The Topeka state journal., 1897-06-11
AS PURE AS SNOW.
Senator LewelIing Says He is
Guiltless of Wrong.
Householder Tries to Smooth
Things Over.
But is Met With the Remark: "You
Can't Fool Me''-Bribery Com
mittee Working on Its
Report.


The closing session of the legislative
investigating committee yesterday aft
ernOon was marked by a sharp passage
between Senator Householder and Rep
sentative Frank Grimes, the latter be-
ing the Republican secretary of the
committee.
When the committee was in session
some weeks ago Senator Householder
manifested desire to ascertain from
the various witnesses, who was reSpOn-
sible for the raising of the contingent
fund appropriation for the state board
of railroad commissioners from ST, 900 to
$4,000. As a member of the senate Mr..
Householder was SOlicitOuS concerning
this question and his anxiety was fire.
quently manifested, as was suggested
at the time, because he desired to make
LeWelling appear responsible for the in
crease of 81 coo.
Mr.. I4ewelling appeared before the in
Vestigation committee yesterday after
noon and entered a general denial of
the charges which had been made
against him by various witnesses. Con-
Guiding his statement the ex-governor
waited for questions from the commit
tee. The POpuliSt members said moth
ing but Representative Grimes said:
Governor, testimony has been given
mere IN way which perhaps would not
convict you, but which has seriously re-
nected upon you and at the same time
it has been intimated that you We're
responsible for the increase in the con
t1ngent fund apprOpriat Can you
give US any light on that proposition? %
I have seen such statements in the
papers. l will say that l made a draft
of the bill in my committee room and
as remember it, the appropriation for
contingent expenses was So. 900. How
ever, our bill was recalled from the
senate because it did not conform in all
respects to the Jumper fee and salary
bill and the bill which was finally pass
ed came from the house where il was
first introduced"
At this juncture Senator Householder
made a desperate grandstand play to
square himself with LewelIing. He look
ed compassionately on Mr.. Grimes and
said:
THAT was not fair question. There
We're so many errors in bills between
the time of passage and final pubIica-
ton that 1t is unfair to charge Mr. I4e-
yelling with having changed that bill
Ihe question was unWarranted It is
unfair to make such insinuatiOns."
L prefer to interpret my own uues-
tions," retOrted Grimes hotIy.
Mr.. HousehOlder's face flushed per
ceptibly as he met the eyes of Mr. I4e-
yelling who was watching him very
closely.
Mr.. Outcalt came to the rescue and
said:
1nslnuations against Mr.. Lewelling"
Mr.. Grimes: 4 think differently Le-
WeIling has been charged, and by mem
bers Of this committee too with having
raised that appropria ton and in such a
manner that causes me to believe that
there IS conspiracy on the part of this
committee to do him up. If you pro-
pose 10 permit LeWellinG to make a
statement in his own behalf 1 think il is
1alr that he should be permitted to an
swer not only the insinuations of GER
tam prlned witnesses but those coming
also from members of this committee"
After the committee had adjourned
said:
You can't fool me. I know all abo11t
this matter and know exactly who it
was that started this talk about the ap-
prOpriatiOn"
holder -
Il think it was you In fact know
II was you, =, replied LeWelling coolIy
The committee is in session writing
its report which Will be submitted TO
the governor within a few days The
members nope to complete it tomorrow
The committee convened at O'Clock
chairman Outcalt announced that
Senator L. D. Lewellfng would be given
an opportunity to make a statement
Mr.. Lewelltng came forward and was
sworn by Geo. r. Smelling assistant
attorney general.
Asked to state what he knew with
reference to the testimony offered be-
fore the committee by Senator Titus
and warden Lands, Lewelling said:
with regard first to what Mr.. Lam
dis said. 1 once had a conversation
with him regarding coal lands at the
penitentiary. I related to him the con-
VersatiOn which I had with a gentle
man from the eastern part of the state
who said he had an option on some
lands near the institution, and if the
state would pay the price for the land
which had been paid in years past
there would be a profit of $25 900 in the
sale. l was not asked to join in the
enterprise to make the sale con
strued the statements of the gentle
man to mean that the profit might ac-
crue to me, himself or the state.
told Lands about it. I did not, how
ever ask him or suggest to him that
1IndPTt9 l<P TO make sale "a
conversation was commonplace. We
were both very busy and the subject
was never referred to again. No bill
was introduced, and so far as know,
nothing of the kind was ever contem-
plated"
Mr.. Snelling-Did you tell Lands the
name of the man who made the propo-
sition to you?
Al did not.
Own you tell the committee2
A.-No, sir.
A.-Because it would do no good.
Q.-How about the statement made
by Mr. Titus?
Mr.. Lewelling-On one occasion
went to Mr. Titus and gave him a bill
on the school book question which was
sent to me by some one in Sedgwick
county. 1 told Titus that I had not read
the bill; knew nothing about 1t, but if
it contained any desirable information
or suggestions, that he was at liberty
to use them Titus statement that I
attempted to lead him TO believe that
there was any prospect for profit by
adopting the suggestions of the bill, are
absolutely false in every particular.
There is not a scintilla of truth in any
of Titus remarks.
Q.-You said nothing which would
indicate that you believed there was
anything in it for him or for you?
A-No, sir.
Q.-What do you know of the exer-
else of any undue influence to cause
members of the legislature to vote for
or support any particular measure?
Al know of nothing except the or
binary influences of members upon