The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-01-26
TELEPHONE INA HOTEL.
It Plays an Important Part in
Bribery Inquiry,
Cincinnati In Connection with the Al
legged Attempt to Improperly In
flnence Legislators Vote in
the Senatorial Election.

Cincinnati. Jan. 24.-The Legislative
committee investigating the charges
of bribery in connection with the re-
cent senatorial election at Columbus,
took testimony here Saturday and ad-
journed until to-day. The witnesses
consisted of the proprietor and en-
ployes of the Gibson house and j. P.
Bliss, of Columbus, and they testified
freely. Senator Sullivan, who accom-
panied the committee with other at
torneys, states that the ready manner
of witnesses here further confirms the
republican theory that there was a
conspiracy to reflect on Senator Hanna
after the failure to defeat him. Sena-
tor Sullivan and his associates insist
that nothing has developed to date
that would not have developed in a
conspiracy and that nothing has been
shown connecting Senator Hanna with
any bribery or other unlawful proceed
ure. Sullivan says the conspiracy
would have naturally started with the
men involved in the Otis charges and
at the places named by witnesses here.
Horace Dunbar, manager of the Glib
son house, who was examined Friday
night, produced further records, show
ing that Henry H. Boyce, of New York;
H. H. Hollenbeck, of Chardon, o.; Z.
H. Archer, of Columbus; Jared p. Bliss,
of Columbus and others connected on
both sides with the senatorial contest
at Columbus, were guests at the Gibson
house from January to 10. Mr.. Dun
bar presented the unpaid telephone
bills of Boyce. By Boyce using the
private telephone in the Gibson house
the telephone company had trouble in
making out its bills. The bills gave
the records when Boyce, Hollenbeck,
Bliss, Allen O. Myers, jr., and others in
Cincinnati called up Dick, Rathbone,
Kurtz, Allen O. Myers, ST., and others
in Columbus, giving the time and
charges. Mr.. Dunbar then testified
further to conversations taking place
between Boyce in his hotel in Cincin-
natl and the senatorial managers ia
Columbus.
Allen o. Myers, jr., clerk at the Glib
son house, testified that he overheard
Boyce talking to Columbus and ar
ranged to have Boyce use the telephone
in the private Office on the second floor
while Miss Jacobs, the stenographer,
and himself listened at the telephone
down stairs. Miss Jacobs took notes.
He heard Boyce say to 'the major" in
Columbus that Mr.. O. would take
$4,000. The reply was they would see
about it. The witness took the report
of these conversations to Columbus to
his father and to Kurtz.
Seegar and Pryor, clerks, corrobor-
ated Myers testimony. Seegar said
Hollenbeck and Boyce went out to-
gether on Monday, January 10.
Thomas H. Miller, detective, testified
that he was called into the Gibson
house to listen to conversations be-
tween Boyce and Hollenbeck in which
Boyce said II have o. here; will hold
him all night. o. said neither Droste
or Lane will vote for Hanna. This
leaves us one short"
Miller secured men to shadow Hol-
lenbeck and Boyce. Jerry Bliss en-
ployed him.
Other clerks, porters and bellboys
were examined regarding Boyce and
the telephone, Hollenbeck and the de-
tectives, and other movements about
the Gibson house. Capt. George N.
Stone, Volney Ellston and Quincy E.
Elwell were examined regarding the
records and bills of the telephone COM
pany. Miss Jacobs, the hotel stenog-
rapher, read her reports of the tele-
phone talk, taken at the direction OF
Manager Dunbar. The leading witness
was Jared P. Bliss, of Columbus, one OF
Mr.. Kurtz's republican associates in
opposing Hanna.
Bliss testified that he came from Co.
lumbus to Cincinnati on January to
see about Droste and Lane, two doubt
| full members, and he learned that H. II.
Boyce was here after Otis. He advised
| Otis to give Boyce the fullest oppor.
tunity Bliss took Otis to Col. Camp.
BELLS room in the Eme-y hotel. Bliss
secured room near nat of Boyce al
the Gibson and the clerks reported tc
| him all tie conversations of Boyce with
Columbus. He telephoned accordingly
| to Allen O. Myers, sr., and Mr.. Kurtz al
Columbus. They advised him to watch
for Hollenbeck. He then engaged the
Miller detective agency and was at the
depot when Hollenbeck arrived. E. H
| Archer arrived on the same train ant
pointed out Hollenbeck to Bliss anC
the detectives, the latter shadowine
| Hollenbeck afterward.
Bliss got Otis to visit Boyce's room
and overheard the conversation. Their
Bliss and Otis saw Campbell again
Otis quit and Campbell continued thu
negotiations. as attorney. On January
8, at 8 p m, Bliss found $1,000 a
Campbell's office that the latter GO
from Boyce. At another meeting 81,
T50 was secured and a receipt obtained
Bliss had authority to sign Otis nam,
to the receipt, and did so with condi
ton included therein that Otis, in con
sideration for said funds, was to vot,
for Hanna. Bliss testified that he hai
since employed Attorney Campbell t,
take affidavits and get the evidenc'
here ready for the committee.
Passed the Danger Line.