Evening journal., 1901-02-26
FEARN ACCUSES LAYTON
OF MAKING TWO SEPARATE
ATTEMPTS TO BRIBE HIM
Says He First Offered Him From $500 to $4,000 to Absent
Himself From Joint Session and Then From $500 to
$SOONOt to Vote for Two Regular Republicans

Mr.. layton grew very red in the
face and smoked his cigar nervOusly
Every eye in the House Of Represen-
tatives was on the accused man.
rs he a member of this House Of
Representatives." inquired Mr.. Daily.
Yes. sir" said Mr.. Hearn, just as
firmly as when he made the original
accusation
Did he make any further offer Of
money to you?" asked Mr.. DAILY.
Yes, ON Tuesday. which was the
next day." said Mr.. Hearn. "The
Democrats had had a caucus that af-
ternOon. Reese Layton and 1 were
sitting at the supper table in the Bay
ard House that night, when Layton
said to me: Say, which one Of your
caucus nominees stands a better
show?'
Il said: Indeed, if I know He
said, Won't the Democrats and Regu-
lars try to get together to make a
deal?' said I don't know that He
said, There is $500 OF $500 in it for
you never to vote TO elect two Regu-
lar Republicans"
What did you do them" inquired
Mr. DAILY.
Il didn't make any answer" respond
ed Mr.. Hearn.
What was your first step toward
making this matter public?" said Mr..
DAILY.
Il made it known to Matford Short, -
responded Mr.. Hearn.
What did he advise you to do?" in
quiced Mr.. DAILY.
He advised me to tell it in Demo
cratic caucus"
did you do it,"
II did"
What did it advise you to dot"
1T advised me to keep the matter q
secret."
Did you give it 10 the newspaper
reporters?"
Il did not. Lots OF them came to me
but 1 said that it was true, but l had
no statement to make"
"At this juncture Walter II. Hayes
said that he and Joseph L. Cahall rep
resented Layton as his attorneys since
the accusation was made, and would
like to ask Mr.. Hearn some questions
before the hearing concluded.
I'm answer to questions Representa-
tive Hearn said that Representative
Layton offered him the first bribe on
the nOrth-bound train leaving Dover al
SIP o'clock on that evening, and when
the train was between Farnhurst and
Wilmington. Mr. Layton was sitting
with him at the time in the smoking
car.
He said nobody was sitting in the
seat in front cf them, and he did not
know whether anybody was sitting
back Of them. but he did remember
that there was somebody sitting on
the opposite side of the aisle
In cross-examination MIR. Hayes at
tempted to break down the credlbllity
lofthe witness by asking him if he had
not told Mrs. Harry Ford at the Bay
ard House, Representative Prettyman
Dr. J. X. Coombs and others that il
was net a member of the House who
had attempted to bribe him, ana tina.
in two instances he had said spe
c.iically that it was not RepI Iesentativ,
Layton.
He frankly admitted that he haC
dcne so, but said that his reason fo
doing it was that he wanted 10 prctec
Representative layton because the!
lived quite close togther in SUSSEX
county. Both families were large anC
intimately acquainted, and he was in
formed that if the scandal got out i
would cause hard feelings down in Sus
sex.
1 He was subjected to a rigid cross-ex
animation, and fuuther admitted tina
for the same reason he had said TO Mis-
Carrie Ford at the Bayard House, whel
lshe said to him that some peopl
accused Representative layton, o
Of offering the bribe, that Mr.. Layton
would not be guilty of anything o
that kind.
4 After Representative Hearn left th'
stand Thomas B. Giles, a prominen
business man of Seaford. was sworn
He said he did not know anything
about the bribery but what he ha'
heard Of the statements made by Uniol
Republicans in Sussex county, he wa
confident that Walter Hearn was on
of the Democratic members selected b.
the Addicks people 10 be blibed at thi
session.
= Representative Baynard wanted +
know If Mr.. Hearn's counsel was tryin
/, TO prove that his character was sue
las the public estimate placed on Il