Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-03-04

The report of the special committee
which investigated the charge that
Mark Hanna was elected to the senate
by bribery, as Washington CORE
spondcnt says. does not remove the
cloud which rests upon his title to the
seat he now occupies. The case is
dismissed for want of prosecution and
the report is devoted entirely to show
inc that the mem bers of the commit
tee did not feel themselves obliged in
the circumstances to take further tes-
timOny concerning the methods en-
ploycd to secure Mr.. Hanna's cleo
ton. Complaint i made in the re-
port that no person from the state of
Ohio or elsewhere appeared before the
committee to testify as to the alleged
facts set out i'll the memorial which
was forwarded to the senate by the
LOhio state legislature. The memorial
set out four main facts which. it was
claimed, had been established by the
Legislative investigation, as follows:
l. On or about Jan. ., 1898, an at
tempt was made to bride John G.
Otis, u member of the Ohio general
assembly, to vote for Marcus \.
Hanna for United States senator.
>. That Henry II. Boyce was the
principal offender in tine commission
of that crime.
;. That Mai. f. j. Rathbone and
Ma i. Charles +. Dick were agents of
Marcus A. Hanna and procured, aided
and allotted Henry H. Boyce to COM
init that crime.
said Henry ii. Boyce in committing
that crime.
The source of information referred |
TO goes on to state: lin view of the |
fact that no testimony in support of |
these propositions was presented to
the United States senate the commit |
tee on privileges ard elections de-
cides that the senate is not called |
upon TO take any action whatever in |
the premises. The committee admits |
that the circumstances detailed in the |
memorial create a suspicion that Mr.. |
Hanna's representatives at Columbus |
knew what Mr.. Boyce was doing in |
where it is alleged the at |
tempt at bribery was made. 1t is |
however, that this suspicion |
must be verified by testimony before |
the committee would be willing to |
found any conclusion thereon. 1t Is |
in the report that MIR. Hanna /
and his representatives, although |
summoned to appear before the legis-
lative investigating committee. failed /
to respond, on the ground, as alleged |
by them. that they could not have 4 |
fair and impartial hearing. The re-
port goes on to state that under GER
tain circumstances it would be the |
duty of the senate to proceed with the |
without waiting for fur
Their prosecution of the case by the Cit
liens of Ohio. But in the absence of
such prosecution the committee de-
cided not to ask the senate for author
ity to take further testimony, but only |
to ask TO be discharged from the fur
Their consideration of the case. This
is perhaps one of the most remarka-
BILE reports ever submitted to legis- |
latiye body As the conclusion of Il
bri berry investigation. The mem bers
Of the committee do not pretend to
lCguit Mr.. Hanna of the charges.
They refuse even to say that he has
not been shown guilty by the proof.
The substance of their report is that
the circumstances regarding the brib-
erv raised the suspicion that Mr..
Hanna's agents knew something about
it but as the people of Ohio have
shown no disposition TO press the
matter the members of the committee
ask that they NAV he permittee to
wash their hands of the whole bust
ness. The printed report of the COM
mittee was not made public until to-
Iiay. and Mr.. Hanna friends are very
much dissatisfied with. He is left in
a HI. he |
least. and his friends saw if he desires
4 vindication he will undoubtedly ask
the senate TO appoint another COM
mittee to investigate the case and
give 1t power TO send for persons and
papers,