Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-29
Senator Reed Introduces
Evidence in Support 81
Resolution for Investiga-
tion Of Dupont Election.
APPOINTMENT OF
MARSHAL IS BASIS
Senate is Also Asked to
Probe Dupont's Action iii
Naming Official Held to
be Corrupt.

w OOIIupC.t
Washington, d. c., Feb, 2S.-An Ar.
ray OF evidence heard by the senate
Judiciary committee in its INQUIRY into
the appointment Of C. p. Swain a. II.
y. marshal for Delaware was laid be-
fore the senate today by, senator
Reed Of Missouri In urging the mas.
sage OF his resolutions providing fnr
an investigation Of the election az Sen.
ator Dupont OF Delaware.
Senator Reed insisted if this eyi.
dence were given credence the senate
not only should investigate the 1910
election. but should demand OF the
delaware senator an explanation OF
his action I'm recommending for ap.
pointment to the high ONCE OF United
States marshal a man whom he knew
TO be engaged In corrupt practices
deem this to be my solemn duty"
said the senator 'and shall be glad II
thorough investigation results in
completely exculpating the senator
from Delaware.
The disclosures made by the wit.
nesses are of such character as to de.
mand further investigation. That In.
yestigation ought to be courted by an
innocent man and any attempt Etu
evade an. investigat tion) may be. irsfly
truth Ne 3s1
'On January ~, 1912, the president
appointed Cornelius r. Swain. II. s.
marshal for the district OF Delaware
and sent that appointment to the SEN
ate for confirmation. With an aIacri-
ty which was astonishing, the appoint
ment was reported to the senate by the
committee and on the day 1t reached
the senate confirmed. Such, at least.
is the newspaper statement.
In some way, citizens OF Delaware
learned OF the fact and protested ia
some member or members OF the SEN
ate with the result that the action OF
approval was rescinded. Thereupon
the matter was re-referred 10 the COM
mittee, and an investigation demanded
by citizens of Delaware, headed by
William Sudbury, was held.
Charges Against Swain.
These citizens charged, that Swain
bore the common and general reputa-
tion Of persistent vote buyer and
election corruptionist in violation of
the laws of the state OF Delaware: (2l
that on Nov. 4, 1910, q meeting was
held in the Office OF Henry "A. Dupont
and T. Coleman Dupont at which be-
tween fifty and sixty thousand dol.
lars was distributed for the purpose OF
corrupting the electorate of the state
and that an additional ten thousand
dollars was to be given out In the Mon
day preceding the Tuesday on which
the election was held; (3) that Swa
took three thousand dollars OF this
money in twenty dollar gold pieces to
Bridgeville; that It was then carried
to Philadelphia and changed into bills
in convenient form; that on election
day an Office was actually opened and
a secretary appointed, who kept a set
of books and the money was actually
paid out in bribes to corrupt the vote
OF that precinct.
Would Air Dupont's Part.
ut will be observed that these
charges relate alone to the fitness OF
Swain to hold the position OF u. S.
marshal The committee, by repeated
rulings, limited the evidence to those
acts Of corruption with which Swain
could be directly connected. BY ex.
press ruling, 1t refused to 60 into the
general scheme OF corruption which
appears to have embraced the state.
Therefore this investigation rep
resents no more than the tracing OF
single thread through web Of In
iquity. The only light thrown upon the
conduct Of others Is where that par
ticular individual came in touch with
Swain.
Swain was. according to the testi-
mony, appointed at the request OF Sen
ator Dupont and II 1t be true that Sen
ator Dupont recommended him for ap-
pointment to the important Office OF
u. S. marshal for the state of Della
ware, man whom he knew to be en-
gagged in corrupt practices relating to
elections, then he gravely offended
against this body by being instrument
al in bringing such an appointee be-
fore the senate for its approval
IT have thus commented on the evi-
dence, assuming It to be true" con.
cluded the senator IF an investiga
ton is had and this evidence is dis
sipated or negatived no man will be
more pleased than myself But the
senate, in view of these startling and
appalling disclosures, cannot afford to
close it's eyes to the plain course oe
duty"