The Washington times., 1902-03-30


the Methodist Book Concern allowed in
1898, and the gigantic fee paid by the
concern to Mr.. Z B. Stahlman for prose-
cutting the claim before Congress, has
been brought back to life and all ,he SEN
Rtors who had anything to do with the
case have been giving tkei- depositions
at the Senate during the past week
The St. Louis Christian Advocate. ."
edited by the Rev. DR.. PaImore, recently
published series of articles rejecting
on Mr.. Stahlman for the part he took in
The transaction, ard he has entered suit
In the case. The trial is now taking place
in the United States District Court at
Nashville, the hcme of Mr. Stahlman and
the Methodist Book Concern
1t was agreed by the two parties to
the suit that-depositions should be taken
in Washington. with lawyers for both
parties present. Judge East. of Nash
VILE, representing Dr.. Palmore, the edi-
tor of the paper. which published the
stories, has been conducting the examina-
tfons. and Major Barr, of Nashville and
Colonel Reeves, CT East Tennessee. have
been crosse examining the Senators for
MIR Stahlman
Senator Teller. the chairman of the
Committee on Claims. which examined
into the transactions for the Senate: Sea-
ator Bate of Tennessee. and other Soma
tors who were interested in the case in
different ways have been examined The
Public Printer, Mr. Palmer, and the stem
ographer who took down the testimony
during the investigation also testified.
A Thorough Examination.
The examination has taken several DAYS
OF the past week. and was only concluded
on Friday. 1t went over the entire ground
CT the claim of the Methodist Book Con-
Germ for losses during the civil war. the
prosecution of the claim before Congress
Ly Mr.. Stahlman, its allowance. and the
later investigation of the transaction bv
the Senate committee
ne story was most remarka BILE one
ana attracted wide attention as it deval-
oped Tour years ago. The Southern Meth
odist Book Concern is a corporation
whose object is stated to be to advance
the cause of Christianity by dissemiuat
ing religious knowledge and useful liter
AIRY and scientific knowledge in the form
OF books. tracts. and periodicals The net
proceeds CT the publishing house estab-
hsned at Nashville, under the control of
the corporation, are supposed TO be for
the heheht OF superannuated and worn
out preachers and their widows ana -rliI-
dren- The. corporation had Accumulated
large property whol Jhe war brolye ouj
aid TINS -sz corfscated ~ General
1hoinas of he Union Army.
A good many years ago tha
-s"E concern iustilg1sd dama-- .-fa
seizure. Il Nzs n-r-- ...s-
,h s-- -.sa.- .-. ... .-
= .9=c5 hy eIl n5aE :, in 1888
-ae Tslte, at l- -ooK agents of the
tho'is Episcopal Church South"
~ .4id1 that acted as the agent of the
corporation in prosecuting the claim be-
to"e Congress was Mr.. f. B. Stahlman. He
worked hard for the passage of the bill.
erlisiing the services of many of the
prominent bishops and cIergymen of the
Methodist church both in the North and
in the South in its behalf, and personally
appeared for it before Congress.
An Enquiry Started.
A few lays before the bill was passed
the story got around the Capitol that
Mr.. Stahlman was to receive a large por-
tion of the award for his services. Sena-
tor Bate of Tennessee. Senator Pasco, and
others started an enquiry into tnis, and
the story was emphatically denied by Mr..
Stahlman and also by Rev J. d. Bar
bee and Mr.. d. NJ Smith of the Book
Concern. Nevertheless, Immediately after
the bill was passed and the money was
paid out by the Government, Mr. StahI-
man received Sl0s. SEQ for his services, or
30 per cent OF the amount allowed 1t was
said by Messrs- Barbee and Smith that
they had been forced to make their de-
malls. because if the truth had been known
the claim would have been endangered.
Text of Report.
The committee on claims learned of this
ana made a thorough investigation, de-
veloping the facts as they have been
stated. The committee in its report of
the investigation said:
III these denia.s of the existence OF
contract had not been made to the Senate
from source which vs. entitled to en-
tie credit the bill would not have been
passed by the Senate, unless it had been
SO amended as TO protect the benefciaries
from what many Senators regard as
waste and improper use Of the fund by
the payment OF an excessive and unreal
sonable fee. Such an amendment was
within the power of the Senate, and one |
would have been adopted in the nature of |
q condition that the United States would /,
recognize and pay this claim. provided |
that the fruits of it were TO actually go |
TO the beneiciaries OF the fund that had |
suffered by the taking of the property by |
the United States during the war. The |
book agents could have accepted or re- |
jected the settlement with this condition |
attached, and they world have doubtless |
had the opportunity to do SO but for the |
misleading replies sent TO Senators who |
made enquiry about the contract.
Senate Had No Rights.
THE book agents and Mr.. StahIman in
sist that 1t was the duty of the Senate
10 consider the claim on its merits and |
that the Senate had no right to enquire
as TO the amount OF fees to be paid, and |
therefore they might properly refuse to
give the facts concerning the contract |
with Mr.. Stahlman. II they had taken |
that position and declined to say whether
there was contract OF not. the case
" ould have been very different one from
that presented. refusal on their part
10 say what the contract waz, on the
ground that the Senate had no right to
enquire, would have put the Senate on no.
tice that 4 contract of some sort was in
existence. and if the Senate had not then !
taken steps to secure a proper applica- |
tion Of the money TO be appropriated, the
fault would have been with the Senate;
but the Senate was misled and believing
that there was no contract for fees or
paying for securing the passage of the bill,
made no provision for securing the entire
fund to the supposed benefciaries.
THE committee DO not agree with The
that he Senate had no right
10 enquire into the subject OF compensa-