The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-21
NO EVIDENCE OF ANY CRIME
Continued from page one,

Although it was understood Saturday
afternoon that Attorney General Charles
T.. stearns had completed his investiga-
port OF the bribery inspectors. the report
was mailed TO the governor too late to
reach mis- Office before the state house
closed at noon and consequently the gen
eral curiosity ip regard 10 the matter
could not be set at rest until after the
capitol was opened today.
ATTORNEY GENERALS LETTER.
The letter OF Attorney General Stearns
Is as follows:
To His Excellency l.. r. c. Garvin. gov
ernor OF Rhode Island. Providence. X. i.
Dear Sir: beg TO acknowledge the re-
ceipt OF your letter OF the 10th inst, In
| which you say. Enclosed Is report
from one OF the towns concerning which
wish your opinion. Is there sufficient
ground for prosecution OF any OF the al
legged offenders?"
+ have carefully examined the single re-
port which YOU enclosed and find there
I'm no evidence on which 10 base a COM
paint against any OF the persons whose
names are mentioned therein, and no
evidence of the commission OF any crime.
The agents who make the report do not
claim TO have any personal knowledge In
regard 10 the truth OF the charges con-
| tanned therein nor Is there any statement
therein OF any person who does claim To
| have such personal knowledge
The recital therein of statements made
by persons. some of whom are named
and others OF whom are not named. as TO
what other people had told thein IS
"hearsay' and is not admissible as evil
dence In a court OF law.
The only statement i'm the report which
might possibly be used In a criminal
/ prosecution is the statement OF your
agents that they saw at the polling place,
| one man call another aside and after
/ talking TO him for few minutes. they
saw one OF the men pass bunch OF bills
10 the other, but the agents did not hear
| the conversation.
| THE ONLY CASE.
This is all of the evidence which is
| submitted in regnrd TO this transaction.
II does not appear from the report that
| this transaction had any reference to the
I election and there Ia no further reference
} I'm the report 10 the purpose for which
| the money was given. or that anything
was done. or had been done previously.
/ by the parties mentioned on account OF
/ the passing OF this money.
You agents state that this was the only
/ case in which they saw the money
/ change hands on election dsy, and their
/ evidence In regard 20 this particular
/ transaction. unsupported by further tes-
/ timony as t6 the purpose for which the
money was given and the object Tor
! which Il was TO be used Is plainly in
/ sufficient as a basis for criminal prose-
/ cuton. Respectfully.
! (sxned) CHARLES r. STEARNs.
Attorney General.
WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAYS.
THAT letterspeaks for itself I think,
Nd
been shown the reporters The attor-
ney general says there is not enough
evidence for prosecution. Mr.. Williams
/ said he did not think the case was
strong enough and the report Of the at
! torney general confirms Mr.. Williams
/ opinion.
I'm picking out this case thought IL
was as strong as any OF those submitted
/ to me.
',No. do not think care 10 mention
! the town referred to- replied the gov
ernor In response to question. and
don't know that l will submit any other
case TO the attorney general | don't
know any case In the lot that was quite
/ equal 10 that one. looked over the re-
/ port quite thoroughly. too"
/ Were these inspectors used in all the
cities and towns" the governor was
asked
! Not an" lie answered "Only in
about Il towns. Places where " was
evident there would be r. contest. where
there was reason To suppose there would
be bribery, or I should say where there
was liza BILE TO be bribery
The governor added that he did not
care 60 say anything further in regard
/ To the matter and agreed that " was
well 10 consider the matter closed.
| There has been considerable talk about
/ the money expended for this investiga-
| tion and executive Secretary Grieve said
that $4,000 was appropriated for criminal
cases. OF this, he said. referring To his
record. si6i3.1s has been expended to
date and that not all for the bribery i'm
vcstigation, as part was paid for
deputy sherifs for attendance at boxing
matches and part for acquisitions Of
criminals from other states