Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-30
Excerpts OF the
StillWell Graft
Charges Read.

New York, Oct. 29.-John "A. Hen
messy, personal graft investigator for
FORMER Governor Sulzer, Tuesday
night, read excerpts from his copy of
the interview he had in Sing Sing
prison with Former Senator Stephen j.
Stilwell, who is serving a sentence
there for bribery. That he did not
read disclosures he had primised TO
make was due, he said, to a statement
accredited to Stilwell, Tuesday that
this interview was confidential.
Hennessy read enough, however, to
interest his auditors. They listened
attentively to Stilwell's account OF
how he came to be exonerated by the
Senate, where he was first tried on
the bribery charge. According to Hen
messy, Stilwell said he had swung sew
eral senators to his side by demand
ing that they stick to him. He Of
fered TO use the same kind of persua-
sion to prevent Gov. Suffers convic-
ton by the Senate, Hennessy said,
and guaranteed it would be successful
if his conditions were accepted by
Hennessy and the Governor.
Hennessy began by explaining that
he went to Sing Sing prison to sec
StiiweH with a proposition from the
then Governor Sulzer that Stiiweii
would be given an unconditional par
don if he would turn his knowledge
of conditions at Albany to public ac-
count-That is-go before District At
torney Whitman in New York and
make his disclosures. These terms.
Hennessey said, Stilwell refused to ac-
cept and that is the reason, he added
that his interview with Stilwell had
never been made public. Stilwell de-
clared that he trusted Hennessy, ac-
cording to the speaker,s but that he
was afraid of Whitman.
Il am afraid that il / ever went
down there and gave this evidence
that Whitman would return me to
Sing Sing while he was trying the
case" Stilwell is reported to have told
Hennessy, who added that Stilwell
continued: IF l ever came back to
this place I would be murdered and
I would rather stay here for % years
than tell the truth and then come
back.
He then said he and Stilwell Kept
at it, Stilwell demanding an uncon-
ditional pardon and then he said TO
me continued Hennessy, Now l nave
told you the name of one senator ana
/ have told you the name of the other
fellow and have told you that l have
the goods on them and there is no
chance for them to escape
Hennessy declared that Stilweli then
said to him: 'Hennessy, if you carry
this out and give me the unconditional
pardon. while 1 won't tell anything OF
those fellows-they are friends of mine
1 will put everything against them IN the
form of affidavits, and if you let me out
/ will make them vote for the Governor
just as I made them vote for me-
Hennessy told Stilwell, the former de-
clared, that the Governor could not entel
into any negotiations to assist himself
but that if Stilwell would go down tic
district attorneys Office with me and dc
a real public service to the state by tell
ing what he had told me. and which ne
could prove in respect to one very inn
partant senator and one very important
private citizen, that he would get uncon-
, ditional pardon then irrespective OF
what he might do with tthose other sew
en- senators that he suggested he could
control in the matter of the Governor
trial"
Now, 1 don't want to read much Of
this" Hennessy said, referring to Still
wells interview, but 1 told you about
the fact that he offered to deliver sc
many senators to the Governor.
How many senators at the present
time can you vouch for in good faith,
Hennessy asked Stilwell, he said, an6
Stilwell replied: 1T will be at least six
| it may reach seven. You know wher
| the fight came up they held caucu:
| against me and / had to go after mer
and drive them to the wall.
| And then he mentioned certain
| SENATOR" Hennessy explained. or TINS
senator, Hennessy declared Stilwei
| said: HE told me all about it and thsr
| l went after them
"Then I asked him. Hennseey said
| why he wouldn't deliver these sen
| ators to the district attorney and d'
a service to the state and he said: .
| will not go back on any man that Is
! friend of mine. / won't do IL, put
will go to them and say: Senator. her
| is the situation. / am placed IN tnl'
! position. Now If you will vote for tn
| Governor and save the situation, al
| right; otherwise I am going to conn
| out and tell
| Hennessy concluded by saying the
Governor would not accept TINS ofes
of Stlwell's and that the pardon ne
demanded was never issued. Hennes-
sy declared he did not tell SulZer what
I Stilweu had said about certain SEN
ators.