The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-03-29
LATT0MUS'
STATEMENTS.
He Wanted to Avoid ACcuS=
ing Mark L. Davis
But Couldn't.

Although OK. Representative Mark L
Davis was yesterday held under 5000 bal
to answer nj the coming torn Of the Ken
County General Sessions Court the ch0rg,
of bribery, probabilities nre strong that III
will never face that tribunal. The testi.
mony givsn by Representative Franois
II. LnttOmr1s against Mr.. Davis at Dover
yesterday was fiimsy. to say tho lensr. and
that Attorney General White believes II
wholly insufficient to convict Mr. Davis
before any jury in the State is already as
sured.
The bribery Gaze has narrowed down tc
the question involving the veracity OF
two men The accused AMI tho accuser and
as no court OF justice has ever decided II
case Oh such limited sta ement of fact, II
is settled beyond peradventnro of
doubt thar Davis will never be punished
for the crime he now stands laccuscd of.
Tie preliminary examination was brief.
1t hsRaD at 10.A O'Clock and occupied
but fifteen minutes of the committing
magistrates time. Attorney General
White. William Michael Byrne and Fran.
els A Laitomus were Mt the Office at the
time set for the hearing 10 o'clock, but
Mr.. Davis Senator Abbott his bondsman
and Walter H. Hayes, his attorney, did net
appear until 10 40 O'Clock. There was a
bevy OF interested politicians and even the
magistrate Q displayed feeling in the ma. ter.
AS soon as Mr.. Davis entered Attorney
General White called upon Mr.. IIntto-
mus to be sworn. The usual preliminar-
les as to mountaineering between the nc.
cused and tho nccuser was gone into, and
after Its disposal Mr.. White asked Mr.
Lat. o,nus II he Ind ever had any convcr-
fa'iOn with MIR. Davis relative to the SEN.
atorship question. His reply was yes in
the ordinary way"
ut Il alleged in this affidavit that he
attempted to bride you Oh that occnsion,
Just STATE what Mr.. Davi, said to you"
u was going down Lockerman street"
rcrlicd Mr. Laltomus about the last day
OF February when Mr.. Davis oVc"t""I; mo
He suggested that we tnko walk q ,out
towE, SO wetur"ed and Wake. t, ;,ta.e
street and from there down by the Rich
hrdson House. On he way down he II. krd
me II l would vote for AddicHs and .e-
piled no. Ho then said he would lift tho
mortgage on my fnrln, but I refused re-
marking ut the limo l would do nothing
of that kind. Then ho said he wculd mako
my wife present. He did not say OF what
amount Of money, simply said ho would
tnl,o tho mortgage up Then rcp!d would
not under voto for Addick under any cir
Gums. nnce'.
"Did he offer this asa consideration for
You voting for Mr.. Addcks'' usked Mr..
White"
Yes"
What other conversation took place,"
inquired tho Attorney General.
Il can t recall anything else We then
returned to the State House." was tho re-
ply.
This concluded Mr.. Whites examina.
ton OF Mr.. Lnttomu' and ho turned him
ovar to Mr. Hayes for examination who
lc:nh by inquiring Of MIR. Llttomus II ho
nag ! made these statements before. Mr..
LattomuS replied that ho had before Dep
nty Attorney General Cooper hero on
Friday OF last week. al d b,fcrc his attor-
ney Mr.. Byrno on hS previous day. Mr.
Hayes inquiry why hc, Lattomns, went to
lawyer was met with The reply that he
went ito learn what questions / would
have to answer during his examination"
which questions doyou refer to- ask
cd Mr.. Hayes
Such rs have replied to hero to-day"
was lie reply
How camo you to go theye?"
Il wan cd to know what questions 1
wonld be compelled 10 answor.''
Where was it you wentp" .-
ITO the office of Mr.. Byrne''
Then Mr.. Hayes took Mr.. Lattomus
back to his testimoney concerning the al
legged Inducements made by Mr. Davis.
