Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-03-10
COMMITTEE
WAS ONLY
bLUFF|NC
MADE By GEORGE
BYRNE--ALvoRD INvEsrIGa-
TING CoMsnrrER DID NOT
SEEK TO GET REAL FACTS.

George Byrne the Wheeling news
paper man who was sent to Jail for
refusing to answer question be-
fore the committee appointed to In
veatigate the Aivord charges rhat a
y. werfui whi-key lobby used money
TO defeat thr prohibFtion amead
tnent or 1879. ss,s:
"one OF the most interesting doc
uments that have lately had the
pleasure OF examining is composed
OF extracts from the testimony taxi
en- by the senate Investigating COM
mibtee appointed to look into the
assertions made by Theodore Alvord
concerning the use or money In re-
lation to the prohibition amendment
that was pending before and de-
feated by the senate an 1908. II
may be recalled by some of the ne,ss-
paper readers of the state that the
writer had nome lit Q argument
With that committee and with the
senate In relation TO the name of a
gentleman who made certain re-
marks with reference TO tho sub
ject of that enquiry. and that the
senate finally get the better OF the
debate. although It did not get the
name Of the gentleman In question.
Well, that committee made It's re-
port during the last hours of the
legislative session, and II Is a gem
OF purest ray serene. | also imag-
Inc the noble senators who made Il
VIII wish the deep, unfathomed
depths of ocean could have hidden
n before ythey ilear ths laetsshey. are
to hear on, the subject. III an IN.
Yestigation was what they wanted
that Is, an investigation that wouli
have investigated omething-they
had the starter right there befo"a
them.
Peter Sinr an, Of Charleston, ex-
state treasurer, swore that Senator
Littlepage tod him that he (LHtle-
page) could have gotten $25 900 for
his vote TO vote against prohibition
amendment a year ago. Wouldn't
that have been a good place to start
out on a truth-find4ng exploration?
Senator Grimes, a member of the
investigating committee. swore that
]. NJ. Underwood, of Tyler county,
told him that he (Grimes) could.
get $4,000 If he would vote against
favorable report on the prob hi
ZION amendment from the senate
judiciary committee, and IS 900 or
$4,000 more If he woud vote against
1t In the senate. What's the matter
with Underwood? Why wasn't he
hauled up before the committee to
teal who was to pay the money?
And before the bar of the senate for
trying to bribe one of It's members?
That was bully starting point.
When they had such good stun
right among themae1ves upon which
to begin Their Investigation, why did
that committee want to waste its
time in trying to force a witness to
answer an immaterlal question? And
especiaH when they must have
known they could not make HIM
do It, The fact is the committee
did not want to make an invest ga
ton. 1t wanted TO consume time
in trying to do a vain thing. be-
cause, having been founded on 9
bluff, and beng made up of buffers
1t wished to do nothing but bluff it's
way through"
The Mercer Republican adds 20
the gaiety by saying the committee
might have gone farther, and as
certaned the name Of the senator.
who. II Is said, came to the senate
poor man and purcha ed farm just
AFTER the adjournment Of the extra
session OF the legislature in 1905"