[Newspaper]
Publication: The Muncie Daily News
Muncie, IN, United States
vol. 12, no. 242, p. 1, col. 2-3
All the Evidence In.
The Ballot-Box Investigation
Brought to an End.
SEVERAL WITNESSES TESTIFY.
Nothing Very Startling Disclosed —
Governor Foraker Takes the Stand and
Accuses Wood of Testifying to Seventy-
Nine Falsehoods —The Committee
Adjourns subject to a Call from the
Chairman.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. — The first witness examined before the house ballot-box committee yesterday was O. B. Brown, of Dayton, O., who stated in answer to questions by Governor Foraker, that on behalf of the board of elections of Dayton he had gone to Cincinnati, before the election, to procure ballot-boxes. He did not see Wood, but Mrs. Wood had told him to telegraph T. C. Campbell, in New York. Witness did not order the boxes.
Charles J. Pryor of Cincinnati, one of Governor Foraker's private secretaries, testified that he had given $200 to Wood at Governor Forakers request on Oct. 8, 1889. He had seen Mr. Hadden the same day and Mr. Hadden had told him that he had seen the forged document. This was some days before the retraction.
At Governor Foraker's request Gen. Grosvenor was sworn. In answer to Governor Foraker the witness said he had no objection to the publication in the record of a letter written by himself from which Mr. Halstead had read extracts while on the stand. Gen. Grosvenor then read the letter. It is stated that the writer, Gen. Grosvenor, had made up his mind at the beginning of the campaign to contribute more votes to Foraker than any other man, and that no man was more anxious to help Foraker than he. The writer promised to make it more agreeable for Foraker and more disagreeable tor “the crowd that surrounds Campbell." The letter also stated that if Mr. Campbell had not introduced the bill a very distinguished Ohio Republican would have introduced it. In a postscript it was stated that Mr. Jennings, editor of The Athens, O., Messenger, had told the writer that Campbell had $5,000 in the ballot-box scheme.
"If this is so said Governor Foraker, the scheme is a corrupt one."
In answer to a question from Governor Foraker as to who was referred to as a distinguished Ohio Republican the witness replied, "That's me," causing a laugh. The witness had used the title jokingly just as Mr. Halstead called himself "an able editor."
The witness said that in his reference in the letter to the Republicans with whom he had talked and who were afraid to support the measure openly, he did not mean Republican members of congress, but Ohio Republicans. He had no particular person in mind when he wrote the sentence.
Governor Foraker asked the witness if he remembered getting a dispatch in October, reading: "Trust in me, Charley, and I will stand by you."
"From whom?" asked the witness.
"Never mind whom," said Governor Foraker.
"No sir," was the reply, "I have no recollection of anything of the sort. It is not a very fair way to treat a witness, either. If you have any information you should say who from, I think you got your information from some constitional [sic] consitutional liar."
"I got my information from you," said the governor.
Charlie L. Kurtz, private secretary to Governor Foraker, was the next witness. He was questioned by Governor Foraker concerning a conversation in the governor’s office Sept. 30, 1889, with Col. A. C. Sands. the discussion concerned the speech delivered by the governor about the ballot-box matter. Governor Foraker heard part of the conversation, which was of a apprising nature. The conversation of Col. Sands impressed the witness with the belief that there was something behind the ballot-box matter. In substance, Col. Sands said there was a contract behind the bill; he had been called to Washington in connection with it, and James E. Campbell had gone to see the president in relation to the bill. The escort with the president was to get certain Democratic leaders to abandon the discussion of the tariff long enough to pass the ballot-box bill. Leading politicians and members of congress, Col. Sands had said, had signed the contract for supplying the boxes, and were, to use Col. Sands' expression, "At the top round of Ohio politics."
Mr. Kurtz admitted that it was part of Col. Sands' business to be lobbying about congress.
"Col. Sands becomes an important factor in this business.'' said Mr. Turner.
In a subsequent conversation Col. Sands had told witness not to tell about the conversation of Sept. 20 if called on by the committee to do so.
