Arizona republican., 1920-08-20
Forty-Seven Members Sign Pledge to Vote to Recon sider Ratification Vote in Tennessee Assembly
BRIBERY CHARGE TO
 BE PROBED BY JURY
Nashville Papers Publish Affidavits Charging Suf- fragists Offered Bribe to State Representative
TRepublican A. Q. Leased wIre1

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Aug. 19-F'orty- seven members of the Tennessee house have signed a pledge to vote to recon sider ratification of suffrage, Speaker Seth Walker declared tonight, speak ing at mass meeting called by those opposed to suffrage. Others will sign the pledge tonight and tomorrow, he said. declaring that the ratification vote would be reconsidered.
 Mr. Walker was leader of the anti suffrage forces in the fight in the house and changed his vote to 'aye'' to move for reconsideration
 Failure of anti-suffrage leaders to attempt to force the Tennessee house to reconsider it's action of yesterday in ratifying suffrage was overshadowed in interest by the launching of a county grand jury investigation into charges that improper influences have been brought to bear on members of the legislature in consideration of the measure.
 Publication by the Nashville Tennes- seean and the Nashville Banner of two affidavits attributed to c. C. Wallace, judge of the city court of Iewisburg, Tenn, and F. E. Murray of Nashville. alleging that an attempt had been made by suffrage leader to bribe Repre-
 
 was a feature of the developments.
 Charge Bribe Offered
 The grand jury. charged by Judge J. D. B. Debow of the Davidson criminal court before noon. had summoned J. T. Eichelberger of Washington, D. C., q publicity man in charge of headquarters here of the standardization forces.
 Judge Debow's chai ge was directed at alleged special interests which it has been charged have representatives here working against ratification
 'sIt has been reported by some of the friends and advocates supporting the ratification" he told the judge, that forces of corruption and representatives of special interests have come into this state from beyond our borders and that lobbyists have been and are in this city invading and infesting the rooms of our state capitol and the Hobbies and public assembling places in our hotels, and other places in our county"
 The court instructed the jury to re- turn indictments promptly if an inves- tigation developed that the laws relat- ing to lobbying had been violated.
 Suffrage Carried By One Vote
 Charges of the attempted bribery of Representative Burn were not awarded seriously by suffrage leaders and many -ratificationists said their views were similar. MT. Burn was recorded as voting with the suffrage opponents on both roll calls on a motion to table ratification which was lost on a tie vote and later cast his vote for the amend ment. One vote decided the issue fol suffrage. The affidavits charged that he was approached during the interva between the vote on the motion to tabfs and the vote to concur with the senate in ratifying the amendment.
 Representative J. Hanover alleged 1T the affidavit attributed to Murray a, having told Burn that if he would vos, for ratification he would be gfver ''anything in the world he wanted'' anC that cit would be worth s10, 000 to him. characterized the charge as mo nor' than a clumsy effort to blackmail O embarrass friends and supporters o the rights of our women" MT. Han over said his conversation was confined to an appeal to Burn to vote for suf frage.
 Major c. l.. Daughtry. secretary f Governor Roberts, named in both diff davits as urging with Hanover tha Burn vote for ratification, declares Hanover did not intimate to Burn h would be paid any amount of none, or that he would be given any othe consideration.
 The house adjourned until tomorrow without reference to suffrage. Speake Walker has one day more in which t move for reconsideration