Standard Oil Company; Trusts, Industrial -- United States
That two members of the Legislature who had been elected as
anti-monopolists became supporters of Mr. Payne, and were heard
discussing together the amount of money they had received, and
quarrelling because one had received more than the other.
That a member of the Legislature which was corrupted, standing on the
floor of the Ohio House of Representatives, pointed out members who
had been purchased to vote for Payne, saying: "These members were paid
to vote in the senatorial fight," holding a little book in his hand in
which he had the names and amounts; but although he made the charges
openly and defiantly, and although the same charges were made in
Republican and Democratic papers, no investigation was ordered. Three
attempts to have an investigation made by the Legislature in which the
bribery occurred failed.
That a correspondent of a leading Cincinnati daily, sitting on the
floor of the House, daily charged that the election was procured by
bribery, talked about it generally, and dared the House to investigate
or the accused to sue for libel, and that no such step was taken by
either.
That a memorandum of the names of the legislators who sold themselves,
and the amounts they received, had been furnished from a responsible
source.
That on the eve of the election money was sent by draft to twenty-four
of the Democratic candidates for the Legislature, with the promise
of more the next day, and with the statement that thanks for both
remittances were due to one of the prominent members of the oil trust,
who was named, and two others of Payne's managers, "they paying most
of it themselves."
That before the election of the Legislature one of the Payne managers
sent large sums of money amounting to $10,000, or $12,000, perhaps
$13,500--the treasurer of the oil trust "and other wealthy Democrats
contributed it-- ... into different parts of the State."
That the managers of the election absented themselves from the State
during the legislative investigation, and remained out of reach until
it closed.
That during the two and a half years which had passed since these
specific charges of bribery had been put into circulation, there had
been no demand for investigation on the part of those whose reputation
and honor were concerned, but there had been a manifest effort to
prevent investigation.
That in addition to these offers of evidence the case against Mr. Payne
would be greatly strengthened by new and additional testimony from
responsible sources.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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