The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-03-09
BRIBERY
pROBERS !
Coils Seem to be Tightening About
Ex-senator Ooyle.
CHARLES B. sPATz ACCUSED.

Representative Miller Declares That
the Member From Berls County At
tempted TO Bribe Representative
Johnston and Himself.
Harrisburg. March 0.-The bribery In
vestigating committee resumed its sit
ting last night in the house judiciary
general committee room. A great crowd
was present in anticipation OF sensa-
tional developments in connection with
the consideration in the house Of the Nc.
Carrell jury bill. The examination OF
the witnesses was conducted by Repre-.
sentative John II. Fow, OF Philadelphia,
chairman of the committee.
Representative Irwin n. Johnston, OF
Northampton, the first witness called,
testified that before the passage OF the
bill he had a conversation in a room
at the Lochiel hotel with ex-senator
John ]. Coyle. He went TO the room
with his colleague, Representative b.
Frank Miller. at the latter's suggestion,
and found Representatives Spatz OF
Berks and Rosenberg Of Montgomery,
and possibly some others, present. Mr.
Johnston was introduced to Coyle, and
he and Miller were left alone with him.
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 leave the wit
ness "in on some other bills that would
come up" Johnston said he refused TO
sign the paper because he and Miller
were for jerks anyway Coyie sug.
gested to Johnston that he would have
him appointed on the committee on rules,
and he refused Coyle then promised 10
have the witness appointed on the ap-
preparations committee.
what was the amount Of money Of
fered?' asked Mr.. Fow.
Messrs. Voorhees, and Kreps objected
to the question. Mr.. Fow then asked II
there was money mentioned at the meet
ing, and the witness replied, There
was" Coyle told Johnston, who is a
physician, that he was not feeling we'll,
and that if he would write him a pre-
scription he (Coyle) would pay him q
fee of either $50 or 500 to sign the
| paper, the witness could not recollect
the exact amount Coyle urged John
ston to sign the paper, and he refused
Nothing was said about voting for any
thing or mentioned about legislation.
| except Audl Ihe WlluesS slOulu keep on
| voting for jerks. 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 on them" The witness thought tha
McCarrell bill was mentioned, but John
ston could not recollact. Johnston and
Miller saw Coyle subsequently at the
| Lochiel hotel, and the ex-senator Of
fered an amount of money to support
the McCarrell bill before the postpone
ment
Johnston said that in his conversation
with Coyle it may have been suggested
that Coyle would ike him to vote for
Senator Quay Mr.. Miller corroborated
the testimony OF his colleague relative u
their visits to Coyles room, and stated
that on their first visit they went tc
see Coyle in company with Represents
tives Hoch, He'll and Hersch. They
went TO Mr.. Spatz's room first, and from
there, conducted by Spatz, to Coyle's
room, and introduced. Miller told Of the
paper that Johnston was asked TO sign
but could not recollect that anything
was said about bills that were to "come
up in the legislature. Miller told Coyls
that he would consider before he signed
the paper When Miller saw Coyle the
second time the ex-senator took him into
private room, but the witness could
not recollect what was said.
Miller said that Representative Rosen-
berry advised him not to sign the paper,
because there was money in it. 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 $1O0 After the offer wa,
made Miller and Johnston left the hotel
/, The next time Miller saw COyle the ex
senator asked him what it would cos
to help him out on the McCarrell bill. ,
Miller said that Coyle spoke about
Coming in with the boys" and that peO
pie often build brick houses when they
go home from the legislature. In order
to get in the ring and get a divvy on Ger
tain bills Coyle told MS we would have
to sign the paper Miller added. The
witness said Coyle met him later in com
pany with his colleague and remarked
that he would he very glad 10 have theul
help him out. The witness said he was
told by Coyle that he could name a price
To vote for the McCarrell bill Miller ex,
planned that the paper contained a clause
that the signerS were to stand together
voting for jerks. Miller was never
made any offer by COyle or anybody else
to vote for Senator Quay.
Representative He'll, Of Northampton,
testified that he was offered $50 by SpatI
to sign the paper 10 stand by jerks for
senator, and that he refused. Spatz took
witness 10 Coyle's room, where He'll was
asked by Coyle 10 sign the paper, and he
refused. He'll was not asked TO vote for
the McCarrcll bill but was told by Coyle
that il he would sign the paper he tCoylel
"wOud help him on other things"
Representative Hersch, OF Montgom.
cry said he made a friendly call Ia
Spatz's room on invitation of Represent.
ative Hook, of Berks. and that the Me.
C0rrel bill was discussed while he was
present. Witness said he was asked by
somebody what he could do for the bill
aud he replied that he could do nothing
Coyle never spoke to Hersch about the
bill.
COyle Says It's Lie
e Harrisburg, March 9.-Ex-Senator Joh
j. Coyle, formerly of Schuylkll county
makes this stat, ment: 1t was my intention
aud desire to 20 before the committee an
meet NV appusars face tn face hut owing Z