The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-02-14

AHtl Noulu 20 over 10 dIur.
though Smith s~teadfastly refused 10
consider the proposition and declared
tine afJer time that he could not and
would not vote for Edwards. under
any circumstances.
IL is said tonight that the charges
against Edwards Will be probed by
the grand jury tomorrow.
In~tsnigencer Bureau.
Cherieston. ". va Feb. IL.
sensation followed ssnSion In the
legislative bribery scanGa, today The
arrest on "A charge of attempted brib-
cry Of William Seymour Edwards. the
hanawha county candidate FOR the
United states senate. who had been
In strumental in weaving "A vel OF cir
cumstantial evidence Rbou the five
legislators entrapped by Prosecuting
Burns operatives Tuesday came stimuli
taneously with the announcement az
similar charges made on the floor OF
the house today by Delegate T. !.
Smith Of DoddridgS county. for thirty
years "A minister Of the Church OF
Christ. In a sworn statement. read In
in the house Rev. Smith declared that
he was offered s 1000 To vote for VIII
liam Seymour Edwards. and upon
turning The ofer down Il roll of small
er bills designated as spending
money was thrust upon him. This
money. which amounted 10 800. he
kept over night but returned the next
morning. with a note containing "a
singing insult 10 the men who had at
tempted TO bribc him. His affidavit
supported by the sworn statement Of
<. II. Williamson OF Mercer county
who spent the night in question with
Rev. Smith. has been taken up In the
house and will probably be vigorously
investigated.
The Smith Charge.
The statements are as follows. As
. member of our body ! deem il my
duty. under b. oath. to lay before you
the following facts connected with
the election Of "a United States seua-
tor AZ the present session. On Friday
last. the 9TH OF February. at the meei-
ing OF the joint assembly for the pUr-
pose Of voting upon a United states
senator ] cast my vote for William
Seymour Edwards. NV vote before
that one. TUESDAY. Wednesday and
Thursday. had been cast for Isaac T.
Man. ] east nv vote for Mr.. Edwards
as a compliment M without reward
or promise OF reward therefore UpIr-
ing the course OF the afternoon see-
sion on Friday, after 7 had cast nv
vote. Nr. ; U.G Rhodes. a member a;
the house from MingO county. came 10
me and asked me TO take supper with
him that night. accepted the invita-
ton and upon the adjournment 10 the
house that evening TT about half past
six Or seven O'Clock accompanied Mr..
Rhodes e tine Kanawha hotel. In the
citl o. Charleston. on our way 10 the
hotel. Mr.. Rhodes. among other things.
said 10 me that 10 was a poor man
and that IL had cost him $4,000 TO Sc
cur his Office and that he had 10 have
some moDey aud he asked me II was
2 poor nj to which ! replied that I
had rnnnnuQn in conn nv ne .mrFhnr
20 live.
On arriving ~ his room AZ tho Kama
wha hotel. and after ~" had washed
preparatory 90 goinG 10 dinner. Mr..
Rhodes asked me if : could not con
time TO vote FOR Nj Edwards. 20
which ! replied I could not lie thor
stated that II ] did I could gcf a pres
ont 81 two thousand dollars. that
there would not h. any harm IN y
that ~ would BE- fIst % present ana
that IL would not he selling. ! again
told Mr.. Rhodes ] could not 30 ~. Mr.
Rhodes then took nc into another
room. saying. Lets go On here" On
entering the other room. which was
uclr Mr.. Rhodes room. We found a
man Who was % stranger 90 me and 10
whom Mr.. Rhodes Introduced mo.
using some name ! DO not remember
Mr. Rhodes remarked % the other
.lau. Here ls NJ Smith. and be- is q
man tina; cannot be- bought They
showed me o larRc sum % money
piled up on a table So thr room. tho
quantity 81 which ] am uunLl" to
state. but there must have been GOV
orIl thousand 1olllrs ! replied fD
THIS man that ] could not accept any
money and could nof vote Tor SIR Ed
Eard7. and told thfw tH'to uas ulf
enough money iu o." trItDi State
i0 i4y Wy vote u- "a member
shortly after Fe entered Toe room