sim
cerity Of the democracy in some respects,
1 was in favor Of refusing to indorse the
democratic electoral ticket unless Sewall
be replaced by the populist nominee. Mr..
Watson. He then, by gradual stages,
reached the point of telling me that, in
the event of my promising to vote in the
committee for the positive removal of Sc
wall before the populists would agree to
stand by the democratic ticket, l should
receive $500.
II quickly refused He then told me that
he did not want me to stultify myself, and
asked me what my price was, offering me
$1,000 which ne said would relieve me OF
all the Indebtedness which hangs over my
two hundred acre farm. l again refused,
and there the matter ended.
HE said he did not know where the
money was 10 come from, but he was led
to believe that 1t poured from the purse
of the republican state central commit
tee"
silas M. Shepard, member OF the popu-
list state committee from this district, was
quoted by the Sentinel this morning, as
saying that II had been proposed to him
that II the populists would put an electo-
raj ticket In the field, and keep the state
ticket on the ballot, the expenses OF the
campaign would be paid by the republi-
cans, and he would receive any salary he
might name. Mr.. Shepard says man
known to him to be republican, came to
his law Office Wednesday and asked him
to take the job of keeping the populsts
together. and organizing them against
fusion with any other party He wanted
Mr.. Shepard to see that Bryan and Wat
son electors and a populist state ticket
was kept In the field. The visitors said:
"You may name your own salary for this
service"
~ was indignant at the proposition" 4"
said Mr.. Shepard, land rebuked him
sharply, ba6e him goodbye and good day
and left my office. There was another
man in my back office who overheard
the entire conversation"
Mr.. Shepard says that he does not know
whom the visitor represented. and has
never expressed an opinion on this score.
but presumed that he was not speaking
FOR himself. For" he said. Il know him
TO be a man without money"