The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-30
Mississippi Senate Holds Se- Cret Session to Look
 Into Matter
DELANEY IS ARRESTED
 AND RELEASED 0N BOND
aeuntor Percy's Brothers and Friends Denounce the Charges and Will Fight the Case to a Finish
 at Every Point

Jackson. Miss, March 2s.-Behind closed doors tonight the state senate commenced its investigation Of the statement made by State Senator Theo- dore G. Bilbo that he accepted bribe of s645 from the hands of l.. c. Du- laney to change his vote from former e Governor Vardaman to Leroy Percy, the successful candidate in the recent senatorial contest. All doors and cor riders leading to the senate chamber were securely barred, a sergeant at arms stationed at each, and no state ments relative to the proceedings will be made public save those issued after the body has finished its probing. Pres ent indications are that it will require at least two days to hear the evil dence to be submitted.
 The forenoon executive session of the senate lasted three hours and was de- voted almost wholly to a discussion of the general trend and character of the investigation, being finally brought to a close by the adoption Of a resolution authorizing Senator Bilbo and MT. Dulaney to have wit nesses summoned to give testimony, all questions propounded to witnesses to be submitted in writing and a full stem ographic report made of the proceed ings. Immediately following this reso- 1ution the Percy and Vardaman forces furnished the sergeants at arms with lists of witnesses whom they desire summoned The former it is asserted, will attack the reliability of Senator Bilho. while on the other hand a dozen or more witnesses from the home of the senator, Popularville. are in Jack son to testify as to the high esteem in which he Is held, and his reputa- tion. His fight to retain his seat in the senate will be on the general grounds that he was fully justified in accepting the bribe because he was acting in the capacity of detective. In order to sustain the impeachment pro- ceedings and expel Bilbo from mem- bership 1t will be necessary to secure two-thirds majority of all members present. Whether this majority can be secured Is problematical
 Dulancy Gives Bond Mir. Dulaney was arrested this morn- ing and immediately released under bond in the sum of s5000, signed by D. J. Morrison, his brother in law, and I. c. Enochs. one of the wealthiest lum- Der manufacturers in the south. He declines to make any statement ex- cept to declare that Bilbo's statement is political "frame-up" and expresses confidence that it will so be proven, both In the circuit court trial and the legislative investigation. That he will also demand a rigid investigation in nf as well as an immediate trial on the grand jury indictment The criminal docket in the circuit court will be called on Thursday and counsel for Mir. Dulaney will urge that the case be taken Up at once.
 Walker Percy of Birmingham, who is here as the personal representative of his brother, United States Senator Leroy Percy, denounces the charges as wholly groundless.
 Tonight the formal declaration was made by leading members of the Percy faction that they intend to wage a fight to the finish, and will insist on a thorough probing of each and every feature of the senatorial contest that may be brought Into question; that they will put before the Hinds county grand jury evidence tending to sprove that former Governor Vardaman used his executive contingent fund extravagantly and unlawfully; that he failed to make a proper accounting thereof, as required by law; that during the year of 1906 he accepted and used railroad pass in violation of the law, and the pass in question, bearing his sigma lure on the back, they declare will be presented to the grand jury within the next 4S hours.
 The special committee appointed to in- vestigate Mir vardamans contingent fund held its first session tonight behind closed doors. Another special commt- tee appointed by the house to investigate Che charges of bribery and corruption also held an executive session tonight. Both bodies formulated a plan of work and will hold daily sessions until their tasks are finished.
 BilbO's Statement
 State Senator Bilbo today made the first positive public estatement in regard to ehe affair He asserted, that being con- v1nced that money was being spent law lshly by the anti vardaman forces in the recent senatorial deadlock he determined % expose what he called the corruption ef the legislature" He also declared that For four days he had hidden in his room at local hotel the Rev. S. B. Culpepper, president of Clark Memorial college at Newton, Miss, in order that the minister night be on hand when the alleged erioe was given. He said he had called . small caucus of vardaman supporters and outlined his plan. He met Dulanev In another room, he said, when the first Anstallment of money was given him. He continued: Tt was some little time be- fore the remainder of the $645 was handed to me. It came in three separate in- stallments and in various ways, which. under my oath taken before the grand fury, I am not now at liberty to di- vulge."
 Senator Bilbo said all the facts will he r brought out in the Investigation now un- \ der way.