The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-02
(NSURANCE SCANDAL
Which Is Agitating Members oftho
Pennsylvania Legislature.
SENATOR SHORTS FIRM DENIAL.

Mr.. Durham Calls French Perturer.
Harrisburg. June 2.-The Joint legis
lative committee appointed to investi-
gate the $4,000 insurance scandal held
n very interesting session yesterday
afternoon Chairman Wilson presided,
and with the exception of Mr.. Simon
there was full attendance Of the COM
mittee. General Goblin was present, and
at the beginning of the proceedings he
handed to the committee an affidavit
made by John French, of Oil City, an
Insurance agent.
i The first witness called was Haley
Fiske, vice president Of the Metropoli-
tan Insurance company. He stated that
Frank H. Leonard, of the Clearfleld
Goal company, who said he represented
one or two Pennsylvania state sena-
TORS, called on the secretary of the
Metropolitan company in New York
and laid before the secretary a plan
whereby the bill could be killed. Leon
erd. witness said, made similar propo-
Sition on two occasions to the Brooklyn
superintendent Of the company.
4 appeared before the insurance
eommitte," continued Mr. Fiske, land
spoke against the bill. After this in
passing through the office of the Com
monwealth hotel, I met Senator Kauff-
man. He made some jocose remark
about Doodle which annoyed me. He
fold me that IL we made an honest eff
Fort to kill the bill, without the use of
money. that he would help us, but that
II we used money he would favor the
passage of the bill"
Mr.. Fiske then told OF the arrange
ment for the meeting in Philadelphia,
IT which were present Senators Finn,
kaufman and Goblin, the witness,
agent French and a couple of others.
At this conference French's affidavit
was handed over to the three senators.
"They took this information" asserted
Mr. Fiske, with the express under
standing that they assumed all re-
sponsibility, although I told them I
would loyalty stand by them If they
Hesired to use the information"
r Agent French was then called. He
paid he was resident of Oil Cisy and
that he was district agent for the
Metropolitan company. He related a
visit he paid to Senator Short, Of
Sugar Grove, Warren county, in refer
ence to the bill.
Il had never met the senator be-
fore" said French, but / called on
him at his home in Sugar Grove about
certain insurance bills. | told him his
constituents were against these meas
ures, whereupon he replied; L have no
sympathy for you people. / had the
bill recommitted, thinking you people
would take your cue.
He told me-" the witness went on
TO say, that a state agent-he thought
1t Was--had been ordered off the floor
Of the legislature, and he told me of
Fiske's appearing before the commit
lee In a pompous manner The senator
paid that the committee was not in
Mr.. Fiske's hands, but that he was in
fheirs. He said to me: The people
you want TO get after are Judge Dur
ham and Senator Andrews. Andrews
y in that business. and he doesn't make
my bones about 1t. AS for myself, 1
have plenty. You know the country
members are square and honest, and |
they would not do anything Of that |
Bort. SUI, that is not saying that | |
pant be touched.
"Mr. Short told me-" declared
French, that railroads, insurance COM
panies and the Armour Beef company |
paid to have their interests taken care
Of. He said that when our company
was asked by the committee for its
amount Of assets and liabilities that
II was done TO see how much they
should strike us for. lie advised me to
see our people at once. couple Of
days lat"r he called me up on the tclc-
phone and asked me If | had seen our
people. l told him that l had not, but
that ] was going to see the Pittsburg
AGENT"
Then French produced In evidence
4 letter addressed to him, dated Har-
risburg. April IA, the day on which the
bill was killed. 1t came from Senator
Shortt, and congratulated him
(Frencm on the defeat of the meas
ure.
In answer to further questioning Mr., |
French So that at the interview at
Sugar Grove Shortt had told him he
Dould vote against the BILL that he
demanded nothing for so doing SEN
ator ShOrtt," asserted the witness.
told me the company had used enough
n postage stamps to kill the bill. Then
said 10 him: Suppose another bill
would crop up. That would be dead
'obbery.' He said to me: oh, no; the |
'oys are honorable They will not for
ret it,"
Senator Short next took the stand.
With much feeling he said that
frenchs statement was IAN absolute,
'icious and malicious lc," and turning
O French he said, fiercely: And YOU
now 1t. You partook of my hospital
fy, and then manufactured such a
owived lie.."
Mr.. Short said that French had
ONE to him an entire stranger; that
e had never met him before, but that
e had asked him to take supper with
i'm at his home, He then denied
'rench's statements, sentence by sem !
ence. He said regarding the meeting
his home:
French did not mention money, nor
Id l. and did not mention the names
Judge Durham or Senator Andrews,
kept that l advised French to see
ne fnsfhhers Of the legislature from
ie northwestern part of the state and
ct their influence against the bill. It
true that I telephoned to him, but
asked him what success he had In
seing the members. Isn't that what
said?" said witness to French, ,
mo. sir" was the answer.
Then you lie," was the rejoinder,
Senator Durham, upon being sworn. ,
sclared he had never talked to Sena- 6
n shortt about the use Of money in
le defeat or passage of any bill. WAS
y name mentioned when you talked
} French?" asked the Philadelphia 6
MIR. Shortt.
mo, SIR" came the reply.
"Then French lies: he perjures him.
IT," said Durham. :
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