The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-26
LAWYERS
WRANCLE.
Broker Chapman Present as a
Witness
At the Trial of HaYemeyer
Now in Progress.
NO TESTIMONY TAKEN.
Judge Bradley Creates Much
Amusement Among Spectators
By Sarcastic References to the
Sanctity of the Senate.

Washington. May 26-At the trial of
H. o. Havemeyer, president of the
American Sugar Refining company. for
refusing to answer a question propOund-
ed by the senate sugar investigation
committee in the spring of 1894, begun
before Judge Bradley yesterday. FL
verton r. Chapman, the New York sU-
gar broker, who is serving a 80 days
sentence in the district jail, for the Of
fense of which Havemeyer is being
tried. was present as a witness, but did
not testify.
The witnesses were the file clerk OF
the senate, the committees stenograph-
er and Senators Gray, Lodge, Davis
and Lindsay, who were on the investi-
eating committee. The line of defense
is that the question asked. which looked
to the production of data as to the po-
Htical contribution of the sugar COM
pany to state and local elections was
not pertinent to the inquiry This was
shown by the repeated development OF
the fact that Mr.. HaVemeyer answered
the question as to the national cam
paign and as to the election of United
states senators before the legislatures
This line of defense was anticipated
somewhat by the district attorney.
COnsidera ble stress was also placed
on the attempt of the defense to show
Senator Aliens question (Which Mr.
Havemeyer declined to answer was an
individual, not a committee question
but the testimony went to prove that
the query was prOpOunded by the direc-
ton of the committee.
District Attorney Davis reOffered in
evidence the extract of the senate jour
nal, showing the recreancy OF N1r.H Have
meyer to which the defense objected.
Unless the other journals showing the
whole action of the senate upon the
case be admitted, Judge Bradley agreed
TO admit all relevant extracts from the
senate journals and thereupOn Mr.J ohm
son Withdrew his objection. According
ly the extracts showing the three re-
ports of the committee to the senate
and detailing the facts of HavemeyerS
contumacy were admitted. Mr.. john
son objected to the admission of the
printed report of the committee as evil
dence and a long legal debate followed
on this point.
The government strenuousIy insisted
that it was admissible as an official
senate report. Mr.. Davis said he was
driven to the necessity of offering this
document as evidence because the orig
inal stenOgraphic notes of Mr.. Have
meyers testimony had been lost. The
defense offered the whole printed record
but objected to the extract relating to-
Mr.. HaVemeyer's testimony. The court
said that if the contention of the gov
ernnent was correct then the whole
record was evidence and much time OF
the court had been wasted. He con-
vulsed the court room by his sarcastic
reference to the 4Sanctity'' with which
the district attorney had clothed the
proceedings of the senate. In the
Apostolic days. he said, clothes taken
from the bodies of the apostles were
supposed to have healing virtues and
even the rags that subsequently came
in contact with them. Those days, said
the judge, While Senator Gray laughed
outright, ARE passed. The court sus-
tains the objection"
The government rested its case at
1885. Mr.. Johnson for the defense,
moved to- dismiss the indictments.