The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-10
LITTLE NEW
Evolved By the Bribery InVes-
tigating Committee Today.
The Matter of the Lost Mis-
souri, Pacific Pass
Is GONE OVER AGAIN.
All of Next Week to Be Devoted
to the Work
Of Examining a New Lot Of
Witnesses.
HANNA, OF HILL CITY,
A Republican Ex-Representa-
tive, Is
Not Charged With Receiving
$1,000 to Lobby.
All of Next Week to Be Devoted
to the Work
Of Examining a New Lot Of
Witnesses
HANNA, OF HILL CITY,
A Republican EX-Representa-
tive, Is
Not Charged With Receiving
$1,000 to Lobby.

The statement made in n headline
last night that Representative D. j.
Hanna CRep) of Hill City was charged
with receiving 900 to lobby in the in
terests of certain bills was an error.
Mr. Hanna was charged with offer
ing q bribe to a member of the legisla-
ture, while his brother, Senator Geo.
W Hanna (Pop.) of Clay county, a
member of the last legislature, was
charged, through indirect testimony be-
fore the committee, with receiving a
thousand dollars to introduce the stock
yards bill.
Senator Hanna says that as the evil
dence offered against him was only
hearsay and included testimony from
a questionable source, that attorneys
say there is really no evidence for him
to refute
The body of the article contained the
correct statement of the case. The er-
ror was in the headline.
The bribery investigating committee
is handicapped by the Veale anti
bribery law, which was passed by the
legislature of 1895. Were the commit
tee able to abrOgate the provisions of
that law, the members believe that sen
sations, the like of which have never
-
would be presented.
This law, which crept through the
legislature before the corporations dis
covered its meaning and true intent.
makes the giver and acceptor of a bribe
equally guilty and provides severe pun
ishments for both persons. These pro-
visions the committee members believe
deter witnesses from telling the whole
story connected with the Doodle heals
The committee has been assured that
If protection from prosecution could be
guaranteed, witnesses would appear
before the tribunal and give testimony
that would cause a general stampede
of peSky and polluted politicians to the
Indian Territory.
The committee has made an investi-
cation of the law but has discovered
nothing which would enable them to
throw protection around witnesses and
ferret out the men who had been guilty
of selling out. The fear of such prose
cutlOn, the committee believes, cOnpelS
men who could otherwise expose cor
rupuOn to preserve silence. The lack
OF proper authority on the part of the
committee to compel witnesses to testi-
~ ana the eale law are two very Seri-
Gus obstacles confronting the commit
tee Whether or not they viii be able
10 dig deeper than the transactions
about which men summoned before the
committee voluntarily testify remains
to be seen.
The committee adjourned this after
noon until Monday afternoon. when
Representatives Keefer of LeaVenWorth
and Marks OF Jefferson have been sum
moned to appear before the commit
tee
Representatives Weilep, Loomis and
Paul Russell, e. W. Moab of Paola a
committee clerk. and Eben Mccarthy
a page in the house, have been sum
moned to appear Tuesday. The com
mittee declines TO make public the
names of witnesses who Will appear
after Tuesday, because they have not
been subpoenaed.
The committee hopes to complete its
work by next Saturday
senator Jumper was the first witness
called IN the bribery investigation in
the Afternoon session of yesterday.
ASKED by Attorney General Bowie to
tell what he knew, Mr.. Jumper said.
was called out one day and was
told by a man I had known for severaI
years that there would be something in
II II L would vote against the stock
yards bill. I declined to accent the
proposition, and told him I would not
CONSIDER II under any circumstances
Ihe next morning a man whom [ had
known Tor two years met me on the
street and walked me around A block
to Kansas avenue and then took me nm
a stairway into a hall, in which sun-
posed some kind of drinks We're being
sold lie asked me about the stock
yards bill and told me he could get me
1
certain amendments which he indicated
to me by exhibiting a printed bill
then thought 1 would probe the mat
ter, and asked for time He came
again to me in my committee room
and said the persons for whom he was
working had agreed to give me 81 O00
IF I would support the amendments
Later he came to me on the floor ana
told me 1 would be given 1000 if [ sun
ported the Hanna bill; that the money
would be placed in the hands of a third
party subject to my order. He said he
would get nothing out Of the deal and
said I might make him a. present of
suit of clothes He showed me a list
of names, some of whom he said had
been fixed, others who were support
ing the bill. I told him then that I
had-been playing him, to find out what
I could about transactions around the
legislature, and also that 1 would have
nothing to do with the deal also told
him he had better make himself scarce
as there might be some Developments
in this connection -
Mr. Outcalt-Who was the first man
you referred to2
A.-HOrace Jenness of Topeka
Mr. Jumper said he regretted exceed
Ansly to answer this question, as Jen-