The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-04-11

Frankfort. KY, April lot was
known early this morning by DR.. Hun
ter's friends that charges of bribery
were to be sprung on him as soon as
the roll call was completed.
1t was reported at that hour than an
Indictment charging him with attempt
Ing bribery was under consideration by
the grand jury. and would probably be
reported today 1t was not reported,
however, as the grand jury adjourned
tonight without reporting an indict-
ment- The grand jury has the matter
under consideration. and viii resume
the investigation on Monday. when eN-
Congressman Wilson and Mr. Franks
Will be among the witnesses. The Cos
sip on The case was that Captain Noel
Gaines had approached Representatives
Clarke and Johns on behalf OF Hunter
and proposed a money consideration
for their votes for Hunter. AS soon as
the news was out DR.. Hunter sent for
Representatives Clarke and Johns.
They came, and then DR.. Hunter said
TO them in the presence of Attorney
General TAYLOR and Senator McChord:
Il never saw Captain Noel Gaines in
my life, nor did I ever hear of either
Tanner or Gordon. 1 never solicited
Gaines or any one else to attempt to
bride any member of this general as
sembly."
Tanner and Gordon mot Gosson), are
associates of Gaines in his accusation.
Tanner is Gaines brother-in-law- Elk
Congressman Wilson says Gaines ap-
preached him recently and said he had
facts against Hunter that would ruin
him, and that he would suppress them
If Hunter would give him $4,000.
Wilson spurned him and Gaines went
at once to Blackburn's headquarters. 1t
is claimed by Hunters friends that the
charges were made when the Repub-
lican nominee came within one vote
of election, and it was believed that
Hunter would be elected. EX-Congress-
man Wilson and Mr.. Franks have
made full statements about what they
call the efforts TO ertrap them, and DR.. (
Hunter has shown that he did not
know and had never met the parties
offering TO deliver three silver Demo- |
Gratis for a given sum.
There is some reaction Of sentiment |
tonight in favor of Hunter, by those /
xvho regard the charges in the line of /
persecution Others expect sensa- +
tional developments next week from /
the investigation of charges Of bribery. !
ONE OF THE ACCUSED. !
The following authorized interview !
was given out this morning by Cap
tain Thomas Aanner, one of the ac-
cused witnesses:
I was first called to the Capitol
hotel on April ]. and took DR.. Hunter
TO Captain Gaines house. I there
heard the conversation which followed (
between Drs. Hunter and Gaines. [ /
was in an adjoining room. My princi
pal connection with the case was
through Wilson and Franks. On Vari
.ous occasions l was called to consult
ral- D
in buying votes. They insisted they
must have three or four Democratic
votes and singled out Representatives
Gussoma, Clarke, Johns and Lykens
whom they said we Gaines and my
SELF must get. although any Dem
ocratic votes would be acceptab bic.
I was called to the Capitol hotel
Monday night and had a conference
with Wilson in room q. Wilson had
a big roll of bills. He said there was
1000 in the package and from all ap-
pearances there were. There were four
packages or $4,000. and he said this
would be paid for four votes for DR..
Hunter He showed me the money as
an evidence of good faith. He seemed
to be the man who handled all the
money. | had several conferences with
Franks, in the same room. Was last
called in there Thursday morning, and
they seemed to think that some mem
Der OF the legislature nd0 OlleTeQ TO
for $4,000. but they thought
this TOO high. Franks was in the
plan and talked about buying votes,
bur he never directly offered me money
to buy them
WAS WILLING TO PAY.
Captain Noel Gaines dictated
statement to which he testified before !
the grand jury in part as follows:
when DR.. Hunter came to my house :
he CDR. Hunter) opened the CONVEX :,
sation by saying he had been told l /
could aid him in getting three votes.
| told him that I did not know
whether it was possible to get them
Or not. but l would study over it and
see. Hunter said:
L want three votes. and am willing T
y pay 5000. or $4,000 a vote. l will !
furnish the money all right, but will :
nave to have one of my representatives T
complete the trade. and give you the s
money as it would not do for me to +
land il 20 YOU. r
He said that he would have ex-Con- d
yress,nan John H. Wilson, one of his q
friends. call on me. Hunter told me r
hat Representative W. G. Gosson and a
Merge Clait Of Warren county, and d
John II. johnson of Floyd county could t
,e gotten, and they should be the first g
mes for me to see, as he was pretty h
certain 7 could get them. v
NO BEATING THE BUSH. c
c
con the next evening about the same S
lour, Mr. John II. Wilson came over /
n company with Mr.. Tanner, and we
IL three went into the library of my %
house. Mr. Wilson began by saying h
hat Dr. Hunter had sent him to see r,
ne, and he CWilson) wanted to know if W
had talked with Gosson, Clark and d
Johns, and if 1 had made a trade with ri
hem. I told him 1 had not. Wilson tt