The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-22
WILLIAM A. STONE,
"GOYernOr OF PENNSYLVANIA"
AcquittaI of Quay and His Appoint
ment rs Senat0r Dennunced.

PHILADELPHIA, April 21.-John Wana-
maker tonight made the following state
ment relative to the acquittal of ex-senator
Quay and the latters appointment by the
Governor as senator:
1.-The acquittal of Senator Quay will be
disappointment to every lover of justice and
every friend of good government through
out the United States. Il records with en-
phasis the difficulty of convicting potent
political defendants charged with public
crime. no matter how clear, convincing and
overwhelming the evidence may be- The
story OF the corrupt and speculation in
public money in Pennsylvania is an old one
and has been a matter of notorious accusa-
tion against long line Of state treasurerS
and political bosses for many years. Mr..
Quay himself. has been again and again
accused of participation in the treasury job
bing by the newspapers of this and other
States with circumstantial detail. Hereto
fore. however. the basis for the speculations
largely consisted of oral testimony and al
legations by political opponents. The case
which terminated to-day, unlike previous ac-
cusations, was founded exclusively upon doc
umentary proof in his own handwriting, and
that of his friends and confederates. The
evidence of his guilt die not depend on the
veracity of any or men, but sup
ported exclusively by his own letter and
written entries and statements recorded by
his trusted friends and supporters.
From the day the prosecution against
him instituted until the verdict was re-
corded he has sought by every device to de-
lay and obstruct the efforts of the Com
monwealth,s officers to produce the written
evidence oS his misdoing and to bring him
TO trial for his offenses The removal of
the case from the lower court on the eve
of the day when it was first set down for
trial by an extraordinary writ issued by the
Supreme Court, which that court subse-
quently dismissed was successful in taking
the prosecution away from the mana cement
of former District Attorney Graham, whose
ability zeal and effectiveness as a prose-
cutor had been demonstrated by eighteen
years of service. The same efforts TO pre-
vent a full exposition of his acts public
official and his connection with the private
use of public money marked every step in
the extraordinary line of defense which his
skillful attorneys adopted during his trial
in resisting the jealous and able efforts of
District Attorney Rothermel 10 introduce
all the inculpating evidence in possession
of the commonwealth. BY technical objec-
tion he excluded the evidence offered TO
show that during his term state treas
urer he was paid interest on state deposits.
and also the receipt of interest by subse
quent treasurers charged in the bill of in
dictment as being co-cOnspirators with him
in crime, and finally failed TO take the stand
In his own defense and submit himself 10
cross-eXamination upon the charges made.
The red book kept by his trusted friend,
Mr. Hopkins, and which set out the story
OF the treasury corruptions.
wheimlnsIy corroborated and its verify es-
tablished by the testimony and admission
OF his friend Mckee and by the signature
OF his friend and cO-defendant. B. ]. Hay
wood. Notwithstanding all this proof,
emanating exclusively from The lips and the
pens of himself and his friends. and in face
OF his own silence and failure 10 testify, he
was acquitted.
This is a new chapter of shame for Penn
Sylvania, new record of failure In the adj
ministration OF justice that will do much to
encourage corruptiOnists and public Mum
derers generally throughout the country.
The first shout of defiant exultatfon over
his acquittal has proceeded from the Gov
ernor OF the commonwealth who has
promptly appointed him a United States
senator without authority and In violation
OF law, and in defiance of the will OF the
people as expressed by the Legislature 1t is
fitting in every way that the capstone
should have thus been put upon the edifce
OF boss rule and machine johbery by the
Quay representative in the Governors
chair. We will thus see more clearly. it is
Continued ON Second Pnge.l