The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-24
AN ALLEGED BRIBE.
OHIO SENATE ADOPTS REPORT M
PLICATING Nj. A. HANNA.
Minority Report Declares 1t Was a
Not Proved by Evidence.

COLUMBUS, o. April 23-The select
committee of the Senate appointed to in
vestigate the charge of attempted bribery
of John c. Otis, a member of the House,
in connection with the election Of United
States senator, submitted two reports to
the Senate. The majority report was signed
by Senators Burke Long, Robertson and
Fink "A minority report was filed, signed
by Senator Garfield. BY a strict party vote
the minority report was rejected and the
majority report adopted The majority re-
port finds, in the judgment of the COM
mittee that the evidence proves four facts:
That an attempt was made to bride John
c. Otis to vote for Marcus A. Aanna for
United States senator
That Henry A. Bpyce was the principal
offender in the commission of the crime.
That Major E. G. Rathbone, Major Chas.
F. Dick and Marcus A Hanna procured,
aided and abetted Boyce to commit the
crime
That H. H. Holenbeck aided Boyce
An analysis of the evidence is gone into.
Senator Garfield submitted the minority re-
port. There were but two questions, he
said, really bearing upon the charges made:
First-Was John C. Otis offered $1,75O?
Second-If any such offer was made, was
1t made by M. A. Hanna, either in person
or by agent, or, further, by the knowledge
or consent, either directly or indirectly, of
M. "A. Hanna?
All testimony offered upon these points
was hearsay, except that Of John c. Otis
and T. G. Campbell. The conversations be-
tween Otis and General Boyce, as testified
to by Otis, are given, and show that Boyce,
as claimed, offered to make it profitable to
Otis to vote for Hanna, but did not give
him any money. Otis turned Boyce over to
his attorney, T. c. Campbell. Senator Gar
field gives Mr.. Otis's testimony to the eff
feet that General Boyce did not mention
Major Dick or any person interested in the
senatorial contest at Columbus. General
Boyce was stranger to Otis, and was not
introduced to him. T. c. Campbell testified
for his vote for Hanna. At the next meet
ing OF B7Yoycce al and Campbell Boyce offered
through the TRANSACTION with ct Otis o At the
third conversation Campbell suggested that
$4,000 would be necessary to obtain Ots's
vote for Hanna. Campbell testified that ar
rangements were made for the immediate
payment of 81, $50 and the rest later. Boyce,
Mr.. Campbell testified, distinctly disclaimed
Hanna. BOyce said his friends in New York
had sent him; he had never seen Senator
Hanna.
Upon the uncorroborated testimony of
Campbell, says Senator Garfield, rests the
whole foundation for the charge that John
G. Otis was offered 81, $50. BY curious IA
tality, the original longhand and shorthand
notes of the alleged Intercepted telephone
messages from Boyce to Hanna men at Co
lumbus were destroyed. In lieu of them
other notes were presented to the COM
mittee. The hotel clerks did not testify
positively to the. identy, of the. person in
Columbus who, they said, talked to Boyce.
The telephone, 1892, in the Hanna head
quarters, was in use by any of the many
persons who called. 1t was free to every
fOT
long-distance messages. The summing up
of the minority report is that the scheme
was an effort to entrap Mr. Hanna or his
friends in some way which would prove dis
astrous to the validity of his election as
senator and that the charge was not true,
and the evidence totally failed to prove it.