The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-12
Sensational Testimony Given by
Political and Personal Enc
mics OF the Senator.
PROPOSAL TO MR.. FISHER
Which, Former Postmaster Leo
pold Hahn Says, Involved
Note for ST. 500.
AN EDITORS EVIDENCE
!. S. Williams Asserts the Senator
Was Money-Maker in More
Ways than One.

WASHINGTON. March 1.-THE Senate
rial inquiry into the charges against Sen
ator Dietrich, of Nebraska, began to-day
before the special committee in Senator
Hoars committee room. The inquiry which
was instituted upon the demand of Senator
Dietrich is for the purpose of probing the
charges on which the senator was indicted
last fall in Nebraska, and which were dis
missed on demurrer. The committee con-
sists of Senators Hoar, Platt, of Connecti-
cut, Spooner, Cockrell and Pettus.
All of the members of the committee ex-
cept Mr.. Spooner were present when the
inquiry began. Senator Dietrich was in at
tendance with his attorney, r. A. Battey,
of Hastings. A number of witnesses also
were present.
Leopold Hahn, postmaster at Hastings
from 1897 to 1901. was the first witness. He
was succeeded in that office by Mr.. Fisher.
In reply to questions by Senator Hoar Mr..
Hahn related conversation with Mr. Fish
er on April %, 1901, relating to his (Fisher's)
appointment as postmaster. He asked
me-" said the witness, what the office paid.
told him $500 He said that was what
Dietrich wanted him to pay for the office.
He also told me that Adam Breed had said
that Dietrich had asked him $500, 500
a year, for the four years.
He asked me-" the witness continued,
what 1 had paid Senator Thurston for
my appointment, and l said not one cent"
The witness also said that Fisher had queS-
toned him TO whether he (Fisher) would
have to pay note for the $500 if he
should give one, and the witness said he
had volunteered to investigate that point
for him, and had done so. getting legal ad-
vice that such a note would not be nego-
table At later date Fisher had come to
his store with a William Dutton and they
had announced that they were called for
the purpose of fixing up the postOftice
business" and he retired. He was told
afterward that the matter had been ar
ranged.
ONE OF DIETRICH'S ENEMIES.
Mr.. Hahn admitted his feeling toward Mr..
Dietrich was not friendly 81 was a cam
didate for the position of postmaster before
the senatorial fight began" said the wit
ness, but Mr.. Dietrich said to everybody
that l could not have the place. He had
always fought me before when 1 ran for
Office, while 1 had loyalty supported him. -
He admitted that he had frequently said
that 1t was a long road that had no turn
and that he would see that when Dietrich's s
term was out he did not get another cleo
ton He would not admit, however, that
he had saiG that he would spend $4,000 to
word of honor that he would not repeat the
conversation, but admitted that he had
shown the memorandum TO his deputy half
a. hour after il was written. After | had
written it 1 thought I'd better show it to
him, so that some one would know, in case
of my death" he said.
Following is the memorandum alluded to:
Conversation held between Leopold Hahn
and Jacob Fisher in regard 10 the poStmaS-
ter which Mr.. Dietrich will cause to ap-
point or for sale, you might call it, to
the highest bidder. Here is Dietrichs pro-
posaI to Fisher: First, to pay for the new
furniture in the new room called the Diet
rich building which will cost about $1,000 to
81 500. Second, to pay for all coal during the
four years for heating such a room, also
paw for the janitor's work. which will
amount to about -. Take this off the
salary of the postmaster and give Ii to Diet
rich Beside this the government will pay
Dietrich 81, 800 per year rent for furnishing
and heating the said Dietrich building.
in Nebraska? Mr.. Adam Breed is willing TO
sacrifice himself is postmaster and take the
office for 81, 500 per year and pay 500 per
year out of his salary of $500 for the term
of four years.
This is what took place at Fishers ba-
kerry in the hall leading TO the baker shop
at the hour between $40 a. m. and $3.50
a. m This is what Jacob Fisher told me,
so help me God Every word of this is the
truth, the whole truth, so help me God.
LEOPOLD HAHN
CONVERSATION ON A TRAIN.
John D. Pope was the next witness. He
is a former Nebraska state senator, who
Mr.. Hahn testified, had advised as TO the
course Fisher would have to pursue with
the note for $3.50 which Fisher had told
Hahn he wanted to give Dietrich for the
postmastership Pope said that he had had
a with Hahn ON the train he