The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-03-08
THR BRIBERY CHARGES
Pennsylvania Legislators Testify
as,. to Offers Of Money.
ALLEGED WOULD BE BRIBERS.

They Are Ex-senator Coyle and Ex-
Representative Moyles, and Wit
nesses Declare They offered Cash to
Representatives Eugler and Criste.
Harrisburg, March ga meeting Of
the committee to inquire into the charges
Of bribery in connection with the passage
Of the McCarrell jury bill in the house,
was held last evening in the house ju-
dietary general committee room. The
room was crowed with spectators, includ-
ing senators and members, when the
committee was called to order by Chair
man William 9. Kreps, Of Franklin
county.
The committee is composed Of Repre-
sentatives w. II. Koontz Of Somerset,
Frank Il. McClain of Lancaster, Michael
j.. Tighe of Luzerne, Charles Il. Voor-
hees Of Philadelphia, George r. Dixon
Of Elk. John II. Fow of Philadelphia,
John B. Kendall Of Chester and Robert
X. Young Of Tioga. McClain succeeds
Captain Skinner, resigned.
Mr.. Kreps stated that on the organiza-
ton Of the committee as it was original
ly constituted he was chosen chairman.
He thought that each member of the
committee ought to have voice In the
selection of the chairman, and that on
account of his health he would decline
to serve. A motion that the resig-
nation be not accepted was unani-
mously adopted. Mr.. Kreps thanked
the committee, and said he had no desire
to serve as chairman. Mr.. Fow was
then elected. ,.t .at
b The first witness called was Colonel
George Nox Mccain, staff correspond
ent at Harrisburg Of the Philadelphia
Press. Mr.. Mccain testified that the
member who made the admissions that
he was approached was Peter J. Criste,
of Northumberland, who told the wit
ness that lie was approached by an In
dividual and told that it would be worth
1000 to him to vote for the reconsider
alton of the bill. Mr.. Criste declined at
the time to give the name Of the individ.
ual, but subsequently he admitted to the
witness that it was ex-Representative
Thomas Moyles, Of Wilkesbarre, who
said he wanted the bill to become law,
as it would help him out in case in
Luzerne county in which he was de-
PENDANT. Mr. Criste asked Moyles to
write what he wanted him to say when
he made motion to reconsider the vote
by which the bill was postponed until
March 81. Before Moyles could write
the Bliss motion to adjourn to prevent
q reconsideration of the bill was made
and adopted, and nothing further oc-
cured between Criste and Moyles.
John =. Dwyer testified that he was
a staff correspondent of The Press and
contributed that portion of the artivle
alleging that Representative John Eng
Ter, of Lycoming, was corruptly ap-
proa,h he'd to vote for the reconsideration
Of the McCarrell bill. Mr.. Engler told
the witness that he met Michael j. Cos
tello. former resident Of Williamsport,
aud escorted him to the Bolton House,
this city, where they met ex-senator John
]. Coyle, of Schuylkill county. Mr..
Coyl" told Englcr that he understood he
was Roman Catholic, and asked him
to vote for the bill because Archbishop
Ryan wanted it to become law. Wit
ness said Coyle told Enyler he would
pay him $500 to vote for the bill, and
put his hand in his pocket and said he
would give him 5000 at once. Coyle
said he used to do this when he was a
member of the legislature, and that il
Engler would go along on this bill he
would put him in on several other
bills, and that he could make more on
the outside than his salary as member
of the house. Mr.. Engler refused to &C
cept the money and left Coyle! The fol-
lowing Sunday Costello went to Will
Transport, hired team and drove IL
miles out in the country to Engler's
home and tried to induce him to vote for
the bill. Mr.. Engler told Costello that
he would do nothing until he had talked
with his colleague, Mr.. Osler, Engler's
purpose being to get rid of Costello, the
witness explained.
Mr.. Dwyer declined to disclose the
name Of the party who told him Of the
alleged attempt to bribe Engler. Wit
ness saw Costello after his visit to Eng
lcrs home. and was told by Costello that
r h"-knrw the secrets of the Quay people,
and thnt If he could see Senator Coch-
rail-, of Wil!idwsport, he would tell him
sou thing he OUGHT to know about the
senatorial contest and move the Quay
peoul" wcrc about to make.
The testimony of Mcssrs. Engler and
Crislr fully corroborated the evidence
given by The newspaper men, Mr.. Cris;e
adding that ex-senator Coyle told him
the anti Quay men were being taken
care Of"
After the taking of testimony was
concluded Mr.. Voorhees, asked that the
Names of Mcssrs. Coylc, Costello and
Moyles be called, that they he given a
chance to testify in their behalf. Chair
man Fow said these men could not tes-
tify before the committee, and that they
would be given chance if the matter
was taken into the courts. Mr.. Voor-
hees made an offer that these gentlemen
be allowed to appear before the commit.
tee and testify and that they be allowed
counsel. Mr.. FOw ruled the offer out OF
order on the ground that the committee
Is not a trial court. Mr.. Kreps filed eI.
ceptions to the ruling, after which the
committee adjourned until this evening