When the witness had given the forged paper to Amor Smith to take to to Halstead, Mr. Smith had gone to the house of the witness and got a revolver. Mr. Smith thought the document an important one, and felt that his life was not secure in the possession of such a paper.
Governor Foraker took the stand at the conclusion of Mr. Kurtz’s testimony to make a statement in regard to some matters that had created in his mind a belief in the genuineness of the forged paper. Governor Foraker said that Senator McPherson in his testimony had used the word "conspirator" with seeming reference to himself. He objected to the senator's intimation that the witness had been remiss in not making greater efforts to ascertain whether the ballot-box paper was genuine. He had received his first information about the paper from Mr. Hadden, in whom he had entire confidence. He had made every endeavor to avoid using the names of Messrs. McKinley, Butterworth and others in connection with the information given him by Mr. Hadden. He had not omitted their names out of consideration for himself, but out of consideration for them. Wood had never used any words that would put the witness on his guard. No man was more particular than he was as to what he said in regard to Maj. Butterworth. He respected him and no man living ever heard witness say an unkind word about him. He had been honest in his political dealings and was somewhat sensitive to criticism about them. When he first heard of charges against Wood's character he had telegraphed Wood to withdraw.
"I never got it," said Wood, who was sitting near by.
"I am not having any controversy with you," said the governor. "The record shows that you did."
Governor Foraker detailed what he had already testified to as to how he had been imposed on by Wood. He had been severely criticised by newspapers and persons for complicity in the matter, on the statement of a notorious scoundrel, forger and perjurer, as he would show subsequently. The moment he had found out that Wood was a forger he had thrown him overboard. He had marked in the printed record of Wood's testimony the falsehoods told by him. He had counted them up, and there were just seventy nine — all unqualified, unreasonable falsehoods.
Mr. Hadden asked the witness if he had told Mr. Halstead about Hr. Hadden's connection with the matter.
"No sir," was the reply.
In answer to another question the witness said that Mr. Hall, of the Hall Manufacturing company, had told him that some of the biggest men in Washington were interested in the ballot-box bill.
In conclusion Governor Foraker said: "I will think to the day of my death that behind this there was some sort of paper but I don’t want any man to imagine that any name which is on this paper was on that." He did not believe that Wood could have evolved the scheme out of his own mind. He based this belief on the adroit manner in which the contract was drawn and because of the collateral certificate attached and on account of statements made to him. If Wood did not get up the paper there was somebody behind him.
Mr. Hadden wanted to know if the witness thought he was that somebody behind Wood.
"No, sir," said the governor; emphatically, "not at all. I know you had nothing to do with it."
Wook [sic] Wood took the stand when Gov. Foraker had concluded and said he desired to make a statement. Mr. Hadden, had told him, he stated, that there were congressmen interested in the contract. Why didn't Mr. Hadden come forward and tell the names of the congressmen? What he did, was for Governor Foraker and Mr. Hadden. It was these insinuations that were making all the trouble. Wood became much excited at this point and exclaimed: "I don't want this case to close with both parties thinking I have pit up a job on them. The whole thing originated with that man, pointing to Mr. Hadden. It was business with me. If there was $5,000 down here I wanted my part of it, I never knew of any paper except what you, to Governor Foraker, impressed me with, and l thought you and Hadden knew what you were talking about."
Then reverentially raising his right hand above his head. Wood exclaimed in a loud tone: "As there's a God in heaven, I never saw the paper."
Turning to Mr. Hadden again and shaking his hand toward him, Wood said: "It was you that told me about a congressman being interested in the paper. Hadden said that the governor wanted a bluff to bluff Ben Butterworth and said he wanted the paper for a bluffer." There was nothing new brought out in Wood’s testimony.
Governor Foraker and Mr. Hadden both denied the statement made by Wood. This brought out from Wood the retort: "Why don't you say you never saw me before. That’s the way to put it."
After some consultation by the committee it was concluded to adjourn to the call of the chairman. The case is practically closed and the witnesses, including Governor Foraker, have been discharged.
