New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-19
THE OTIS BRIBERY CHARGES.
INVESTIGATION BEGUN BY A COMMITTEE
OF THE OHIO SENATE.
PROTEST AGAINST HAVING BURKE WHO
VOTED AGAINST HANNA on COMMITTEES
NOTHING NEW rOID BY TIE WITNESSES.

PROTEST AGAINST HAVING BURKE. WHO
VOTED AGAINST HANNA. on COMMITTEES
NOTHING NEW TOLD By THE WITNESSES.
Columbus Ohio, Jan. 1s.-In the Senate to-
day there was a sensational and somewhat un-
expected outcropping OF the bitterness engen-
dered by the Senatorial fight When the
standing committees were reported Senator
Alexander presented formal protest against
the placing Of the name Of Senator Burke. OF
Cuyahoga County the only Republican member
OF the Senate who did not vote for Mr.. Hanna.
on the committees In his protest Mr. Alexan-
der. among other things. said:
Il hereby desire to record my earnest protest
AGAINST the placing Of the name OF Vernon II.
Burke upon committees Of this Senate. upon
which honorable gentlemen have been selected
to serve. To force by the majority votes Of
this body. the association OF this betrayer OF
party trusts with those whose honor and sense
Of duty would shrink from such conduct is to
offer a reward for treason 70 party, to principle
and to American manhood"
There immediate objection from the
Democratic members to the language OF the
protest. but a motion to expunge objectionable
phrases was ruled out OF order by the pres-
dent. on the ground that the protest was made
under constitutional right. Senator Sullivan
Republican). although differing from Senator
Burke on the Senatorial election. said he
garded the protest inappropriate.
After the protest had been allowed to go
the records Senator Cohen introduced and had
passed resolution declaring that the Senate
Gid not agree or sympathze with the express
sions Of the protest. Most OF the Republicans
voted for this resolution.
The Senate committee tonight began its in
vestgaticn into the charges Of bribery made
by Representative Otis. The members OF the
House committee appointed to investigate the
same charges were invited to be present but
they did not participate officially. and there will
be two separate Investigations. j. J. Sullivan.
II. II. Daugherty and Cyrus Hullng were pres
ent to represent Senator Hanna Major Dick
and others. bu: the committee voted four to one
against allowing any counsel to be heard
The committee. in executive session, decided
not to allow any attorneys, and adopted other
rules Of procedure 1t was decided to hold ex-
ecutive sessions for business and to take testi-
mony in public The committee went from the
committee room to the Senate Chamber when
it was ready to call witnesses, and a crowd was
in waiting
Senator Burke presided, and Judge Robert
son examined the witnesses. In the executive
session Judge Robertson had been appointed
prosecutor All he members OF the committee
asked questions except Senator Garfield. There
were four witnesses examined Samuel Pent-
land. proprietor of the Neil House, where Sena-
tor Hanna had his headquarters; Shepherd NJ.
Dunlap, manager OF the Western Union Tele-
graph Company; W L. Truesdale manager Of
the Postal Telegraph Company and Frank p.
Ross manager Of the telephone company.
Nothing new was developed during the session
Of four hours. The witnesses refused 10 answer
some questions, and TO produce their books and
copies Of messages.
The investigation will drag along for
time If no more progress is made at future ses
sOns than was made last night. AS the Senate
stands ~ to II against Hanna. with Senator
Burke voting with the Democrats, II is quite
probable that there will be some report adopted
in that body to transmit 10 the United States
Senate. In the House the vote Is ~ to 53 the
other way. and the House Investigating Com
mittee may do little more than look on at the
Senate Investigation.
AS the majority in the House differs political
ly from that Of the Senate. 1t is impossible 10
cure the adoption OF a joint resolution for
investigation. The charges are made by Rep
resentativs Otis. a member Of the House, and
the investigation in parliamentary usage would
belong to the lower branch Of the Legislature,
but the factona, lines such TO the
Senate 10 investigate the alleged attempt TO
bribe a member of the House.
The workers in the recent Senatorial, sontest
are keeping up thei. fight on the same old lines
in the Investigation