Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-04-27
Emmett D. C. Hegeman Charged
With Forgery and Repre-
sentative Davis AG-
Gused Of Bribery.
THE BILL AGAINST SHORT IGNORED
Allegation That Representa-
tive Davis Offered Money to
Representative Latte =
mus to Vote for ADJ
dicks FOR Senator.
Special Dispatch to Gazette and Journal.

Special Dispatch to Gazette and Journal.
Dover, April 6.-Last night Magis-
trate John B. Hutton issued warrant
for the arrest of Representative William
p. Short of Dagsboro hundred, on o
charge of attempting to bride Repre-.
sentative John Il. Wagamon, Demo-
crat, OF Georgetown, during the soma
torial contest before the recent session
of the Legislature. The form of the
attempted bribery, it is understood,
was an offer to relieve Mr.. Wagamon
Of an indebtedness of $1,000 under
which he rests. Wagamon and Short
are cousins.
The warrant was issued upon the
affidavit OF State Detective Walter
Witsil, as follows:
Estate Of Delaware, Kent county, IS :
Be it remembered that on this 25th
day of April A. d. 1899, personally
appeared before me, John B. Hutton,
justice of the peace in and for the
county and State aforesaid, Walter
Witsil, who, being by me sworn in due
form of the law, deposeth and says:
THAT he has good reason to suspect,
and does suspect, William p. Short,
late of East Dover hundred, county
and State aforesaid, on or about the
LIST day of March, A. d. 1899, at the
hundred, county and State aforesaid,
attempted to bride one John L. Waga-
mon, he, the said John Il. Wagamon,
then and there being a member of the
General Assembly of the said State. by
offering to pay certain Indebtedness of
the said John L. Wagamon, If he,
tWagamon) would remain away from
the session of said General Assembly
in order that one j. Edward Addicks
might receive a majority of the votes
cast for United States Senator by said
General Assembly.
'tSworn to and subscribed before me,
the day and month aforesaid.
Walter Witsil.
John B. Hutton, j. p"
The warrant was handed to State
Detective B. j. MONEY!, but he has not
yet served it. He says he may receive
instructions about the matter today or
tomorrow.
1t is said that Representative Short
may come to Dover this afternoon and
voluntarily go before the grand jury.
HEGEMAN AND DAVIS INDICTED.
The grand jury devoted the morning
to the consideration of the cases of
senatorial bribery and ''snake" legis-
lation and came into court about l
O'Clock.
The grand jury ignored the indict-
ment against Representative Short, but
found true bill against Emmett d. G.
Hegeman of Laurel, who assisted the
Senate clerks on the last days of the
session. The indictment charges Hege-
man with forgery. The first count says
Emmett ID. G. Hegeman on March
18th, 1899, feloniously did forge the
hand of Benjamin F. Sheppard, to
endorsement on a certain bill then
pending before the Senate of the State
of Delaware and known as Senate bill
No. 81, entitled An act to provide a
penalty for violation Of section II of
article of the amended Constitution,
the said Benjamin f. Sheppard being
clerk of the House of Representatives,
and by means of the premises did
commit the crime of forgery and
felony"
Tho second count says Hegeman
feloniously did forge and counterfeit
third count says he did "feloniously
counterfeit Sheppard's hand,
The witnesses are Secretary of State
Hughes, Detective McVey, House Clerk
Sheppard. Senate Clerk Kenney, Prof.
w. 4. Reynolds and Representative
Donahoe.
The Grand Jury also found a true
bill against Heeeman, charging him
with tampering with the bill referred
to above. The first count. charges that
he made this endorsement: First
reading, second reading, 3-lo-99, mis-
cellaneous business, passed - B. +.
Sheppard, clerk. 3-l3-99, passed-B. F.
Sheppard, clerk" The endorsement in