The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-06-03
INQUIRY INTO BRIBERY CASE.
Governor Deneen May Appear Before
Grand Jury-Executiye Declares
. Willingness.


Attorney Burke is to confer with Gov
ornor Deneen tomorrow ], regarding
the legislative inquiry and the va
rious charges of bribery which have
been made concerning the forty-sixth
general assembly. The county prose-
cutor will give Governor Deneen an
opportunity to discuss what he
knows about the doings of the gener-
al assembly and will invite him to
tell the grand jury whatever he wish
es, bearing on the Investigation.
The action of the States attorney,
which was announced in the evening,
is in response to the published de-
claration of Governor Deneen that he
would willingly go before either the
Cook or the Sangamon county grand
jury if desired and tell what he
knows of the occurrences in the last
regular legislative session.
Official announcement by States
Attorney Burke that Representative
J.. n. C. Beckmeyer, hitherto a wit
ness before the Cook county grand
jury exclusively, would be in the
capital tomorrow: to tell his story to
the Sangamon county investigators,
as the principal development today
mSthe legislative inquiry. 81
%SS Beckmeyer'sr words, so far as they
are known, have corroborated the
confession Of Representative Ga
White. whose tale Of alleged bribery,
both in the election Of VIM. LorImer
to the United States senate and in
legislative affairs, started the inves-
tigation in Cook and Sagamon eoun-
ties. r." :. -. -, r., -. So. E@:,4 +.
Deeper delying into the Jackpot
scandal il all its ran; Was;
predicted with the news of the COM
ing of Representative .Beckmeyer.
. No legislative witnesses were be-
fore the grand jury this morning, and
Representative B. F. Staymates, who
was summoned yesterday, was not
taken to the jury room after he had
talked with the States attorney and
his assistants.
The only witness to appear before
the jurors was A. B. Johnston, of the
Johnston & Hatcher company, the
Springfield furniture concern, which
obtained the contract for supplying
new desks and chairs for the State
house. Investigation of the letting
of that contract by the legislative
committee several days ago brought
out the confession of Senator Hoist
law that he had been paid to vote for
VIM. Lorimer, had received share
of the legislative Jackpot" and had
been promised $500 for voting for
the furniture contract and in turn
led to the indictment of Senator
Broderick and Representative Clark
Johnston, who has repeatedly de-
MED culpability in the furniture con-
tract, although accused by Holstlaw,
emphatically repeated his denial in
the jury room and denounced Hoist
law as guilty Of falsehood He used
the word "liar" freely, and after de-
claring that States Attorney Burke
has had repeated conferences with
one of his (Johnston's) business COM
petitors, was ordered out of the jury
room by the States attorney, who
angrily retorted:
eff you say that, you are lying,
too'
After the Johnston incident the
grand jury was adjourned for the
day without taking any action.
During the day Representative Nc
Cullum, Democrat, who testified yes
terday, declared that he told the
grand jury he voted for Lorimer aft
er consulting his people at home and
also because he believed Lorimer's
election would bring dissension and
division among the Republicans and
not because of political obligations to
Beckmeyer or anybody else.
During the day counsel for Senator
81 oderick repeatedly deniel rumors
that the Chicago solon was con-
templating visit to States Attorney
Eurke to confess. Attorney Tt.laas
Lawson, one of Broderick's counsel
said:
"There is no truth III the rumor
i',a Senrtor Brokerick Is going to
c.5lfess. lie has nothing to confess,
and tie suggestion is absolutely