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

OF Saturday. February 8. 1918. he arose
early In order 10 go to n train to 20
home. as some of his children we're
SICK: that Mr.. Thomas J Smith. who
boarded at the same house with him
and slept in an adjoining room. called
him into his tSmith.s) room and
showed him a bundle of money. which
he stated had been forced on him the
night before and asked him to- count
u. That he did so and found five TWEEN
~ dcllaT bills. Smith then asked him
70 write Il letter for him. as his eve
sight was poor and the light was bad.
D~eponen' agreed to write the letter.
which was addressed TO Mr.. z. L. 6.
Rhodes. which as near as ne can re-
member, Is as follows
Dear Sir Find enclosed: keep un-
III called FOR. | have been preaching
clean politics for u good many years.
No n could insult me more highly
that To Ofer me n bribs. Tell MIR. Ed
wards | am done with him n do
not want tn be bothered with his
workers any more"
Deponent further says that. after
writing this letter at Mr.. Smiths re-
quest he signed his. tSuith'sD name To
II and dcnonent then placed the money
he had counted in the envelope and
sealed II and addressed n To Mr. :. L.
@ Rhodes. DepOneut then immediate
~ went 10 the station 10 catch his
train. not having time To get his brCa.-
fast.
fast. ,Signedl II G. WILIIANSON.
fgth atidlFits ara attached 10 hy =.
=. Richmond. a Charleston uu.prN.
Late tonight friends OF Colonel
William Seymour Edwards issued the
following statement.
The Burns Detective Agency has
had their operatives in Charleston
since early i'm the session ~ the leg
stature. The first proposal from the
emissary OF Rhodes and syndicate
was made several days before the Leg
islature organized.
None Of the arrested men we're Mr..
Edwards friends. when tbs first bal
lot was taken on February 4th two 81
the men voted for Nr. Edwards with
the money of the Burns ops -~atives IN
their pockets. The rest followed N
turn. but the riLglcade-. Mr.. Rhodes.
did not vote for MT. Edwards until
the day Of the arrests. Nothing could
be done until he had voted. since he
was the kiugpin OF the group. NJ.
Edwards had nothing 20 do with the
matter after Mr.. Townsend, prose
cutting attorney 81 Kanawha county.
put the Barns people on the job. On
Mr.. Edwards part. II was no betrayal
VI Allf nus. lOT AllOtt Hffl were never
VT. Edwards friends. Thoy voted for
him only when they had Burns MONEY
IN their pockets AS a matter Of fact.
Mr.. Edwards did not know who taa
parties were whose votes Mr.. Rhodes
undertook 10 dpiycr. T. was purely
an effort On Mr. Edwards part 20
eliminate she corruption The Burns
people could Just a. we'll have bought
those votes for any other candidate.
lut ih7' would not have been fair
play Let II be- we'll understood that
Alr. Edwards had nothing ~hutsCever
10 do with the offer OF money 20 the
legislators Whatever was done. vas
tone under the authority and diroc-
tion ~ The prosecuting attorney Of
kanaWha county AMI the allegation
that Mr.. Edwards trapped members
by OGcring moncv IS untrue and "a ma
ilCiOrs falsphogd. Mr.. Edwards al
rot know who wcrc involved ia tho
bribcries. other than Mr. Ehodes. and
vh'u the arrests We're made he wa5
not 90 the I-raVua hotel nor had he
been there the hole day. being on
gagged Bro important business tr1usac-
tons It his Office Mr. Edwards has
uuf sought. NOV has he dpeiraI Co
make political capital out ~ o.. OBJ,
curreuo~ Uc has simply Joined ui.h
other right minded cifilsla % an o.
'ot fJ c.ii1 Ilte Legislative cOrrup
ton
rn" iD-isiI'itc inquiry 'n', he
bribery scandal WE'D not. s'a-t uutg
after the rand 'ry reports.
4 Joint committee vlF appointed bs
President Woods 81 %. rcnstc ARD
Speaker G.Drr. to-day. composed Of
Sona-ors farel1u end Hcod and Dele.
yates johnson. Robinron sud Sutton
Ii iepuh.icfre Wyron. ElsUu and
IsIDutI. Democrats. refused 20 Servo