The Forrest City times., 1911-05-12
FORREST CITY. ARK. FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 12, 1911
Senate Seeks to Investigate Graft
 Charges.

Charges.
 Senator Turner introduced a reso- lution providing for the appointment of a committee to investigate the. charges made by Mir. Little in the house that bribery and graft had been going on in the senate. The senate unanimously adopted the resolution. which follows:
 Whereas, Certain charges have been made against the membership of the senate in reference to the ac- ceptance of bribes to defeat legisla- tion, which charges, while made against only a few members of the senate. is very indefinite, and casts reflection on each member individ- ually and,
 Whereas, It is the sense of this body that one who accepts bribes is unfit to sit in this body; and,
 Whereas. When such charges have been made 1t is the duty of this sen ate to freely and fully investigate the same. to the end that justice may be done and the senate set right with tue puDilC, therefore,
 Be it Resolved, By the senate that a committee of five be appointed to investigate said charges, who shall have all and singular the inquisitory power of grand jury, and that this committee be charged with the duty and authority to subpoena all persons who have made charges of corruption against this body or may have knowl- edge of any reputed corruption, and make their report to this body before with a stenographic copy of all testi- mony taken, shall be filed with the senate for the purpose of making it part of the public record of this body's proceedings.
 The committee appointed consists of Turner, Watson, White, Hughes and Martin. The committee summoned MT. Little to appear, and the follow ing Is the report which the commit tee filed and which was unanimously adopted:
 We your committee, appointed to q inquire into the charges made by Representative Little on the floor 0! the house against the senate, in which he charged the use of money in the defeat of what is known as the Bradham-Hurst bill and the passage of the game warden bill. introduced by Senator Williams, and the numer- ous other charges of corruption, beg to report that in pursuance of the resolution adopted by the senate, we at once caused the said Little to be summoned before the committee, and purpose of the investigation he de clined to testify or to give any infor- nation or any facts whatever upon which his charges were based. He contended that under the constitution he. as representative of Arkansas compelled to testify or to give any information concerning any corrupt practices in the legislature known tC him, while actually engaged in the discharge of his duties as represen 
 tative. We feel that 1t was the highest duty he owed to the state tc answer the questions propounded to him by the committee and to give all information. if any he possessed in reference to the use of money as alleged by him, thus cutting off any and all information that we might procure upon which to make find | ing or advise the senate in regard to said charges, and in view of the fact | that he hides behind what he terms | constitutional rights cando- com pes us to say that the only just l conclusion Is that his charges are | groundless, and he at least has de nied us the privilege and right tc | expel any person or persons sc | charged by him, since he is the only | person, so far as we know, having or claiming to have such information | as claimed by him. We therefor, I ask that we be discharged unless ht l should offer to furnish such informa | ton in the future