Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-11-19
DIETRICH INDICTED.
GRAND Ju aY FINDS BILL AGAINST
SENIOR NEBRASKA SENATOR.
Latter is Postmaster at Hastings and
Ex-Mayor of the city-Accused Men
Insist 1t is Only Political Quarrel
and Result of Spite.

and Result of Spite.
Omaha. Neb., Nov. 1.-THE United
States grand jury last night returned
true bills against United States Sen.
ator Charles H. Dietrich and Post
master Jacob Fisher of Hastings, Neb..
charging them with bribery and con-
spiracy. The senator is charged with
accepting bribe from Fisher
in consideration of which the latter
was recommended for the postmaster
ship of Hastings.
This Indictment is said to be the
first ever returned against United
States senator on charges of this ma
ture, and caused intense excitement
in government official circles in Oma-
ha and adjoining towns when it be-
came public. Just what action will be
taken, If any, to apprehend Senator
Dietrich could not be learned.
The last witness called before the
grand jury was William Dutton, a
hardware merchant of Hastings. Ac-
cording to buttons testimony he act
GU 90 III all IAC dlS6Su
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 it's report to Judge
Munger. The jury is composed Of
twenty members, nineteen of whom
are said to have voted for the indict-
ment and one against. The members
come from all parts of the state, no
two Of them being a resident of the
same town, and are mostly prominent
business and professional men.
Four other cases, said to be of 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 postofices and
postmasters are concerned.
Fisher Makes Statement.
Postmaster Fisher and his deputy,
Edward Francis, both of whom were
subpoenaed as witnesses, were seen at
their hotel in Omaha last night, and
Mr.. Fisher made this statement:
"This is the first knew of indict-
ments being returned against Senator
Dietrich and myself. l can say how.
ever. that they are the result of po-
litical persecution, and that 1 have
been treated unfairly in the matter. I
have been in Omaha ten days, expect
ing to appear before the grand jury
as witness. Not being called to tes-
tify made application both to the dis
trict judge and to Foreman White to
be permitted to make statement to
the grand jury. was unable to Sc
cure hearing, however, and was dis
missed with the assurance that I
would not be called as a witness.
There is really nothing in the charges
and my friends will support me in my
defense. If witnesses had been per-
mitted to have been cross-examined
the result would have been quite diff.
ferent and no indictment would have
followed. | have been in Hastings
twenty-six years as business man
and do not anticipate any serious con-
sequences as the result of the report
of the grand jury. Men have pushed
this matter who were turned down
for reappointment. and have trumped
up charges to get even.'"
Washington, Nov. 17.-senator Diet
rich and Editor Rosewater of the
Omaha Bee have arrived in this city
and all inquirers as to the indictment
of the senator were referred to Mr.
Rosewater. They declared the indict-
ments were the result of a political
quarrel. Mr., Rosewater said Mr.
Dietrich had good defense, and add.
ed he and the senator had come to
Washington at this time to bring
about the removal of District Attorney
Summers. He said they had already
been to the white house on this mis-.
sion. Mr.. Rosewater declared that
District Attorney Summers had
pushed the charges against Senator
Dietrich for the reason that they
were politically antagonistic