Evening times-Republican., 1903-11-17
Nebraska Senator and Postmas.
ter Charged With Conspir-
acy and Bribery
THREE INDICTMENTS EACH
The Conspiracy and Bribery Charged
Were in Connection With Fishers
Appointment AS Postmaster of Hast
inss, Neb.-william Dutton, a Msr-
chant of Hastings, Tes.;fies.

Omaha, Neb., Nov. 17.-The federal
grand jury last evening returned true
bills again United States Senator Clas.
II. Dietrich and Postmaster ia cob
Fisher of Hastings, Nebraska, charg-
ing them with conspiracy and bribery,
in connection with the appointment of
The indictments We're brought into the
United States district court at s
o'clock, Judge Munger presiding, and
were placed on file The court merely
accepted the report of the grand jury,
making no remarks on its contents.
beyond making an order TO the clerk
for filing of the bills.
The Indictment against Senator Die
trich charges that he accepted mor,ey
and property in consideration OF ais
recommending Fisher for appointment
Jas postmaster at Hastings. That
against Postmaster Fisher char,ses
him with making an agreement with
Senator Dietrich by which the former
was to pay in property and money.
81, 800 for securing Fisher the appoint
ment.
Evidence was presented to the grand
jury to show that Fisher had bough.
postoffice fixtures from the Grand Ar
my post at Hastings, of the value OF
$500 and later turned the property
over to Senator Dietrich. to whose
building it was removed, and to whom
was paid a rental by the government.
In addition to turning over this prop
erty, it is charged that Fisher paid to
the senator $500 in cash.
Last night it was stated that the
grand jury has been Investigating the
Hastings postoffice case for nearly
three weeks and that number of wit
nesses were present from Hastings AID
other points in the state.
Senator Dietrich is at present IN
Washington, and there was no attorney
or other person in the city last night
authorized to make a statement Tor
him. All the witnesses in the ca Sc
left yesterday afternoon for TIL sir
homes, among them Postmaster FISH er
OF Hastings. and no statement corl1
be had from him.
Acted as o-between.
grand jury was William Dutton, a
hardware merchant OF Hastings. who
gave his testimony yesterday Accord
ing to buttons testimony, he Dutton)
acted as intermediary in all the alleged
transactions between the indicted mea.
and after hearing his evidence the
grand jury excused the remaining wit
nesses who had not testified, and at
G Ia Tn Oa
Munger.
Word was sent to the court that it
had report to make and Judge Mum
ger notified Foreman Frank E. White
that he would hear it at once. The
grand jury thereupon repaired to the
court room, and the court asked:
Have you any report to maker
Foreman White answered.: we
have" whereupon the judge asked him
to read it. The indictments, three in
number each against Senator Dietrich
and Postmaster Fisher, were then read, |
and the court merely ordered them
turned over to the clerk for filing, and
the jury was excused.
The jury Is composed Of twenty mem- |
bers, nineteen of whom are said 20
have voted for the indictment and one |
against. The members come from all
parts of the state, no two of them be-
ing resident OF the same town. The !
foreman. Frank E. White OF Omaha, is |
secretary OF the grand lodge of the
Masonic order of Nebraska. The othe, |
men are mostly prominent business
and professional men.
Four other cases, said to be of a sim |
liar nature, are being Investigated by |
the grand jury and report on all or
part of them is expected very soon. All |
are cases in which postoffices and post
masters are concerned
This indictment is said to be the
first ever returned against a United |
States senator on charges of this ma
ture and caused intense excitement in
government official circles in Omaha
and adjoining towns when it became
public. Just what action will be taken.
II any. to apprehend Senator Die
trich, could not be learned last night.