The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-04-15
CHARGES OF BRIBERY AND CON-
sPIRACY AGAINST DIR. HUN
TER AND OTHERS.
INDICTMENTS BY The GRAND JURY.
The Indicted Men Indignantly Deny
the Charges, Saying 1t Is n Des-
perate Conspiracy of the
Blackburn Democracy.

Frankfort, KY, April lO.-lndlctments
charging bribery and conspiracy to Drloe
have been prepared by the Franklin coun-
ty grand jury against three OF the most
prominent republicans in the state, and
true bills will be returned against eX-
Congressman w. Godfrey Hunter. OF the
Third district, the republican nominee for
the United States senate; ex-Congress-
man John II. Wilson of the Eleventh dis
trict. one of DR.. Hunters closest ad-
yisors; and Hon. f. II. Franks, one of
the leading republican politicians of the
Second district. The indictments were
prepared last night upon the testimony OF
Capt Noel Gaines. Capt: Thos. Tanner,
his brother-in-law, and Fred Gordon, all
of this city.
The charges are Indignantly denied by
DR.. Hunter and Messrs. Wilson and
Franks, all of whom say they will prose-
cute for criminal libel all who have testi-
fed to the above acts before the grand
jury. They all claim that it is the last
desperate effort of the Blackburn democ-
racy to prevent DR.. Hunters election
today, which seemed certainty, in view
of the fact that he lacked only one vote
at the ballot yesterday.
The following are the substantial
points of statement made today by DIR:
Hunter, ex-Congressman Wilson and
Mr.. Franks. The original statement
bears the signature of Mr.. Wilson, with
endorsements added thereto by DR.. Hun
ter and Mr. Franks, and is as follows:
$50 far as l know, the statement made
by Mr.. Gaines is not true. The facts, SO
far as I know, are these: ~ 49,,
Some ten days ago d. Il. Franks told
me that Noel Gaines had called him by
telephone, made an appointment to meet
him and said he had three members OF
the legislature whom he could have vote
for DR.. Hunter for $4,000 each, and that
Gaines wanted $1,000 for his services
Franks told me that one of the members
who was to vote for Hunter was to be al
Gaines that night at 8 o'clock and wanted
some one there for the purpose of hearing
the member say that he would vote fol
Hunter whenever Gaines told him to de
so. Franks said he thought it was 6
trick to trap him and Hunter, and asket
: me to go to Gaines house and unrave
the scheme. l went. No member ap
peared. Gaines said the member wa!
: afraid of me, but wanted Franks. After
: wards Gaines talked with me severa
!, times, saying the members were I'm
willing for him to divulge their names
but that Franks had promised him SIG,
600 with which to buy members to vot
for Hunter, and he either wanted tina
3 amount or wanted his $1,000. I toll
| I'LL Lie luuot iooh " Iiauho loi III
| money.
Franks then told me that Gaines sal,
he wanted the $1,000 or he would put hin
in stripes and defeat Hunters election
and that the $1,000 must be paid him b
last Thursday at 8 o'clock or he Gaines
t would tell Governor Bradley to put tn
d state house gang after me and DR.. Hun
t ter. Franks replied that Gaines wOul
: get himself into trouble Gaines re
piled that he was not afraid, that Their
d was man in this city who would sc
n that he (Gaines) did not suffer.
+ Both Franks and agreed that we be
n lieved Gaines had no one whom he coul
p induce to vote for Hunter. l talke
e with Gaines, at the request of Franks
for the purpose of seeing if it was not
scheme prepared to trap Hunter and wa
engineered by others than Gaines.
far as / know, there has never been
dollar here to be used in Hunters intel
ests. J never discussed names of men
bers with Gaines. 1t now looks like thi
matter was used for the purpose. of e'
tracing money, and is now falsely give
to the press in order to defeat Hunter
election, when it is generally cOncede
that he will be elected.
!. "H. JOHN WILSON"
$50 far as know, the foregoing stat
ments are true. Il. T. FRANKS"
II do not know Noel Gaines nor Tho
Tanner Never saw either of them
n know them. l never was in Game
u, house and never had any conversatiC
N with either of them.
n "W. G. HUNTER"