The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-02-12

VIM ocudy me people. tnan even TO
be elected by such means to the sen
ate of the United States"
That prominent political personages
WI be summoned to appear before
The grand jury to give information Is
assured. The scope OF the inves;i-
gation has been wide. and the details
are known only to the Kanawha
county prosecutor. The prosecutor
stated tonight that the grand Jury
may not be called before next week.
Townsend Talks.
Prosecuting Attorney Townsend
made a statement tonight hat he
will probe the charges OF bribery and
corruption to the very bottomi In
the statement he said:
Early in the present session OF the
legislature I was reliably informed
tina attempts al bribery were being
made in behalf OF candidates for the
United States Senatorship. A friend
OF Col. William Seymour Edwards.
one OF the candidates for the Office OF
United States Senator, informed me
that one OF his supporters had been
approached by a member OF the legis-
ture with a proposition to deliver to
him (Col. Edwards) some of the mem
bers Of the legislature for a large
sum OF money. exceeding 1000.
Under the laws OF West Virginia the
prosecuting attorney has no available
funds to employ detectives. but the
friends OF Col. Edwards. with his ap-
proval. generously offered TO contrib
ute the necessary moneys with which
to employ detectives to make a thor
ough investigation Of these charges.
The William j. Burns National Detec-
tive Agency was employed and the In
v~estigation Immediately commenced.
The detectives were located at the
leading hotels and other places in the
city. and through these I have been
enabled to secure considerable evil
dence that these charges were we'll
founded. Upon the evidence pro-
cured I have to-day ordered the arrest
OF several members OF the legisla-
ture.
shall ask Judge Black TO immed-
lately impanel a grand Jury so that /
may submit to IL the evidence | have
against the members arrested today
as we'll az much other Evidence grow
ing | likewise have in my possession.
i shall have nothing further to say
as n result OF this investigation ex-
cept that l shall push every possible
means to probe these charges to the
bottom, and TO do my duty in en-
forcing the law against those who are
willing TO sell their votes.
Senator b.. A. Smith, one OF the
men arrested today is a member OF the
state senate. He was elected in 1916.
and was one OF the four Republicans
elected TO membership in the state
senate that'year. He is a practicing
physician. and formerly served in the
house OF delegates. His record in the
legislature has been consistently clean
and he has been described as one of
the progressive senators OF the upper
branch OF the legislature. He is a
cousin OF Delegate Rhodes who Is
termed by the authorities as the Bell
wether boodler. is a native OF Jack
son county. He was county superin-
tendent OF schools OF that county
prior TO his removal to Mingo county.
where he has just closed a term as
prosecuting attorney Of that county.
That Rhodes had corralled a bunch
OF votes in the legislature and was
holding them for an enormous price
was common gossip in the hotel lob
bies since the beginning OF the sen
atorial contest.
Delegate Rath Duff. of Jackson
county. is a member Of a family upon
which tragedy has laid aheavy hand.
Three brothers OF DUFF were lynched
in Jackson county several years ago.
when they were charged With the
robbery ard murder OF a preacher
named Riley. One OF the brothers
was hanged. another was shot and a
third was stabbed TO death when an
effort was being made 20 hang him.
Dun Is a country school teacher who
had worked out a system to beat
Burns, but he discarded the system.
TT T. J. Asbury. the Putnam county
delegate. sought an election To- III.
legislature last fall for vindiCation. 10
was charged by MIS- political enemies
that hts vote In the legislature had
been sold In a senatorial contest sew
cral years ago wn'n "a senator was
chosen 10y n vote. Or. Asburv as
serted his Innocence and last Novem-
Der WAS reelected To- the legislature
On b fusion ~ the Bull Moose and
Republicans. The rumors for weeks
that Burns operatives wer. going over
the state and were croWdtng the no.
tells and other places 81 resort and en-
III ' ~ NfENNNs Nin income
go common that the public had lost
Interest IN them. The politicians and
memhets 81 thu Legislature had aiso
become so accustomed to these stories
that they had been put un their guard.
This elimination % the rumors. has
struck terror 10 tho hearts - many
persons. for thev now remember that
smooth detectives have had ample
time and opportunity 20 probe secrets
of various sorts. This me Burns
men state g. truth. Further dis
closures promise go bee even more
startling. several women operatives
have been here with the other detcc-
tiNes
Or. AsbUry Talks.
Dr Asbury Is the only one Of the
accused men who consented 10 make
a statement tonight He denies he il
guilty. and claims "A trick has been
PLAYED uDOn him by a political traitor.
adding that though he has voted for
Edwards consistently since the ballos
ing BEGAN. ia tho face Of the DAYS
Developments no feels fully justified
In leaving him. lie said To whom
10 NAV concern I came 60 Charleston
an Edwards man and voted Tor him
ON every ballot. and to-day. on being
sent for 90 the Kanawha hotel. that
Mr. Edwards wanted 90 see me.
was ushered into his room and ar