The Tupelo journal., 1910-04-08
BILBo TELLS HIS TALE.
Gives Details of His Alleged Bribery
Transaction.

Transaction.
In the senate Thursday Senator Bilbo
opened his narrative. He stated that
the plan to act as detective and ascertain
whether corrupt methods were being en-
ployed in the senatorial! campaign first
occurred to him about the 23d of JAN
uary, when two women, guests at a
local hotel, told him that he could sell
his vote for a good round sum-; that he
communicated this fact to several of
ex-Gov. Vardaman's supporters, among
them being Judge W.. II. Potter, Ben
F.. Ward, Jr., T. p. Barr and others,
and suggested that a trap be laid to
catch the bribers; that they told him to
go ahead and see what he could do. A
day or so later, said Bilbo, he arranged
to meet Mr.. Dulaney. For some reason,
however, this arrangement was not car
| ried out, but he finally opened nego-
t~iations direct with Dulaney and agreed
to sell his vote for $1,000, a part to be
paid in advance and the remainder after
the settlement of the senatorial con-
test.
The first payment by Dulaney was
made on January 26, and amounted to
$3.50. A few days later he obtained an
other $50, and again, 500. The final
payment was not made until a week or
so after the selection of Senator Percy,
on Feb. %, and amounted to $245. This
was paid, he said, in Dulaney's room
at the Edwards, and the latter remarked,
"Bilbo, don't you think this is enough
for you, old fellow?" to which he re-
piled, Il guess this will serve my pur-
pose"
To ~corroborate his own statement, Bill
bo claimed that DIR. Culpepper, the New
ton College president, occupied a room
with him for several nights at the Hotel
Lemon; that he made DIR. C%ulpepper
fully acquainted with his plan, and
hoped to have him present when a por-
ton of the money changed hands, as an
actual witness, but did not succeed in
doing so. After receiving one of the
payments, however, he showed it to DIR.
Culpepper and told him that it had been
given him as a bride, to change his vote
in the senatorial contest, and wanted
him to remember that the money had
been shown him.
According to Bilbo, his original agree
ment with Dulaney was to cast his vote
for ex-Gov. Longino, but to vote for
Percy on the showdown in the senate
rial contest; that he did not do so, but
kept on voting for Vardaman.
D--- IL I.~ao,J &c fhn hrthn
money, Bilbo said that he told Judge
Potter that he had received it, and the
latter told him not to make any of the
facts public until after the senatorial
contest was settled; that he took $500
of the money home, gave it to his wife,
told her how he had obtained 1T, and
requested her to keep it until further
orders. The remainder he kept in his
own possession.
When summoned before the Kinds
county grand jury he took the entire
sum-S645-and turned it over to that
body. His wife had made a memoranda
showing the number of the greenbacks
in the bundle.
Senator Bilbo stated that he had ac-
quainted other supporters of ex-Gov.
Vardaman with the fact that he had OBJ
tanned the money from Dulaney, and
cautioned them to remain silent until
he instructed them otherwise.
Friends of Mr.. Dulaney declare that
they have evidence in their possession
that will tear his story to ~tatters.
Bilbo was allowed to tell his story i'll
his own fashion, and was rarely inter
rupted with questions, except when they
were necessary to bring out material
points more clearly.