The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-09-30
The Committee Appointed by
Speaker Branch in Execu-
tive Session Preparing Its
Report on the Case.
HANLY TO BE Ex0NERATED.
GENERAL OPINION AT INDIANAPo-
LIS Is THAT THE STATE
EXECUTIVE WILL NOT BE
FOUND GUILTY.


committee appointed by the Indiana
ho1se of representatives to take tes-
timony with regard to the alleged Of
fering OF bribe by Governor Hanly
and Senator Wickwire, to representa-
tive Knisely to obtain his vote on the
county local option bill, concluded the
taking OF testimony shortly before
noon today.
The committee went into executive
session to prepare its report, after de-
Gliding not to call James P. Goodrich,
republican state chairman. whom Sen
ator Kistler, attorney for Knisely had
suggested as a witness. The house,
which had been playing most Of the
morning. adjourned until o'clock to
wait for the report.
Six witnesses had been heard, Gov
ernor Hanly. Senator Wickwire. Rep
resentative Knisely, the Rev. Harry
B. Stevens Of Garrett, Ind, Represen-
tative James Garrard of Knox county,
and Senator Kistler.
The net result of their testimony
seemed to be that Knisely had not
been shaken in his story Of the alleged
attempt to influence his vote by the
suggestion Of giving him a position.
and the governor and the senator had
not been shaken in their denial and
their recital of the incidents contain
ing the alleged attempt. The opinion
of those who heard the testimony was,
at the conclusion of the morning meet
ing, that the governor would be en-
Senator Wickwire would be said to
have limited at too much and Knisely
to have inferred too much. The Gov
ernor. as he had done in his statement
to the house when asking for the In
vestigation, characterized the story
told by Knisely as maliciously false,
while Knisely declared statements
made by the governor in his testimony
TO be absolutely false.
Chairman Goodrich's name was
brought into the investigation when
Senator Kistler said he could furnish
the name of another witness II 1t were
desired. He named Goodrich. When
he refused'to tell what Goodrich would
testify to. Chairman Daily OF the com.
mittee put him on the stand and had
him sworn.
The only result was that Kistler
continued his refusal, except to say
that Goodrich had been quoted as say.
ing that he had had instructions from
Governor Hanly with regard to offer
ing positions. To this Governor Hanly
interposed the remark that some body
had He'd. Kistler said that he had
first heard this from State Democratic
Chairman Stokes jackson and it look.
ed for time as though both the state
chairmen would be called before the
committee. 1t was agreed by the COM
mittee, however that Goodrich's testi-
mony was not relevant to the Knisely
Investigation and he was not called.
After the last witness had been heard
this morning. the committee consult.
ed for several minutes. then adjourn.
ed until o'clock this afternoon when
its report was to be put together for
submission to the house.
Speaker Appoints Committee.
Speaker Branch appointed a COM
mittee consisting OF Representative
Condo Of Grant county and Representa-
tive Daley of Marion county, republi-
cans, and Representative Pierson of
Clay and Owen counties. and Repre-
sentative Honan Of jackson county, to
hear the evidence. The committee at
once went into session yesterday. 1t
labored all afternoon and held q ses-
sion last night. Governor Hanly, SEN
ator Wickwire, named as go-between,
and Representative Knisely were pres
ent at all the sessions of the commit
tee.
Governor Hanly appeared before the
committe last night and branded as
unQualifiedly and absolutely false the
statements of Representative Knisely
rs appearing in his signed statement.
Senator Wickwire corroborated the
evidence of Governor Hanly.
There was considerable speculation
whom the governor made his first ap-
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