New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-16
Accused Lawmakers First Act
After Exoneration Is to
Telephone Wife-Uncer-
tain if He'll Prose-
cute Kendall.
GOLDEN RULE" HIS PLEA
Tearfuly He Beseeches Confreres to
Lay Aside Political Bias-Words
Melt Hearers Who the Night
Before Were Ready
for Expulsion.
[By Telegraph to The Tribune.


Albany, April 15.--Fighting des.
perately. Senator Stephen j. Stilwell.
accused of attempted extortion by
George II. Kendall, president of the
New York Bank Note Company.
snatched victory out of defeat to-
night.
In a remarkable defence Of himself
before the Senate which was his judge.
Stilwel so presented the evidence
taken in the inquiry into the charges
that the Senate. which last night was
against him, shifted and registered its
decision that he was guiltless Of Off +
cial misconduct. The vote which ex-
onerated him was 2S to u. Ten Of the
fifteen members of the Judiciary Com
mittee which heard the testimony voted
to sustain the charges.
The vote follows:
Against Sustaining the Charges
Senators BoyIan, Carroll, Cullen. Du-
hameI, Fitzgerald, FrawIey, Griffin,
HeaIy, i1effernan, Herrick, McClelIand,
MaIore, O'ke.fe, Patten, Peckhan,,
Ramsperser, sanner, seeIey Sullivan,
Tcrbera, Wende, White, Democrats; .
sussey, Coates, Emerson. Godfrey,
Ormrod, Palmer, RepubIioans-2e.
In Favor OF Sustaining the Charges
Senators BIauvelt, Carswell. Foley,
Mcknight, Murtaueh Pollock, Nelte.
Wsqn.r, Wheeler, Democrats; Arget-
SINGER. Brown, Heaeock. Hewitt, Sage,
Stavers, Thomas, Thompson, Walters.
Whitney. Wilson. Republicans; Salans,
Progressively.
Stilwell Immediately broke through
the ring of applauding, shoulder-pat-
ting Senators and politicians who sur
rounded him and rushed to A telephone
10 tell his wife the good news. AS he
came out of the telephone booth he
wiped great drops Of perspiration
from his forehead and dabbed tear
or two from his eyes.
"My God, l hope none of you VIII
ever have to go through what I've
had TO go through in the last two
weeks" he said TO the people around
him.
What am | going 10 do about thisE'
he went on. "Why, I'm going 10 Try
TO get my breath. It's too early to
say whether I'll prosecute Kendall, or
what action | will take. | want to
get some rest
Not since the day when Otto Foelker,
al the point of death, was carried into
the Senate chamber to cast the deciding
vote for the Hughes anti-ractrack
gambling bill, has there been so grip
ping. so thrilling a scene in the Senate
chamber as that tonight, when Stilweli
made his appeal TO his fellows VINO
were his judges.
Makes Game Fight.
Stilwell knew what conviction meant
as we'll as they-complete and utter
ruin. He knew the Senate at that mo-
ment was against him. He knew tho
spectators who thronged the senate
chamber. almost crowded Senators out
Of their seats and filled the galleries.
were there with much the same motive
as the spectators at bullfight. APP
parentIy the odds against him only
stirred him 10 harder fighting.
He was determined not TO yield until
everv vote was cast He had sat with
a half cynical smile on his race wniie
he heard the Attorney General Of the
State declare in summing up the evi-
dence Of The case that he was guilty OF
official misconduct.
He had listened TO Mr.. Carmody as
he analyzed the evidence taken by the
Senate Judiciary Committee and pieced
il together in quiet, convincing fash
ion 10 show that Kendall and his asso-
ciates. no matter what their character
and motives, had substantiated their
charges against the Senator from The
Bronx.
He had listened with an occasional
show of impatience, while his own law
yers, Edgar NJ. Wilson and William I.
Byrne. had raved and ranted. calling
his accuser, Kendall. lunatic, knave.
a scoundrel, a blackmailer. He had
even heard them by inference accuse
Senators of voting for political expedi-
ence to expel the defendant.
Won't Step into Grave
His face twisted into wry smile
when Wilson said the word had gone
forth that the victims grave had been
dug. The victim. however, made IT
quite evident that he did not intend TO
lower himself into it. Instead. he de-
manded. when all the proceedings were
over the privilege of making his own
defence. and insisting on it until the
Senate granted it.
Senator Stilwell began his speech In
his own defence after long recess OF