Men of Wealth (1944) - Ludwig von Mises Institute

414 MEN OF WEALTH
replies to the crowds, laying on his opponents with ungloved hands.
He succeeded in getting a safe Republican majority elected to the
Ohio legislature and when that body assembled he had no opponent.
But a hostile coalition soon appeared. The Democrats agreed to support
a Republican to defeat Hanna. The Republican insurgents and
Democrats settled on Mayor McKisson of Cleveland and a riotous
contest soon developed.
Wild excitement reigned in Columbus. The opposing factions
provided bodyguards to protect weak-kneed followers from seizure.
One Hanna legislator was kidnaped and locked in McKisson headquarters,
until Hanna men recaptured him and spirited him back to
their own camp where he was put under lock and key. When the
final decisive vote was due Hanna had a majority of one. One backslider
could upset everything. His supporters were marched to the
legislature under guard. Armed men patrolled every entrance. Then
came the bombshell. J. C. Otis, a silver Republican, rose in the
House and charged that a man named Shayne, in the presence of
Otis' counsel, had offered him a bribe of $1750 if he would vote for
Hanna and Otis electrified the House by producing the $1750.
This produced a sensation but did not prevent Hanna's election.
The House named a committee to investigate. Its members, save
one, were unfriendly to Hanna. But that lofty gentleman refused to
offer any testimony.
The committee heard a number of witnesses, reported their findings,
and the House voted to send the testimony and report to the
United States Senate with a demand for an investigation. The Senate
received the demand, sent it to a committee, and that body, over
a minority protest, reported unfavorably on an investigation. Both
majority and minority conceded that Otis' charge seemed to be sustained.
But the majority insisted this did not cloud Hanna's title.
The testimony submitted to the Senate is still extant and no fairminded
man can read it without admitting it establishes at least a
prima-facie case justifying further inquiry. Hanna's contention that
Shayne, a New York furrier, unknown to his supporters, traveled
all the way to Columbus without any interest in the election save