The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-22
GOT $500 A MONTH
PAY OF BURTON FROM RIALTO
 COMPANY.
Documents Show That He Was Em- ployed After Complaints Had Been Made to the Postof-
 hce Department.

St. Louis, Nov. 21.--The introduction of letters and telegrams exchanged pc tween Senator Burton and Thomas D. Harlan. an attorney for the hiaito Grain and Securities Company, was tnis afternoon the important feature or the second day of the trial of United States Senator Joseph R. Burton of Kansas in the United States Circuit Court, on an indictment charging that he accepted compensation from the Rtaito company for using his influence while a memoer of the United States Senate for the Den- eft of the Riaito Company Tn matters pending before the Postohice Depart ment, and in which the Government was interested.
 The defense objected to the introduc- ton of these documents uponN the ground that the contents were not per tinent to the allegations made in the indictment MT. Harlan was placed on the stand by the Government toaay anu called upon to identify letter-press copies of letters sent by him to Senator Burton and originals of letters received by him from Senator Burton.
 The first letter submitted was dated November IS, 1909. addressed to senator Burton and signed by Harlan. Follow ing is an excerpt from this oocumeht'
 Offer of the Job.
 "J hone you received my message to the effect that this company (meaning the RiaIto Company accepts your terms to act as counsel at a salary or $500 a month, said service to begin im- me 1iately, that is, of this date, Novem- ber IS. 1902"
 In reply Senator Burton wrote liar Ian In part as follows:
 'I called at the department this morning and find that there are two complaints lodged against your com pany. one by Bella Evans. and the other by Mrs. K. c. Hont, both Of AL bany. N. Y. Without knowing any thing about the merits of the same l would advise that all complaints re- ceive special attention by your com pany. No action of any kind will be taken against you without my first be- ing notified and every opportunity for A full explanation or hearing will be had.
 Tn return. if agreeable, you may make remittance for my first months pay"
 Senator Burton to the company were read.
 Four checks for $500 each sent by the Rialto Company to Senator Burton, while he was in Washington, were sub mitted by the Government and while objected to by the defense on grounds of irrelevancy, Senator Burton ac- knowledging the endorsement on the checks.
 United States District Attorney Dyer today continued reading to the jury printed matter issued by the de- funct Rialto Grain and Securities Com- pany at the trial of Senator Burton Of Kansas.
 The pamphlets contain several thous- and words and have no bearing on the case on trial They are enclosures mentioned in letters offered in evl- dence by the Government to show that there was an investigation of the af- fairs of the Rialto Company under way by postof1ce inspectors at the time Sena- tor Burton was engaged by the Rialto Company to act as ts general counsel at a salary of $500 a month. Counsel for the defense objected to the intro- duction of the letters, but was over- ruled by Judge Vandevanter, and then insisted that not only the letters, but the enclosures also be read to the jury.
 Colonel Dyer interrupted his reading to introduce D. M. Ransdell sergeant at-arms of the United States Senate. who. Colonel Dyer said, had important oficial busiress in Washington, and that he wished to allow Mir Ransdell to return as soon as possible.
 Mr. Ransdell was present under sub poena duces tecum requiring him to produce certain telegrams. These were identified by the witness and it was ad- mitted by the defense that they had bsen sent by Senator Burton to the persons named in the dispatches. They were not read in evidence at this time. MT. Ransdell was then excused