Evening journal., 1901-02-23
McCOmmORS Ignored The Reg
uIar Republicans
CLARK And SHALLCROSS ADDED
hearn Bribery Investigators Are Two
Union Republicans, Two Democrats
and One Regular
stan correspondence EvenIng journal

Stah Correspondence Evening Journal.
Dover, Feb. 23.-Once more the
Democrats and Regular Republicans
have outwitted the Union Republicans
in their deep-laid plans. After the
Union Republican speaker Of the
House of Representatives had named a
Union Republican committee TO try
and determine the Hearn charges of
attempted bribery aginst a Union R.,-
publican, an indignant House frus-
trated the plan by adopting a rssolu-
ton adding a Regular Republican and
democrat 10 the committee and pro-
viding that the hearings should be pub
lie.
The thing was done before the Union
Republicans realized its effect, and all
the Addicks members, excepting Rep
iesentatives Moore and Layton. voted
with ths Regulars and Democrats to
correct a mistake made by a Union Re
publican speaker.
The turn of events had a paralyzing
effect upon the Add.cksites within and
without the Legislature. They had
counted upon controlling the Bribery
investigating Committee and when
they awOke they found that it had
passed into Regular Republican and
Lsmocratic control and that it would
be an investigation in every sense Of
the word, with the public having full
knowledge Of all the proceedings.
Representative Hearn's statement
that he had been offered a $1,000 bribe
by a Union Republican to remain
away from the joint session on last
Thursday and 10 keep another Demo-
cratic namber away, had gone broad
cast over the country and was doing
the Addicks cause incalculable injury.
The Addicksites stood it as long as
they could, and then the leaders de-
eidsd that they must dOsomething radl-
cal to Offset the effect
Secretary of State Layton engineered
caucus yesterday morning. He hunt
ed up the Union Republican members
and got them together in the State
House parlcr.
The situation was discussed and al
bold stroke of policy was decided upon.
Then the caucus broke up, and the
House members returned to their seats.
Early in the morning session Rep
resentative Moore, the Addicks leader
dn Duck Greek hundred, arose to a
question of privilege.
Repre- sntative Moore-"It is an i'm
pcrtant question. 1t is a question con-
cerning the honesty. the dignity and
the integrity Of this Hcuse and every
member thereof. On Wednesday there
appeared in the Evening Journal OF
Wilmington an item entitled, 'Dastardlv
Attempt to Bribe Representative
Hearn.' Mr.. Speaker, this article has
been copied by other newspapers in
the State, and by means of these news
papars, l claim it has cast upon thei
members of this House a veil. Theyl
are besmirched, and l ask that Mr. !
Hearn stand upon his feet and give
the name of his briber God knows
that l will ask the encouragement toi
take action in the case"
The Democrats had wind of what
was coming. Senator Slaughter, chair
man of the Democratic caucus, was
soon at Representative Hearn's side:
SIT right where you are, and don't
say a word" he said. Wen attend .
to this" I
And they did attend to it. Represen-
tatlve Holcomb, Democrat, jumped up
and said:
In reference to what the gentleman
on the other side has said l fsel sure
that every man on this side wants to
get to the bottom of this thing, ! move. ]
you SIT, Mr.. Speaker, that a committees
OF three be appointed to investigate
the matter before this House"
Il would suggest an amendment to
that If the gentleman on the other
side will permit" DR.. Moore I
said. 1T is to the effsct
that If the committee investi-
gates the matter and there is ground. 4
that the attorney-general be required
to take up the matter Immediately"
Il intsnd to embody such a prcvi-
sion in my motion" explained Nj
Holcomb.
when is this committee to report %
inquired Representative Chandler
from the far end of the room. a
"As soon as possible, l should say"
Dr. Moore stated.
Why it may take them year." cen
iinued Mr. Chandler.
Il say make it twenty-four hours. II
possible" DR.. Moore suggested. This
was one OF the most damnable. ont
-ageOus acts that ever could be psrpe-
rated upon a human being, and l say
hat if there is an Addicksite in thisi
house who did it, give him the full ex-
.ent Of the law s
No newspaper had said that &c was n /
member of the House who had offered t
he bribe, and many felt that Repre-;
Moore had made a political