The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-23
BURTON BRIBERY
CASE BEGINS
Prosecution States It's Case
Against The Kansas Man.
DEFENSE TELLS ITS STORY
TRIAL WILL PROBABLY LAST a
WEEK.

Z St. Louis. March s22.-The trial OF
United States Senator Joseph Ralph Bur
ton of Kansas. charged with having ac-
eepted $3.50 from the Rialto Grain & Sc
ccrities company to use his influence with
the postoffice department 10 prevent the
issuance or fraud orOer against the
tlGue company. was beEisu befOre JudSe
ADAMS IN the United States district court
today. Il is considered probable that
the trial viii occupy the remainder OF
the week
United States District Attorne~ Dyer
and his assistants have been p oarIng
the governments side or the case for
several weeks.
Among the governments witnesses who
are here are William r. Cochrsn, chief
postotfice Inspector William H. Jones'
commissioner of Indian affairs; Edward
". Chatterton. private secretary to Com
the postoffice department and Arthur T.
Brice. cashier of the Riggs National bank,
Washington, d. c.
Statement of Prosecution.
United States District Attorney Dyer
made the opening statement for the gov
he said that the charges against Senator
Burton were based upon section 1872 or
the revised statutes of the United States.
according TO the statute" said Colonel
Dyer. it IS unlawful for any senator -
representative to accept pecuniary fees
for any service rendered TO any person
or concern in any matter in which the
government is either directly or iudi-
rectly interested The government will
er1deavor to show by witnesses that the
defendant accepted certain sums of
money from the Rialto Gram & Securities
company or st. Louis for his influence n
certain matters pending before tie post
office department in which the govern
ment was either directly or Indirectly in
terested- II Is not the contention of the
government that Senator Burton used his
influence for any matter that in itself
is unlawful The government contends
that while complaints against the Rialto
Grain & Securities company were being
Investigated by the pOstoffice department.
and before any final action had been
taken. the RialtO Grain q Securities COM
pany- Offered $500 a month 70 Senator Bur-
ton to take charge Of its interests in the
investigation. and that five installmenss
OF $500 each were paid to and accepted
by him.
Position Of Defense.
Judge Chester H. Krum. leading coun-
sci for the defense, followed. He said
that the reorganization of the offenses
charged in the Indictment is whether GER
tain sums We're received by Senator Bur
ton from the Ratio Grain * Securities
company as compensation for certain
services. He admitted the employment
of Senator Burton by the Rialto COM
The agreement was that Senator Bur
ton would be employed as general cOun-
sci and that his name would be used on
the company literature as a guarantee
OF its reputability," said Judge krum.
1T will be shown that Senator Burton
had inserted in the agreement. in eX-
press language. that he. Senator Bur
ton, was not to be required to repre-
sent the company before any department
of the United States government in any
capacity
Continuing his statement. Judge Krum
denied that any sums received by Sena-
tor Burton from the Rialto company
We're compensation for any services other
than those mentioned in his agreement
as general counsel
Visited thu Departments.
Senator Burton did 70 to the postof-
fice department on the request of Major
Hugh M. Dennis. president Of the RI
alto company but 10 was because Ma
jor Dennis had received i'm an indirect
way reports that complaints had been
made against the Rialto company and
requested Senator Burton simply TO veri-
~ the reports and not to represent the
company in any matter before the de-
partment.
ION another occasion Senator Burton
visited the pOstoffice department to in
quire regarding the standing Of an al
legged pOstOffice Inspector who had ap-
preached Major Dennis in st. Louis. He
found that the man was an impostOr.
and so notified the attorney for the
Rialto COMPANY,
In regard 10 the amounts alleged by
the government to have been received
by Senator Burton as compensation for
services before q government department,
Senator Burton's contract as general
counsel he was to be paid each month
In advance. and il was in accordance
with that agreement that the several
cheeks were sent to Senator Burton.
Court adjourned until 10 O'Clock to-