The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-11
CHARGES OF BRIBERY.
"COmbfne' Members Say There Will
BE a Sensation in the Legislature.

II. IT, INdlHDOHe, lOInSfly dSSlStdhl pJSl-
master general under President Harrison
and one of Hanna's managers, claims to
have the stenographic notes cf his secre-
tary who was concealed and is alleged to
have heard one of the opposition make an
offer of 5000 to one of the m msmbers. To-
day the opposition say they have a member
who will, when his name is called on the
ballot tomorrow, announce that double
that amount was offered him, and it is
further stated that one of the boiling Re-
publicans will produce the money in the ses-
sion, and with it piled on his desk, make
a sensational speech on the manner in
which he was approached and on his re-
| lection of the proposition and of the money,
| which will be sent back and which, 1T is
| claimed, was taken as part of precon-
ierted trap plan.
The opposition claim that their case of
| bribery against one of the Hanna workers
| will be sp. ung in the open session of the
| Legislature for the purpose of having an
| immediate investigation 1t is claimed that
| certain emissaries went to Cincinnati
| over Sunday to see Representative Otis and
| that he carried $4,000 with him and that
| every word of the conversation between
| Otis and the emissary was taken down and
will be submitted in evidence.
There are many reports about the use
| of money, but only two charges, one on
each side, are made specifically and with
any particulars as to the parties involved
| or the amounts offered or the documentary
| evidence. These charges have no apparent
| effect on the very close result, but they
| are having great effect in intensifying the
| feeling between the workers OF the contend
| ing factions
! and others opposing Hanna arrived, with
Representative John G. Otis, from Clncln-
| natl tonight. Several thousand words of
| sensational matter after
| out to members of the press about the Of
| fers of bribery to Representative Otis 1t
| was prepared by Colonel Campbell and
makes two pages in late extra edition
| that got out in the night by the Even
! ing Press, the organ OF the antl-Hanna
| coalition. A summary Of the long story,
| according to Colonel Campbelis statement,
| formerly of Los Angeles, Cal, called on
| Colonel Campbell last Friday at the latter
| office in Cincinnati and offered Campbell
| $1,000 as fee to get Representative Otis
| frequent meetings with Boyce, who claimed
| to be representing j. Pierpont Morgan and
others, who. have interests in Ohio that
might be affected by legislation In ONO.
| Colonel Campbell and Representative Otis
! say they determined to give Boyce all the
| latitude he wanted and set trap to catch
| him. Hollenbeck, VINO was said to be the
middle man, was also taken into their coun-
| sell according to the statements. Camp
| bell and Otis say the money was produced
! and that they are holding it in trust, and
! that a statement accordingly will be made
| In the House tomorrow.
| Following the publication of this story to-
| night the following was given out from
! the Hanna headquarters: THE charge that
Representative Otis has been offered a
! bribe by a representative of Senator Han
ma is denounced at Senator Hanna's head
! quarters as not only false in every partic-
! ular. but characteristic of the campaign of
| tricks and treachery that Kurtz. Myers and
| their associates have carried on ever since
! the senatorial question came up 1t has
| been known to the Republican managers
! for considerable time that this stage play
! for effect was contemplated. 1t is known
| positively that Allen o. Myers said several
! days ago that he expected to see some
member rise in his place on the day of the
| first senatorial ballot and produce s. 600 or
| $4,000, which he would state had been given
nm as bribe to vote for Senator Hanna.
| This statement was made week or more
! ago, but it is now asserted that the propo-
| sltlon upon which it is intended to build
! this stage effect was made to Representa-
! tive Otis only three days since. The fact
that the announcement of a programme of
| this sort was made long before the day
! on which it is now charged that the incl
! dent took place shows clearly the whole
manufactured by Myers and his associ-
ates for effect. There is not, say Mr. Han
mas friends and managers. one single word
| of truth or shadow of truth in these state
ments, and the fact that an announcement
| was made many days ago that a plan of
TINS Kind was in contemplation, and that
| the recent visit of Mr.. Holenbeck to Gin
| clnnatl was simply seized upon as a vehicle
Tor bringing to the front their sensational
! CIdI6SS, SHOWS lne transparent ana purely
| fictitious character of the story with which
| they are quilting the public
1t is also known that New York news
paper which has fought Mr.. Hanna vicious
| ly from the time that he assumed charge of
the national campaign in 1886 dispatched a
mysterious messenger to Ohio recently with
large sums of money, and it is not improb-
auie that numerous other bribery fakes will
be sprung upon the public from day to day
In the effort to play to a finish the desperate
game begun months ago. The fact that Mr.
Bliss, who specifically charges Mr. Hollen-
peck with offering money to Mr.. Otis, states
| that forged telegram from Otis to the
President was given as an assurance
that Otis had changed 'front.' shows
the sort of work that these men
the public admit themselves to be capable
OF performing. Mr.. Hannas friends hold in
brlbes were made to Republicans by men
| coming direct from Bliss and Kurtz, and
know, the value of them too we'll to be
forced to show their hand before they are
ready to make use of them.
Regarding Colonel Campbelps statement
that one Henry H. Boyce had visited him
| processing to come from j. Pierpont Nor
gan and offering to be sustained by pro-
fessed reports of long-distance telephone
professed conversations are alleged to have
| been held, states in the most positive terms
| that he does not know Boyce, never saw
him, never had any long-distance phone or
any other conversation with him and the
alleged reports of any such conversation be-
tween him and any person, either Boyce or
false and without the slightest foundation
in fact.
Mr.. Hoilenbeck, about whose visit to
Cincinnati a vast amount of mystery is as
sumed by the originators of this fairy story
was out OF the city when the publication
made its appearance tonight, and could not
be reached by wire, but full denial as re-
lates to himself will be forthcoming as soon
as the statements reach him.
The opposition insist that Hollenbeck has
fled to escape arrest. Such a statement is
published regarding Hollenbeck while moth
ing can be learned here of the whereabouts
| tonight of Boyce.
| Senator Hanna was seen at midnight and
asked with reference to the published
charges regarding an alleged offer to Rep
| resentative Otis He replied:
Il deny having authorized any agent or
| representative of mine to make any offer
| to Representative Otis or to any other
| member of the General Assembly. I never
! sent any man to Cincinnati to see Mr. Otis
l have never known or seen MIR. Boyce in
| my life and have had no transactions with
| him. The whole story is false, from be-
| ginning TO end
Democratic Caucus.
COLUMBUS, o., Jan. 1O.-The caucus of
| the Democratic members of the Legislature
at the Great Southern Hotel tonight re-
| cessed at II 80 until midnight to enable the