The times., 1897-05-13
No Appeal From Chapman in the
Presidents Hands.
COMPLEX QUESTIONS ARISE
District Attorney Davis Is Making
Preparations to Try the Renaiu-
Monday-Messrs. Haveneyer and
Searlcs VIII BE Called First.


petition for pardon from Broker Elverton
X. Chapman had at that time been seen
1t seems to he fully established now that
| il Mr.. Wilson follows the usual order of
procedure with regard to his clients ap-
plicaton he will direct it to the Presi-
dent 1t will he sent direct from the
| White House. without examination, to the
Attorney Generals office
| The Attorney Generals office has seen
nothing of the petition, either, so that it
! may he safely inferred that it has not
as yet been sent 1t is expected every
day.
| The fate Of the petition must remain very
much probe NAUTICAL until final action is
| taken by President Mckinley. Beside the
| old elements in the case it seems to many
| that the insisuations, and the open stories
! told of the present sugar deals in which
| certain Senators are said To be interested
/ may have the effect of Hartie ming Presi-
| de Mt McKinley's heart against all those
| Interested in the Old scandal in any way.
| Mr.. Mckinley is known TO aisIiEe the
| Senate sugar schedule exceedingly. 1t
| may be shrewdiy surmised, TOO, that he has
heard the tales that the sugar trust is
directly responsible for the schedule; that
it would be a better law for The trust than
| any that we have ever had; thatseverai out
| siders knew how the schedule would read
| before the Senate or the people; that much
money was made in speculation OH this
| advance inforinasion; that certain senator's
| themselves have been seen frequently 10
II. 1T,
gentleman officially connected with
the cases OF Mr.. Chapman and the other
| sugar investigation witnesses, talked with
| a Times reporter last night about them
| very frankly, giving some of the inside
history OF cases that should be ofinterest
| at this time.
In my opinion be said, Mr.. Chap
Iaan should be pardoned, and the eases
OF the other gentlemen dropped When the
Senate had pumped the witnesses as far as
it could and accomplished nothing, IL
seemed To the Senate committee that
giving the cases to the District court was
d very slick way out of a very troublesome
affair. Tire committee unquestionabiy be-
lieved at that time that the cases would
lie md die in the District criminal court
There wasa trouble however, in the way
District Attorney Eirney was not in favor
with the Cleveland Administration He
was rot in Mr. Cleveland's Confidence aud
could not consult with him 1t is one Of
the worst predicamentsfor coart TO be in.
Mr.. Birney did not care To aliew any IaXity
on bis part to go against his record. es-
pecially in sucha case as this, where money
influence may be said to have played
part He took up the sugar witnesses vigor-
| o,fsly and prosecuted them as earnestly and
as tenaciousIy as he could and secured the
conviction OF Mr. Chapman.
THE conviction was secured, and vet il
seemed to me that Nr. Chapman did more
than any one else to convict himself | DO
not believe that If he had acted rightly
there would have been such an ending To
MS trial, and do not believe that any Of
the other gentlemen on trial viii ever be
convicted, their lawyers having the pre-
cedent of Chapman s case TO help them.
The summons which the Senate IS said
TO have sent to Chapman was lost. ill
the notes and papers of the Senate investi-
cation could not be found. Mr. Chapman
went on the stand, as he should not have
DONE and said: 4 was called by the SEN
ate was asked certain questions, and
did refuse to testify None OF these
things could have been proven against tIinl.
The district attorney went ght ahead md
convicted him
MI Chapman acted on the advice OF
his counsel He was not morally a cut
prit Everything should favor the par
don. However, the consent of Mr. Bir-
pey and of Judge Cole would be necessary
to this pardon, at least the consent of
one OF them 1 do not believe that Dis
trict Attorney Birney would consent to
this pardon. He has the same reasons
for not acquiesciDg in it that he mad for
not pushing the case against Mr. Chap
man"
District Attorney Davis is making prepa-
rations to try the remainder of the sugar
trust witnesses on Monday next, no mat
ter how the question of Chapman's pardon
may develop. He expects that this appIi-
cation for pardon will be referred to him,
but that VIII make no difference he says in
his intention to prosecute the men indicted
with Chapman. Mr.. DAVIS viii probably
call up Havemeyer and Searles for trial
first They viii be arraignei under Judge
Bradley ii criminal court No. 2.
One OF the stories circulating about
speculation in sugar concerns the meteoric
Mr. Abraham White, gentleman who has
mace fortunes out of bond deals, with only
''shoestring'' for capital, in addition to
his wonderful nerve. The story of bis con-
nection with the sugar schedule of the Sen
ate bill is as follows:
When the DingIey tariff bill went into
the hands of the Senate subcommittee Mr.
White came to Washin gton and opened an
office at 1343 F street. He fitted it up
in fine style and had a private wire to
New York
On April his first advertisement ap-
pearcd in the local papers. He did not
stint himself on space. He made refer
ence in his advertisement to his success
in the bond deal, and in large letters an
nounced that Russell Sage had helped him
to complete the transaction.
1t was noted that the persons who
frequented his office and traded through
him were mostly Senators and Representa-
tives- He lived at the Arlin ngton Hotel,
where, it will be remembered, the Senate
subcommittee held its secret meetings He
was frequently seen coming out of the room
where these secret conferences were being
held, although it was impossible for any
but & few favored Senators and Repre-
sentatIves TO enter this private chamber
Mr. White spent all his time while in
Washington either at his office, at the
Capitol or at the Arlington. People who
were intimate with him say that he al
ways appeared we'll posted on the move
mentS and decisions of tho Senators ,vbo