The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-11
P. 0. PRICES HIGH
Years Salary for a Four Year
Appointment.
Testimony of Nebraskan Be-
fore Senate Committee.
DIETRICH CASE ON.
Investigation of the Senator Is
Inaugurated.
First Witness a Man Whom He
Had Turned Out.

Washington, March 1.-THE Sena-
torial inquiry into the charges against
Senator Dietrich of Nebraska, began to-
day before the special committee in Sen
ator Hoar's committee room. The in
quiry, which was instituted upon the
demand of Senator Dietrich, is for the
purpose of disproving the charges on
which the senator was indicted last fall
in Nebraska and which were dismissed
on demurrer The committee con-
sists of Senators Hoar, Platt (Conn),
Spooner, Cockrell and Pettus.
All of the members of the committee
except Mr.. Spooner were present when
the inquiry began. Senator Dietrich
was in attendance with his attorney, r.
A Battey of Hastings. number of
witnesses also were present. Mr.. Diet
rich repeated his wish that the investi-
cation should be the fullest possible.
Leopold Hahn, postmaster at Hast
ings from 1897 to 1901, was the first wit
Mr. Fisher. In reply to questions by
Senator Hoar, Mr.. Hahn related a con-
versa ton with Fisher on April %, 1901,
relative to his (FiSher'S) appointment
as postmaster.
He asked me- said the witness,
what the office paid. 1 told him $500.
He said that was what Dietrich wanted
him to pay for the office. He also told
Dietrich had asked him $2,S00, or 800
year for the four years.
He asked me- the witness continued,
what l had paid Senator Thurston for
my appointment and 1 said, Not one
cent The witness also said that
Fisher had questioned him as to wheth-
er he (Fisher) would have to pay a note
for s., 500 if he should give one and the
witness said he had volunteered to in
vestigate that point for him, and had
done so, getting legal advice that such
a note would not be negotiable. At a
later date Fisher had come to his store
with a William Dutton and they had
announced that they were there for
the purpose of fixing up the postoffice
business and he retired. He was told
afterward that the matter had been ar
ranged. He then produced a memOran-
dunn which he said he had made on the
day of the conversation, 30 minutes
after it took place
Replying to a question from Mr.. HOar,
Mr. Hahn said that when Mr.. Dietrich
was elected he had given up all idea of
being continued as postmaster because
he had understood from various sources
that Dietrich was after his scalp"
Asked if his feeling towards Dietrich
was very friendly, he admitted that it
was not.
Mr.. Hahn also testified to Fishers
good character and said that Fisher
had supported Dietrich Loyalty. Fisher
had told him that he (Fisher) was
lI1en0Iy 10 MIN (f1dnIlJ IOr IGdDpOIul-
ment. but had told him he was salts
fed that he QIahn) could not get it
Mr.. Battey ross-examined Hahn,
and the witness said that he had known
Fisher for 25 years. He said that
Fisher hald told him that Dietrich had
said to him that Breed was to give
$2S00. The witness added that he had
talked with Breed more than once and
that Breed had told him the story of
his offer was true.
II was a candidate for the position
of postmaster before the senatorial
fight began said the witness. but Mr..
Dietrich said to everybody that L
could not have the place. He had al
ways fought me before when 1 ran for
Office, while I had Loyalty sunnarted
him.
He admitted that he had frequently
said 'it was a long road that had no
turn, and he would see that when
Dietrich was out that he did not get
another election
He qFould not admit. however. that
he had said that he would spend $10.-
900 to beat Dietrich.
He had given Mr.. Fisher his word of
honor that he would not repeat the
conversa ton, but admitted that he
had shown the memoranda to his dep
Uty half an hour after it was written.
After I had written it thought I'd
better show it to him so that someone
would know of it in case of my DEATH, -
he said.
John D. Pope was the next witness.
He is a former Nebraska state SEN
ator. an attorney who Mr.. .dahn tes-
titled had advised as to the course
Fisher would have to pursue with the
note for $500 which Fisher had told
Hahr, he wanted to give to Dietrich
1 for the pOStnasterShip.
|