The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-14
COMMITTEE ADJOURNS
For Two Weeks to Meet Again
April %.

Representative E. D. McKeever was
summoned before the bribery investi-
eating committee yesterday afternoon
and put through an examination by
Chairman Outcalt The latter tried to
discover, through admissions from Nc
Keever. some information concerning
reports which the committee had re-
ceived, principal among them being that
McKeever had received 500 for his vote
against the anti i-oleomargarine bill.
AcKeever, however, voted for the
anti-oleomargarine bill, and he sug-
gested yesterday that it is difficult to
see why a man should be paid for serv-
ices he did not render.
The committee did not make much
progress yesterday afternoon. The
supply of witnesses having been ex-
hausted the sergeant-at-arrns was sent
after Mr. McKeever, and pending his
arrival the committee waited some
time. After the conclusion of his tes-
1imony an adjournment was taken un-
til this morning.
DO you know of any briberies or
other corrupt practices?'' asked Mr..
Smelling.
Only what I have read in the pa
pers," replied Mr.. McKeever.
Q-Were you offered s1O0 to vote
against the anti-O -OleOmargarine bill?
A-No, sir. No one ever offered me
money.
tS---A gu KNOW nOJllng fnen2
A-No, sir, except that l heard. at
the time, of the notes which passed
between members and the book COM
pany representatives
Mr.. Outcalt-HOw did YOU vote on the
anti-OleOmaTgarine bill?
Al voted for it.
Q--Were You for it from the first?
A--Wel. L didn't care much about it
at first but inquired among my con-
Stituents and decided to vote for it.
after receiving a letter from the Com
mercial club of Topeka asking me to
support it, The people of my district
We're for the bill, and / represented
their wishes as nearly as I could
Q--We ere you offered money to vote
against the bill?
A--No. Mr. Boyd said one night
that there might be money in it to vote
against the bill.
Q--Who is Mr.. Boyd
Ale is hail fellow we'll met and
has lived in Topeka for several wears.
He is taken seriously by very few peo-
PIE who know him.
Q.-Did you ever saw Won had been
offered s1OO2
A.-NO.
Odd a member of the house of
representatives offer you a money CON
slderaton to vote against the bill,
which caused you to change vOllr mind
and vote for it?
A-No. sir.
Q--Nothing of that kind transpired2
A--No. sir 1 promised Mr.. A. e
Jones of this city early in the cam
paign to vote for the bill, and never
had any other intention.
Q--WhO is Mr.. Jones?
Ale is in some way connected Will,
the state Dairymen's association and
was interested in securing that kind of
legislation.
9--What do you consider legitimate
influences to secure legislation?
A.-Governor Leedy's effort to secure
a maximum freight rate bill. The ef-
Tort OF any man who uses Influences
that are not corrupt to secure the pas
1erested. " AZ
Q--what impression did Rovd,s
statement about money have on you?
A--NOne at all.
Q--What did you think?
At was my opinion that he never
had that much money.
Mr. Grimes-Is this man Bovd the
one who attempted to bribe Senator
Al think so. His name is p
Boyd He was in the loan and col
lection business in Topeka for some
time and lived near me.
Mr.. McKeever was excused b,,+ NOV
be recalled before the investigation
ends.
Representative Loonfs, whose vote in
the conference committee decided a tie
vote on the proposition to appropriate
money for the investigation which is
now going on, was also examined His
testimony was of little Importance
He could tell nothing of attempted
oriberles or corrupt practices.
Odd you at any time say that
while you had not believed in the stor-
les of corruption, yet your experience
as a representative had removed such
doubts?
A.-Yes, sir.
Q.-What led you to that conclusion?
A man could not help using his
eyes and ears
Q--Well, what did you hear?
Al was member of the conference
committee which agreed to the ennro-
pl'la ton for this investigation. The vote
stood two and two, leaving me to cast
the deciding vote asked Senator
Jumper if he had evidence that xIo,1Ill
convict anyone in the legislature of re-