Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-03-26

x. That Is 10 the city of Cha rIestoa
Is IL not2
A. Yes, Sir
4. DID you occapy that pos Itieu
during the extra session Of the Legs :.
latufe of tins slate 81 lgos9
A. ies, sir, | have occupied that
position For the past nine years
q We're you In the city Of Charles.
ton during the session.
a. YES, sir.
q MI. WiIkinson, this committee
has been raised by resolution by the
Senate and Instructed to make uvests-
CATION and report 70 the Senate IN
writing, OF the alleged charges made
by one Theodore Aiyord, that $4,000
or sio5, 900 was required 10 defeat the
prohibition amendment proposed and
voted upon at the session OF the Sem
ate referred to, and your name has
been handed to Us by witness who
has testified, reciting thar you were IN
possession o. some information In ref.
erenee TO statement made by an
agent Of Kessler 4 Co., Chicago di,.
tillerss in reference to the housGshaving
to pay 10000 to defeat the amend.
ment. Now, II you know anything
absut this Transaction. please state II
t. the committee.
| A. Well ON the time that, | cannot
state accurately as TO the day, but II
was during the time of the sitting Of
the Legislature when the temperance
agitation wss on. and there was an eff
fort TO pass certain temperance Iegisla.
ton, |, at the bank, in the pursuit Of
my ordinary bank work, had II call
from representative OF The house Of
Julius ke~slcr Il TO-, or Chicago.
which Is their headquarters; they ~.
sert themselves as tho owners OF sever
a. distilleries III Kentucky, who CALI
60 upon " to see about certain Of their
own personal business. We handle
collections from them on customers OF
ours IN this section Of the country. we
are sill handling collections from
them In pursuit of business. pertaining
to that matter, ne called upon ~ TO
make Inquiries and get information
as to certain business; transacted
all that business with him, and then
as we generally do, / had few words
Of social conversation with him.
! AGENTS OWN STATEMENT.
i During the course Of that casual con-
versation, ] remarked to him, "Weil,
they are giving you fellows fits here.
He said, Eyes, they are putting Us to
= whole lot oftrouble, which IL costing
Us whole lot Of money, and he stat
ed to me that he had been at meeting
Of liquor interests from various places
for the purpose Of raising pool, and
my recollection now 10 that he told
me that the meeting had been held the
night before, but that ] cannot state
positively snow, and be said that
be had put In $4,000 for bis con-
cern. ! regret ipow that / am CALI
ed upon now, that / was not called
upon at that time, because then |
could have stated, while the thing was
fresh, more definitely the exact phraes-
eIogy OF the conversation, and might
| possibly have given his amme also; that
have forgotten; but the cireuns
stances surroundlngsthe whole thing
and the.amount Is Just az clear III my
mind now asit was at that time.
thought il Of sufficient importance, II
such statement was true, aud had
no reason to disbelIeyc II from this fact
that IT was volt ntarily made la the
course ola eouve fsatioI that didn't
lead In that direction for any purpose,
aud II was from an authorized repre-
sentative OF that concern. had suf-
ficient confidence ia II to believe that
II was fact, so much 80, that l men.
! toned the fact TO Mr.. AIyord the next
day or so afterwards. Mr.. Alvord
said be'wishedthe Governor wefe near; ,
1 told him that ii tue Governor wnitt-
ed 10 know il would seiI the t;ostr-
nor myself. did Leli Governor Daw-
son, stating at the time sliv exa.l con-
/ versation just Ms IL took place, aAd /
heard no more Of it tiscis, lnlii Mr..
Alvord asked ms the olier Jay il
could recall the nam. " that mar 1
had spoken 10 about ScAr or - ago.
l told him no / could nos al ais time;
had no reason or purpose ia trying
to remember the Individual further.
Well then i received yesterday SUM
mons from your ,resseng = 70 api,esr
before you last ulgi,s; WIS hare, hut
did not getEDefofe you. hel', ttsst 10
In the main the circumstance as ii = :
Cured, and az near - / can RENE M
Der the wording Of IT,
O. Can you get for us.the name Ct