The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-08-22
'FL|NN SAYS He MADE
A PRETTY GOOD GUESS
Answers Penrose Speech About
His Cipher Correspondence
With ArchbOld.
WANTED THE SENATORSH1P
Van Valkenburg Says PenrOse
Charge Refers to One Of 40
Flimsey Suits.

PHliADELPHiA, Aug. 21.-FOrnner state
Senator William Finn Of Pittsburg and
r. A. Van Falkenburg. the editor politi-
clan OF Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania
State leaders of the Progressive party
were in conference nearly all day to-da Y
awaiting the statement OF Senator Pen
iose on the floor Of the Senate. Late
tonight Flinn Issued a statement In
which he answered Senator Penrosc
Van Valkenburg refused to make an
swer.
In his statement Senator Penrose ac-
cused Senator Finn with offering 81,
100000 or twice that amount to Senator
Penrose and the late Israel Durham, the
chief Quay lieutenant, II they would
send him to the Senate TO all the place
made vacant by the death OF Senator
Quay. He also declared that Van VAL
kenburg was charged with bribery in
1896 and only escaped from the charge
by settling the costs for something like
$4,000 on the day before the case
against him was TO have been called
for trial.
The latter Incident took place while
Van Valkenburg was the campaign
manager for John Wanamaker when he
asplred to the position OF United States
Senator. In the statement issued to-
night Finn says:
THE newspaper reports OF Senator
Penroses confession OF faith and other
things has been read TO me and In It he
makes two references to my alleged ef-
forts TO obtain an appointment to the
United States Senate - successor to
Senator Quay.
First. As l understand 1t he alleges
that sought the support OF John d..
Archbold to the appointment and what
purports to be an exchange OF tele-
grams between Archbold and myself.
When the Senatorial vacancy oc-
Cured in 1904. a practically solid Re-
publican delegation In the Assembly
from Allegheny county and the large
majority from Western Pennsylvania
favored my selection to succeed Quay.
"Penrose was in favor Of oliver. He
was not allowed to name his man. for
the appointment Of Knox was decided
upon at a conference held in the offices
Of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Philadel-
phia, by President A. J. Cassatt, Henry
J. Frick and ex-senator Don Cameron.
The latter two were representing the
corporations b this State and the big
interests in New YORK.
Under the old system in Pennsyl-
vania no Senator has been chosen from
this State without the o. X. Of Standard
Oil and the Pennsylvania Railroad. n
the kilograms which Penrose read in
the Senate are genuine they showed
that made a pretty good guess as to
who would dictate the appointment to
succeed Quay. and also that Archbod
and his associates were opposed 10 me,
Notwithstanding the practically solid
backing Of the section of the State
which was conceded to be entitled to
tho Senatorship.> The fact that the
selection was made and forced on PEN
rose demonstrates that ne was then, as
now. under the domination OF Archbold
and the interests which turned down
my appointment.
Second Penrose alleges that offered
81 100000 or 100000 to him and TO
Israel W. Durham, the latter now being
dead and unable to testify. to favor my
appointment to the Senate. Taken in
connection with my purported telegram
TO Archbold the Penrose allegation dis
proves Itself from several angles
"FYrst-lf Penrose could have sold
the Senatorship for such a sum his rec
ord as corrnptionist is sufficient evil
dence that he would have taken the
money and delivered the goods
"Second-The appointment OF Knox
at the dictation OF Archbold. Frick,
Cameron and Cassatt proves that PEN
rose did not have the Senatorshtp in his
hands to dispose Of.
Third. The very allegation that I
solicited Archbold's support and re-
Quested the Standard OIL chief to give
orders to his man Penrose In my be-
half indicates that I was wise enough
TO know how Penrose could be con-
trolled without the necessity Of buying
him.
LAS a matter OF fact I never asked
either Penrose or Durham to support
me for Senator. ! never even discussed
the matter with them. They were my
personal and political enemies with
whom ! had had no contact nor reia-
tions since 1896.
Senator Penrose caught redha nded
with Standard OH money evidently made
his statement in reference to me for the
combined purpose of mixing the waters
like cuttlefish that he might withdraw
himself from the public gaze and to pro-
woke the only possible retort which can
characterize a man making such a
statement.
II do not propose to lend myself to
his plan. But there may be a way In
which he can be withdrawn from his
shield OF personal privilege In the United
States Senate. If so he VIII have an
opportunity to add a perjured soul to
the other chief characteristics which
disclose Penrose to the American peo-
plea black heart and corrupt hands"
f. A. Van Valkenburg at midnight
changed his mind about replying to SEN
ator Penrose and, after first submitting
1t to his attorney, issued a statement as
follows:
Senator Penrose's reference to me con-
Germs one OF thirty or forty suits which
he and his cocorruptionists of PennsyI.
vania have brought against me during the
last hfteen years, not one of which has
yet been brought to trial.
tried unsucessfully to force the
schuylkill case to an early trial. Before
the politicians saw At to give me a trial
their tool, who swore out the warrants
AGAINST me. was sent &c Sing Sing for f,ve
years for perjury. He was a detective
by the name OF Gibson and his arrest and
their tool. wwho swore out the warrants
Shrady divorce case In New York city.
Gibson was vital witness In the
Schuylkill county proceedings against me,
The loss OF their chief witness left tho
politicians no alternative than to nolle
pros the case. which they did at the
next term Of the court