Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-05-22
Epraing spubIa1 5arsbsIun jo Iarsd ap - 1900

ined, but Len Smith and other stars
stunned the committee room. 1t Is
clear from, this legislative report that
Caldwell: owed his election almost err
ttrsiS ~ corrupt means. 1t speaks Of
the methods ne employed as crimes"
lNVhsthsr Clarke hid anything to do
with thts ELEVENTH hou. movement Is
unSaown. but mere were runors that
ca! dws. and Clarke were at outs over
the decitnation Of the senator to pay
Clarke the balance of his "expenses' in
the canvass. subsequently, at all
events. Clarke was loud iii his threats
10 get even, while, on the other hand.
Mr.. Caldwell freely denounced Clarke
as a blackmaier. Affldavlts and state
ments, assertions and denials We're Just
as plenty then in Kansas as they are
now in Montana.
Mr.. Caldwell made some friends after
he got into the senate. Meanwhile.
Clarke came to Washington, and was
known to be slesplessly intriguing to
bring about j; senatorial Investigation
of Caldwell'S election. AT last he and
his following succeeded. On May H..
1872. the senate passed a resolution au-
thoriz!ns the committee on privileges
ard elections to investigate not only
'Caidwell's election, but that of S. c..
PolneroS fix years before.
In this. course of the long irysstiga-l
tio: which followed over fifty Kansas
Witnesses We're examined, among them
the leading men of both parties. Caleb
Gushing. one % the ablest lawyers in
the country, was ca'dwellts counsel.
Some of the ties. imonS elected was Of
the most sensational and damaging
character. On Feb IL. 1873. the COM.
mittee Was ready with its report. ii.
was submitted by Senator Oliver p.
and left no loophole for Caldwell 10 es-
cape 1t closed rs follows:
III has been n subject OF discussion
IN the committee whether the otfenses
OF which they believe Mr. Caldwell TO
HAYS b@en guilty should be punished by
Spa,isions or 90 to ne validity Of his
eisatien, and a majority ara of the opn-
ion that they go to the validity Of his
erection. and had the effect to make IL
vpia. Wherefore the committee recon-
mead 70 the senate the adoption of the
following resolution:
Re SOLVED. That Alexander Caldwell
W. not duly and legally elected TO a
seat in the senate of the United States
by the legisiatureSof the state of Kan
ssis
This report and the testimony are
found in senate document No. i5l, third
session. Fprty-second congress They
sernhody nearly 800 pages Of printed
matter. forming the story of one of the
most disgracefu! episodes in American
politics. His brother senators "leta
ldewn Mr.. Caldwell with this soothing
final paragraph:
.-ln conclusion, the committee re-
marks that. While Mr. Caldwell did
things Ia procure his election which
ca Il not be tolerated by the senate. they
believe he was as much sinned against
as SHINING. He was a novice in politics,
and evidently in the hands of men Who
encouraged him In the belief that sena-
stor,ial elections in Kansas were carried
by the use OF money +
Doubtless number Of senators
whose good -will he had gained In the
course If two years association re-
GREETED the blow that had fallen. and
encouraged Caldwell with the hope that
his impending fate could somehow be
warded off. A small following had
grown up in the STATE. too. Which pro-
fessed TO think he was a prosecuted
man. He talked earnestly about the
outrage that had been perpetrated
upon him by his personal enemies
land there Were illusions 10 future vim
dipation.s AS III the Clark case. the
Tacating resolution was not pressed
Sfor act ion For upward Of a month On
March q, 1873. when it was about 10
be called un Mr.. Caldwell resigned his
seat in tbs senate. His voluntary tax
ing off made unnecessary the adoption
of the resolution, and therefore never
came ~ Vote. Mr. Caldwell returned
to his home in Kansas, and thereafter
fen into political obscurity from which
he never emerged Personally he was
liked. and was even popular. but he
had evidently had enough Of politics.
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