The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-07-15
DECEPTION
IS CHARGED.
Report ofthe Senate Claims
Committee
ON PUBLISHING HOUSE AFFAIR.
The Church is Held Blameless, But Bar
bee & Smith, the Agents, and Attorney
Stahlman Get Hot Roast.

report on their investigation into
the payment of the claim of the
Methodist Book Concern, South.
The principal parts of the report
read as follows:
"The committee finds that the act for
the relief of the Book Agents of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
approved March IL, 1898, was promptly
carried out by the payment to these
agents (Messrs. Barbee IL smith, of the
sum of $2SS,000 in a draft from the
Treasury Department. They admit the
receipt of this amount on the 2lst day
of March, and the next day the sum of
$l00,SO0, or 80 per cent. of the whole sum,
was paid to e. B. Stahlman as an at
torney for services rendered in connec-
ton with the collection of the claim, in
accordance with an agreement made in
July, 1895 The residue of the amount
was invested by the Book Agents for
the benefit of the Publishing House
fund.
"The testimony before the committee
clearly shows that no part of the sum
received by Mr.. Stahlman was paid to
Messrs. Barbee IL Smith for their per-
sOnal use, or to any Senator or Repre-
sentative in Congress, or to any other
person for corrupt purposes" ..
The report then sets forth the con-
tract entered into in July, 1895, by
Barbee & Smith and Stahlman-the
former agreeing to pay the latter 30
per cent of the claim-and COM
menting thereon continues:
"When this contract was made there
was positive understanding between
the parties that all information of its
existence should be withheld and
kept secret, and this policy was insisted
upon by Mr.. Stahlman, because he
realized that an agreement to pay a
large amount of the money to be re-
covered to \ claim agent or attorney
would prejudice the claim were it gen
orally known that such an agreement
was in existence. This understand
ing was faithfully maintained, and up
to the time when the bill for the relief
of the publishing-house came before
the Senate for final action the book
agents and their attorney, Mr.. Stahl-
man, in conversations and correspond
ence with Senators and Representa-
! tives, concealed from them all knowl-
edge of the existence of contract,
withheld from them all information
RI garding it, and purpOsely and Will
! fully, by misleading, ii not false state
ments, impressed them with the belief
that Mr.. Stahlman was not acting as
the agent and attorney of the book
agents with the expectation OF a
pecuniary remuneration for his ser
vices and efforts, but as a personal
| friend of the book agents, a member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church.
| South, and an earnest advocate of the
claim, without expectation Of fee or
compensation.
During the week before the bill pass
ed rumors became current in the Senate
that contract existed between the
book agents and Mr.. Stahlman whereby
the latter was to receive large amount
and eXorbitant fee for services rendered
by him in connection with its passage
and a number of Senators applied to the
book agents, Barbee ~ Smith, and Mr.
Stahlman, to ascertain the facts in the
case. Some of these Senators saw Mr.
Stahlmdn in person and received from
him assurances in positive language
that left them under the impression
that no contract whatever exist ed be
tween him and the book agents relating
to fee. Mr.. Stahlman admits that he
intended they should receive this i'm
preston from what he said, and fail
Interpretation of his words meant tina
there was no contract, and that he wal
not interested in the case on account o
money consideration. They were de
ceived and misled, and the deception
was willful and deliberate on Mr.. Stahl
mans part.
1.-TWO Senator'S communicated will
Messrs. Barbee IL Smith-one by letter
the other by telegram-informing then
of the rumor and seeking the truth
The book agents authorized these Sena
tors to deny the report; and, having ab
solute confidence in the candor and in
tegrity of these gentlemen, the Sena
tors accepted the kilograms as franl
and honest, and assurances based Of
them were made that there was NJ
, foundation for the report of an agree
. ment TO pay large proportion of tn
proposed appropriation TO claim agen
or attorney"
"The Book Agents and Mr.. Stahlma
insist that it was the duty of the Senat
; to consider the claim on its merits, ALI
that the Senate had no right to inquir
as to the amount of fees to be paid an
therefore they might properly refus
to give the facts concerning the col
u tract with Mr.. Stahlman. If they ha
: taken that position and declined TO sa
whether there was a contract or no
the case would have been very diffeI
J.. ent one from that presented. A refusi
on their part to say what the contraC
was, on the ground that the Senate ha
e no right to inquire, would have put III
Senate on notice that contract of som
= sort was in existence, and if the Sena
had not then taken steps to secure al
propriate application Of the money
T. be appropriated, the fault would hay
e been with the Senate; but the Senat
:, was misled, and, believing that the
r was no contract for fees for paying (,
! securing the passage of the bill, mad
no provision for securing the entiI
fund to the supposed beneticiaries.
"The committee do not agree with I'll
i contention that the Senate had no rigi
u to inquire into the subject of compe
,, sation for services rendered by the
/, attorney 10 the Book Agents. I'll
= Senate was passing upon the questiC
N of a claim against the United stat
made by trustees, not for their person
p, use, but for the benefit Of certain ben
Charles, aud there was the same juri
o diction and right to protect the beneI
g Charles from excessive charges and e.
g tortiOn that is constantly exercised 3
the courts Of the land when cases al