Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-17
ACCUSED OF BRIBERY
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page.)
indictments, three each against Senator
Dietrich and Postmaster Fisher, were then
read. and the court merely ordered them
turned over to the clerk for filing, aud the
| jury was excused.
The jury was composed of twenty men,
| Ders nineteen of whom are said to have
voted for the indictment and against
Inc members came from all parts of the
state, no two Of them being a resident of
the same town. The foreman. Frank E.
W hite OF Omaha. is secretary of the Grand
Lodge of Masonic order of Nebraska. The
other members are merely prominent busi-
| ness and professional men.
-Four other cases, said to be of a SINH
| lar nature. being investigated by the
| grand jury. and a report on all or part of
| them is expected very soon. All are cases
| in which post offices and postmasters
concerned
First of the Kind.
| This indictment is said to be the first
| ever returned against United States
| senator charges of this nature and
| caused intense excitement in government
| official circles in Omaha and in adjoining
| towns when it became public. What ac-
| ton will be taken. if any to apprehend
Senator Dietrich could not be learned to-
night.
| The charges are the result of political
| feud of long standing between eX-Post-
master Hahn and Senator Dietrich and
| are based upon statement which Post
master Fisher is alleged to have made
last April to the effect that he paid $1.500
for his office Senator DIETRICH explained
the matter as follows:
He erected a building in Hastings into
which the post Office moved from
building owned by tue Grand Army, and as
the latter also owned the fixtures in the
| post office he agreed to have Fisher APP
pointed postmaster if Fisher would pay
for these fixtures.
Senator Dietrich declares this was the
only money transaction he ever had with
Fisher.
The section under which the separate in
dictments against Senator Dietrich and
Jacob Fish>r are drawn is section 1TS1 of
the Revised Statutes of the United States,
which provides that every member of
Congress or any officer or agent of the
government who accepts money or other
valuable consideration from any person for
procuring, aiding to procure, any
| tract or office from the government or
from any officer of the United States for
any person whatever and every person
who, directly or indirectly. agrees to give
any money other valuable considera-
ton for procuring, or aidine, to procure,
any such contract or office shall be guilty
of m1Sdemeanor, and shall be imprisoned
for not more than two years and fined not
more than 10000; and any such contract
or agreement may, at the option of the
President be declared absolutely null and
void: and any member of Congress or any
officer convicted of a violation of this
ton shall be disqualified from holding any
office of honor, profit or trust under the
government of the United States
Indictment for Conspiracy.
The section under which the conspiracy
| Indictment is drawn against both Dietrich
| and Fisher is section $40 of the Revised
Statutes, and provides that if two more
| persons conspire to defraud the United
| such parties do any act to effect the object
of the conspiracy. all the parties to such
conspiracy shall be liable to a penalty of
not more than $4,000 or to Imprisonment
| for not more than two years, or to both fine
| and Imprisonment, in the discretion of the
| court.
| Senator Dietrich was elected by the leg
| islature of 19O0-'01 to succeed Senator AL
| len who was appointed by Gov. Poynter to
| Till the unexpired term of the late Senator
| Hayward, who died before taking his seat.
| His term expires March 3, 1905.
Postmaster Fisher formerly mayor
| of Hastings, and has been prominent in re-
publican politics of Nebraska for several
years. He has been in Omaha for some
| time during the investigation of the grand
| jury, and was to have been placed on the
stand to testify before the grand jury to-
| day. That body, however after hearing
| the testimony of Dutton. decided that 1t
| had heard sufficient evidence and made its
| report forthwith.
Persecution, Declares Fisher.
| Postmaster Fisher and his deputy Ed
ward Francis, both of whom We're SUBJ
| ponaed witnesses, were seen at their
| hotel In Omaha tonight, and Mr.. Fisher
| made this statement
This is the first knew of indictments be-
| ing returned against Senator Dietrich and
| myself. 1 can say. however. that they are
| the result of political persecution. and that
| I have been treated unfairly in the matter.
| have been in Omaha ten days expecting
| to appear before the grand jury as a wit
| ness. Not being called to testify, made
| application both to the district judge and to
| Foreman White to be permitted to make O.
| statement to the grand jury 1 was unable
| to secure hearing, however, and was to-
| day dismissed with the assurance that 1
| would not be called witness. There is
| really nothing in the charges, and my
| friends will support me in my defense. If
| witnesses had been pekmitted to have been
! s-examined the result would have been
quite different and no indictment would
have followed l have been in Hastings
| twenty-six years a business man, and
do not anticipate any serious consequences
| as result of the report of the grand jury
today. Men have pushed this matter who
| were turned down for reappOntment and
| have trimmed IN cha rPeS get even ="