What day did you me Mr.. Davis"
asked Mr.. Hayes. but Mr. Lattomus conid
not remember the day or da'e. He knew
however that 1t was toward the last Of the
week and some tins in February, Then he
repeated the story Of Nr. Davis oyqrtakine
him on Lockerrhan street. and the two
walking back toward tho Richardson
Iious,
what did Mr.. Davis say to you first"
inquired Mr., Hayes.
,'Io asked mo If would vote for Mr.
Addicks' What did you say9
No"
Then what was said by Mr.. Daviss"
"Ho said no would Int the mortgage on
my farm If would"
"Ihen what did you say?"
wouldn't under any Circumstances
Was there ANYTHING else saidP'
Yes He said he would make 1t a pres-
ent to my wife"
Was there any amouut OF money"
asked Mr. Hayes aftor some reflection,
NO replied Mr.. Lat:omus Il simply
said /! wouldn't under no consideration.
What else was saidf"
II cant recall anything else."
with tho reply the examin alton OF Mr..
!;attolnus by Mr.. Hayes ended. but Mr..
White cross-oxamined him, and brought
,ut the statement that Mr.. Lattomus lad
zone TO Mr.. Bgrno to inquire IL he would
% compelled to tell what he knew of ,be
bribery stories.
Did Mr.. Byrne make any suggestion of |
acts to you concerning tho case" inuuir. |
ID Mr. White Of the prosecuting witness
Nc. just explained the matter to
nm, ana asked what questions would bo
compelled to answer"
did yen make these statements will
ngly," inquired Mr.. White.
Il dldn't prefer to II could avoid It"
vas Mr.. Lattomus somewhat surprising
oply"
Then Mr.. White called William Mi.
hatl Byrne aud after tho oath was ad-
Mr. Byrne said Mr.. Lattomus
anne to bis his office one day last week to
cnfer on certain matters
HIS: disclaimed personal knowledge Of
ny attempts to bribe, and possessed cer-
ain information because of having learned
from Mr.. Lattomus who was his client.
Mr.. White asked Mr.. Byrnsif be started
ny suppositious case of bribery, or II Mr.,
,attomus opinion had been formed from
ict' set out ty him. Mr.. Byrne, but tho
'wyer first dcclined to answer the inter-
ogatlves then said he should not DO OBJ
gel to answer such Questions as he had
cen Mr. Lattomus' attorney.
Mr.. Hayes asked the witness IL Mr. Lat
Dmus had ever before been his Client, MIR,
'yrne replied no. He also said that Mr.,
'attomus had not paid him a fec on thi,
ocasion. This fnishedthe testimony.
"As tho testiInony Is conflicting sus-
ose you will hold Mr. Davis" said Mr..
Layes.
II think we have made out good prima
aola case replied Mr. White which remark
aused NJ. Hayes to retort, II don't think
"We decline to put in any testimony"
oncluded Mr. Hayes, whereupon Mr..
)avis gave the necessary bond and left the
1fice with Mr. Hayes and Senator bbott. ]
le returned 70 his Milford home a short
me aftOrward.
BELIEVE HIM INNOCENT.
There Is scarcely dozen men In the
late who believe Mr. Davis guilty of tho
harses mado against him. Never before
as his reputation bssn assailed, and every
ian In Dover who discussed his position
csterday was Of the opinion that he had
cen siugled out on this occasion as an oh.
yet for the wrecking Of persona! spleen.
I was said by one prominent Union man
Kent county that Mr.. Davis constitu-
nts would rebuko his political enemies
,r their action Of today by returning Lin
} the Legislature two years hence.
THE APPETITE or A GOAT
Is env,ed by all poor dyspeptics whose
tomach and Liver arc out Of order. All
,ch should know that DR.. Kings New
ifa T)illu tha yynn3nrful Eto,nnoh ocl \