The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-12-31
I.lB5]eIated Report
Made Public!
WEsTVIRGINIAsOIDNs WH0svI0s
LATED Law
ED FOR EXPULSION.

ED FOR EXPULSION.
CHARLESTON, e. Va, Dec. 3l.-
That members OF the west Virginia
legislature are guiltyo Of accepting
brides In connection with the elee'
ion OF a United States Senator AZ
The regular session held In January
and February, 1918, and should b.
expelled from membership therein
Is the finding of a special Joint conf
mitteel Of the two houses Of the les.
tslature appointed to inquire into the
charges Of bribery made by Prose
cutting Attorney Thomas G. Town
send, Of Kanawla county, who was
assisted by Burns detectives.
One member Of the state senat'i
and six members Of the house of del
egates were indicted by u grandiury
IN Kanawha county Intermediate
court last February on a charge OF
accepting brides to vote for William
Seymour Edwards, Of Charleston, for
United States senator TO succeed
Clarence W. Watson.
Five Of those under Indictment
Lave since been tried, convicted and
sentenced to terms in the state peni-
Tertiary. Indictments against two
members are pending and the special
committees report is not made pub
lie concerning these two.
Those whom the committee finds
guilty Of accepting brides and whose
expulsion is recommended are state
Senator Ben A. Smith Of Roane copn-
", Delegate S. U. G. RHODES Of Min
go county, Delegate Rath DuT OF
Jackson county, Delegate II. F. As
busy Of Putnam county, and Delegate
David Hill Of Mason county.
Indictments are pending against
Delegates George S. Van Meter, OF
Grant county, and Thomas ]. SMITH
OF Doddridgc county.
Findings Of Committee:
The committee finds that senator
Smith did Knowingly, GcloniOusly
and corruptly receive" from Biddin-
ger $4,000 for giving his vote to I'D
wards; that Delegate Rhodes demand
cd and received $G.350 for the same;
that Rath Dun demanded and re-
ceived $3.50: that Delegate Asbury
received $4,000; and that Delegate
Hill received $2,1S0.
The indictments against Delegates
vanMeter and Smith Charge that
they accepted $3.50 and 500 respec-
lively to vote for Edwards, but no in
t1mation as to the committees find
:pes in their case was given out.
The report gives a large measure
Of attention to contradictory testt'
mony" Of witnesses appearing before
IT. Some Of these statements are
branded as "frreconcilablc'' and thu
KanawEa county grand jury is asked
to investigate them fully with a view
10 prosecuting possible perjury.
One of the most noted Of these IS
cited as occurring in the testimony Of
Frank A, Smith, Of Charleston, ant
n. NJ. Grant, of Morgantown. Smith
IS secretary aud treasurer to Edwards
while Grant is one Of the Bull Moose
leaders Of the state, especially IN
the Second Congressional district,
where he resides. In the long llst Oh
political expenditures filed with the
committee by Smith, appears cheeks
issued in January, 1918, to Grant az
gregating $500, part at leasaa>oi
which was for political purposes II
connection with the candidacy 81.
William Seymour Edwards" Copies
of tic checks are filed and the oris
inals are in the hands Of the commit
tec. The report says that Grant ties
tilted positively that he received nc
money or other thing OF value W
1ectly or Indirectly, in connection
with the William Seymour EDWARDS
candidacy"
Serious Discrepancy.
Another discrepancy pointed OUT
by the report is in the testimony q
Charles ". Swisher and Z. T.. Jarrett.
az Charleston. az. T. Jarrett testi,
ncd." says the report, that he was
not employed by Isaac"r. Mann, or by
any one for him, i'll his campaign for
The United States senatorshtp. while
c. w. Swlshcr testified that lie en-
pIoyed Mr.. Jarrett, on behalf Of NJ
Mann, at the sum Of 800 per month
to work in the interest Of MIR. Mann's
candidacy"
The report says William Shoemak-
or of Charleston testified he was noe
employed about tile Edwards head
quarters and received no compensa-
ton for his services while there'
While Smiths testimony shows THAI
he issued a check for SIS to shoe.
maker and gave him small sums OF
money besides.