Evening star., 1899-03-09
COYLE OFFERED Nj
Testimony in the Pennsylvania Leg
isIntixe BliberN InNestiGatiOn.

dispatch from Harrisburg, Pa, last
night says: The legislative probers into the
bribery charges in connection with the Nc
Carrell jury bill brought out more sensa-
tional testimony at tonights meeting. Rep
resentative Irvine Johnston of Northamp-
ton county testified that before the passage
of the bill he had a conversation in room
at the Lochiel Hotel with ex-senator J.
Coyle.
Coyle had a typewriter paper, the sub
stance of which was that the democrats
would vote for nobody else than George A.
jerks for United States senator. Coyle
asked Johnston to sign the paper and told
him he would let the witness in on some
other bill that would come up.
Refused to Sign Papers.
Johnston said he refused to sign the paper
because he was for jerks anyway. Coyle
suggested to Johnston that he would have
bin put on the committee on rules, and he
refused. Coyle then promised to have the
witness appointed on the appropriations
committee.
Chairman Fow asked if there was money
mentioned at the meeting. and the witness
replied, There was" Coyle told Johnston,
who is a physician, that he was not feeling
WELL and that if he would write him a pre-
scription he (Coyle) would pay him Il fee
of either $50 or 800 to sign the paper. The
witness could not recollect the exact
Coyle told Johnston that there would be
bills up later in the session in which there
would be money" and that Coyle would
''let him in them Johnston said that
in his conversation with Coyle it may have
been suggested that Coyle would like him
to vote for Senator Quay.
Corroborated by Mr. Miller.
Representative Frank B. Miller corrobo-
rated the testimony of his colleague rela-
tive to their visits to Coyle's room, and
stated that on their first visit they went to
see Coyle in company with Representatives
Hook, He'll and Hersch.
Miller told Coyle he would consider before
he signed the paper, Miller was called out
Of Coyle's room, and he and Johnston were
offered $50 apiece by Representative Spatz
to sign the paper. Spatz afterward called
Miller aside and offered him 500. After the
offer was made Miller and Johnston left the
hotel.
The next time Miller saw Coyle the ex-
senator asked him what it would cost
to help him out on the McCarrell bill"
Miller said that Coyle spoke about coming
in with the boys" and that people often
build brick houses when they go home from
the legislature. I'm order to get in the ring
and get a divvy on certain bills, Coyle told
would have to sign the paper, Miller
added.
The witness said he was told by Coyle
that he could name price to vote for the
McCarrell bill. Miller explained that the
paper contained a clause that the SignerS
were to stand together for certain legisia-
ton in addition to voting for jerks. Miller
was never made any offer by Coyle.o any
body else to vote for Senator Quay.
Representative He'll of Northampton tes-
tilted that he was offered $50 by Spatz to
sign the paper to stand by jerks for sena-
tor and that he refused Spatz took wit
ness to Coyles room, where He'll was ask
ed by Coyle to sign the paper, and he re-
fused. He'll was not asked to vote for the
McCarren bill, but was told by Coyle that
II he would sign the paper he (Coyle) would
help him on other things.