The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-05-12
REFUSE TO AID
SENATE PROBE
Green and KTauSe Withdraw
From Committee.
HOUSE ALSO GETS IN GAME

ting Secrets to Reach Public-Sen.
ator Yount and Representative
Langdon Appear Before Inquisltors.
Columbus, o., May 10.-The house,
within an hour after the senate had
adopted a resolution providing for a
probe into the conduct of state sen
ators In connection with alleged leg
islative bribery, passed a bill by
Representative Greeves of Cleveland,
repeating that section CT the statute
which now gives immunity to those
who appear before legislative com
mittee. The Greeves bill was sent
over to the senate chamber, where 1t
probably will be defeated.
The senate probe resolution was in
troduced by Mr.. Hudson Of Scioto
county and, contrary to recognized
custom, named the members of the
committee instead of leaving that de-
tail to the lieutenant governor or
president pro tenn. The resolution
named as members OF the probe COM
mlttee Senators Dore, Green, Dean,
Krause, Finnefrock, Keller, Doster,
Todd of Franklin Purlnton and Dea.
ton Of Champaign.
Senator Green, Democratic floor
leader, asked that the resolution be
laid over until Friday morning at II
o'clock, and explained that the grand
jury was in session and was making
an investigation Of bribery charges.
ut will not look right for us to
Jump in now while the grand jury is
still working on the case" declared
Green. "There will be too much op-
portunity to cry 'whitewash.'
Senator Hudson said the time was
right now for the members of the
senate chamber to clear their skirts.
and asked that the motion to delay
be voted down.
This was done and the senate then
adopted the resolution.
How They Voted.
The lineup on Senator Green's mo-
tion to postpone action on the Hud-
how the various senators stood In
favor of postponement In order to
give the grand jury more time for its
probe were; Bader, Dittmer, Frazier.
Gray, Green, Krause, Macdonald,
Reynolds Stockwell and Tod of Ma
honing.
Those who voted against the mo-
tion to postpone and thereby went on
record In favor OF an immediate SEN
ate probe with its Immunity bath"
possibilities were: Andrews, Cahill,
Cetone, Crawford. Dean, Deaton of
Champaign, Deaton of Lucas, Doster.
Dore, Flnnefrock Holdren Hudson,
Huffman, Johnson, Keller, Kuhl, Nc
CURE, Mckee, Purlnton, Shaffer, Wat
kins and Yount.
Senators Krause and Green an
nounced that they would not serve on
the senate's probe committee. Other
members were noncommittal as to
their service. Senator Green has
taken charge OF the Greeves bill,
| knocking out immunity for witnesses
and will seek to force It through the
senate today.
This resolution was pushed through
the senate against the expressed de
sire of Governor Harmon. The gov
ernor authorized his secretary, George
Long. to say for him that he is OPP
posed to the senate or house making
an investigation unt!l atter the grand
! jury has finished its probe. The gov
ernor wants 1t TO be impossible for
anyone connected with bribery to Sc
cure legislative immunity bath.
Among the witnesses examined
were Senator II l.. Yount of Darke
county. Representative Zumsten OF
Cincinnati and G. J.. McKesson, dlrec
tor OF schools In Toledo
After Senator Yount had gone or
the stand before the grand jury ar
attendant was sent out and returned
with large group picture OF Nom
bers OF the Franklin county bar. Out
side the grand jury room Yount has
told OF having been offered bribe Of
|
believed he tried TO Identify tn,
Would-be bribegiver by the picture.
Two Representatives Testify.
Representative l.. K. Langdon o
Warren county, Republican floor lead
er OF the house, and Representativ,
Ralph Edwards of Cuyshoga county
testified before the grand jury. Ed
wards introduced the Cleveland sub
way blu In the house,
Before the grand Jury resumed IL
session Judge Kinkead called 1t be
fore him for instructions" and re
minded the Jurors OF their oaths O
secrecy. He said that the obligation
OF secrecy rested upon the prosecu
! tor attorney general. stenographers
as we'll as upon members OF tn
grand Jury
He said complaint has bee
made to the court that this obligation
of secrecy has not been kept TIL