Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-11
CFrom a Stan Correspopdent1

for taxation.
(From a Stan Correspondent)
LINCOLN March Special AFTER
listening to statements made by z. Rose
water. whom the Bartley investigation COM
mittee invited to appear and testify before
it, that committee adjourned this morning
to meet again Thursday at l p. m. Attorney
General Prout was present this morning in
response to the committees request, but
was not heard. He will testify at the next
meeting.
The committee has as yet obtained no
tangible information concerning that
mooted cigar box" its contents and where
abouts, but 1t has laid plans which It is
confident will work out favorably and give
to the public at least some of the hidden
secrets which are so persistently de-
manded. The committee has succeeded in
locating BARLEY and is hopeful OF yet Sc
curing his presence before It. The default
ing official is in Chicago and today he was
advised through a registered letter that
he was wanted. Friends OF the ex-convict
insist still that he win appear. His sud
den disappearance on the eve OF this in
vestigation, however, does not lend ere
dence to their statements.
AS for former Governor Savage, he has
not been heard from and there is little
hope OF getting him here at any early
date. II at all So far as Is known he iE
still in Seattle. Wash. His former secre-
tary, R J. Clancy, testified last night
that he had not heard from him and did not
know whether he was still in Seattle or not,
but supposed he was. The committee, not
withstanding Mr.. Clanceys statements
that Savage knew nothing about this af-
fair and therefore could not give any per-
tinent testimony, is very desirous that he
should appear and leans strongly to the
opinion that the former executive could
throw considerable light upon the situa-
tion. For this reason further efforts will
be made to bring Savage back. The idea
that Savage never referred to the Cigar
box except in a casual, incidental way
and was joking when he had indited that
vitriolic epistle in which he sought to ex-
cuae his official act in pardoning BARLEY
and clumsly implicated innocent parties in
the peculations OF the ex-state treasurer,
impresses itself only as a ludicrous subter-
fuge. The general tendency seems to be to
take the former governor at his word when
he insisted that he knew something Of the
whereabouts and contents OF this Cigar
box" and could, therefore, make some inter-
esting and valuable disclosures to the COM
mittee.
Backing Up Committee.
Since the investigation OF this corruption
has assumed tangible form public interest
has been greatly stimulated and the com.
mitteemen are being strongly encouraged
by expressions from prominent and repu-
table citizens who are deeply concerned in
seeing this mystery fathomed for the bene-
fit and edhcation OF the state. They
doubtless will be given substantial aid in
prosecuting their work from now on. The
cry of the pessimist or the person, who for
obvious reasons, wants TO see the investi-
cation suppressed-and there are plenty OF
such-that nothing will come OF it; it's
only farce at best" is not credited. The
BARLEY lobbyists are still at work, invad-
ing the floors of both houses, exerting
every effort to put an end to this inquiry.
| II does not look, however as II this ele-
ment would be successful in it's schemes.
The committee has listed a number of
names OF persons it will subpoena within
the next two days for the next meeting,
| Thursday. Some OF those who will be
| called are prominent citizens and their
presence, 1t is said, will have a very ex-
hilarating effect on the progress OF the
| hearing. The committe prefers that these
names be not disclosed, as TO do so would
tend to bafHe the committees plans.
f. ROsewHter Testihes.
BY the request OF the investiga-
| tion committee, E. Rosewater appeared
/ this morning TO answer questions in line
with the inquiry into the so-called BARLEY
! cigar box. Mr.. Rosewater said he had no
I positive personal knowledge of the
! box or its contents or circum-
stances connected with it. He had.
as newspaper man, a fund Of
I information impaired to him by others who
| claimed to know certain things OF interest.
| But the committee. at the instance OF
/ Representative Nelson OF Douglas, forbade
! the introduction as record testimony OF
/ hearsay evidence.
! Mr.. Rosewater told OF having talked With
| BARLEY and Ex-Governor Savage and of
] having had caustic correspondence with both
! regarding this affair, and that both refused
I to give the names OF any persons to whom
the plundered funds had been loaned. He
related Savage's threat to uncover the
cigar box at the end Of his oficial term and
effectively denied Clancey's statement that
| Governor Savage was joking when
he made this bold assertion. He
| said, on the contrary, that the
\ former governor was in dead earnest
| Mr.. Rosewater said IL was a matter OF
public history that BARLEY was said 10 have
I taken Savage into partnership with him in
/ certain mines in Colorado. He also said
that IL had been publicly reported that
Former Governor Poynter had declined an
offer OF $4,000 for the pardon OF BARLEY,
He thought Former Attorney General C. J.