The Washington herald., 1912-02-09
HINES TRIED BRIBE,
SAYS POSTAL GIRL
Willard Hotel Operator Brings
Startling Charge Before the
Lorimer Probers.

situation has been created in the
Lorimer investigation that is likely TO
lead to more startling developments than
anything that has heretofore been dis
closed in this remarkable case. Late yes
terdsy afternoon Postal Telegraph oper-
ator, Miss Helen Margaret Seavers. who
is stationed in the rotunda OF the Will
lard Hotel, was called to the witness
stand and testified that Edward Hines,
the Chicago lumber merchant, whose
name has figured prominently in the
Borimer case, mad offered her money to
induce her to show him telegram that
had been filed with her for transmission
by A. c. Bailey, a Burns detective, who
has been a witness in the Investigation
in Washington.
Miss Seavers is twenty years old. She
gave her testimony in a Straightforward
manner, and made a profound impression
on the committee. This Information has
been in the hands Of the investigating COM
mittee for several days. The members
were not certain as to what Miss Seavers
would testify. but they had been informed
in a general way by tse attorneys for the
committee of what she had stated to
them. in a private interview they had
with her in the presence OF the manager
Of the Postal Telegraph Company.
Miss SeaVers n Witness.
An executive meeting OF the committee
was held in the afternoon and by a dlvid-
ed vote the committee agreed to call
Miss Seavers as a witness. Some mem
bers Of the committee objected to receiv-
ing this testimcn, on the ground that it
was Irrelevant and simply tended to re-
feet on Edward Hines. 1t came out that
the absence Of Senator Gamble from the
committee meeting made II possible for
the members who insisted the testimony
could be admitted TO prevail
Following the testimony Of the tele-
graph operator. the lawyers got into an
angry dispute, and z. G. Hanccy, attor-
ney for Lorimer, charged John II. Mar
ble. counsel for the committee. with false
hood. and declared that Marble would not
say outside of the committee room what
he had stated in the presence of the COM
mittee-
The sensation Of the day came I'm the
afternoon session OF the committee, when
Miss Sewers, the Postal Telegraph op-
orator on duty at the New Willard Hotel,
testified that Mr.. Hines had offered to
put something in her paw il she would
show him a telegram which Mr.. Bailey
had filed with her short time before.
Asked to See Telegram.
The attempted bribery. according to
Miss Seavers, occurred about two weeks
ago. Mr. Bailey had filed a telegram TO
Mr.. Kerr. Shortly after he left the desk
Of ,he telegraph Office Mr.. Hines. Miss
Seavers told the committee, came up and
asked her to show him the telegram.
She replied that she could not, as it was
against the rules. Mr.. Hines, she tssti-
in
refused his request, he went away, tell
ing her Ito think 1t over and he would
be back later.
For several days whisperings have been
heard about the committee room that the
anti-Lorimer people had something up
their sleeve that they expected to spring.
Miss Seavers and her story about tine
attempt at bribery was that some
thing"
Before Miss Seavers took the stand
the committee heard Miss Kathleen
Francisco LawIer. an assistant clerk to
the committee, on details OF the case Of
Milton Blumenburg who charged J. E.
Sheridan, a stenographer with taxing
his notes Miss LAWYERS testimony was
offered mainly to strGighten out the rec
ord on the Blumsnburg case.
Edward Hines, who will probably take
the witness stand to-day, last night made
the following statement by way of COM
ihehI on the testimony OF Miss SeaYers:
"A Eoung girl in a telegraph Office has
been induced by Burns detectives to say
that 1 tried to induce her to let me see
telegram sent by one OF Burns detec-
tives to another OF his men concerning
the present investigation. She says that
when asked to see the telegram had
a bill in my hand, and she pretended to
think l was Offering II to her IL could
see the telegram.
NJ afW EFynG H1.- IL
offer the girl money or other inducement
TO see the telegram, and had no money
OF any kind in my hand at the time
The whole story is an absurd fabrication,
concOcted by the Burns detectives"