The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-18
BRiDE-TAKING SENATOR.
Senator Dietrich, Of Nebraska, In
dieted for Corruption.
A Sensation Created in Nebraska
by Damaging Evidence Before
Grand Jury and the Finding
of a True Bill.

Oamha, Neb., Nov. 16.-The United
States grand jury tonight returned true
bills against United States ESenator
Chas. 81. Dietrich and Postm aster
Jacob Fisher, of Hastings, Neb.,
charging them with bribery and cou-
spiracy. The Senator is charged with
accepting bribe of 81, 300 from Fish
er, in consideration of which the lat
ter was recommended FOR the post
mastership at Hastings.
When the indictments were brought
into the United States District Court,
Judge Munger presiding. and we're
placed on file, the Court merely ac-
cepted the report of the grand jury,
making no remarks on its contents.
The indictmnt against Senator
DIETRICH charges that he accepted
money and property in consideration
of his recommending Fisher for appoint
ent as postmaster at Hastings. That
against Postmaster Fisher charges him
with making an agreement with Sena-
tor DIETRICH by which the former was
to pay in property aud money $1,000
for securing to Fisher the appoint
ment.
The last witness called before the
grand jury was William Dutton, a
hardware merchant of Hastings, who
gave his testimony today. According
to Dutton's testimony, be (Dutton)
acted as intermediary in all the alleg-
ed transactions between the indicted
men, and, after hearing his evidence,
the grand jury excused the remaining
witnesses who had not testified, and
at once prepared its report to Judge
Munger.
Four other cases, said to be of a
similar 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 postof6ces and
postmasters are concerned.
This Indictment is said to be the
first ever returned against United
States Senator on charges of this
nature, and caused intense excitement
in Government circles in Omaha, and
in adjoining towns, when it became
public. What action will be taken, if
any, to apprehend Senator Dietrich
could not be learned tonight.
Postmaster Fisher said tonight:
"There is really nothing in the
charges, and my friends will support
ME in my defence. If the witnesses
had been permitted to be cross -examin-
ed the result would have been quite
different and no Indictment would
have followed. Men have pushed
this matter who were turned down for
reappointment, and have trumped up
charges to get even. -
Washington, Nov. Ex-senator Deit-
rich and Editor Rosewater of the
Omaha Bee, have arrived in this city,
and tonight all inquiries as to the in
dictment of the Senator were referred
to Mr.. Rosewater, who declared that
the indictments were the result of a
political quarrel Mr.. Rosewater as
serted that Senator DIETRICH had a
good defence, and added that be and
the Senator had come to Washington
at this time to bring about the removal
of District Attorney Sommers. He
said they had already been to the
White House on this mission. Nh.
Rosewater declared that District At
torney Sommers had pushed the
charges against Senator DIETRICH for
the reason that they we're politically
antagOnistic.