The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-04-12

| Ing theml
A. Yes, unless forced to do SO.
2. What were they doing:
A. Playing poker
CRoss-EXAMINATIoN.
Q Do you know whose room it was
A. o, sir.
Q. Were there any beds init
A. One or two. am not positive as
to the number.
Q. What part of the building?
A. think the southwest corner.
q. Did you sec Upton?
| A. I don't know.
Q. Do you know whether he stays in
that room or not?
A. understand he stays in that build
ing-d0n't know IL positively.
q. Do you know there was a poker
room there from the fact that yon went
up there?
A. Yes, sir. And also saw it was
bedroom.
@. WHAT members of the house did
you see theref
A. 1 prefer not to tell. They were
playing poker, and had rather not tell,
and will not unless forced to do so.
w. ii. Burgess being sworn, testitied:
q. Where is your homer
A. At Seguin.
Q. Are you member of the iegisla-
ture?
~. HOJs
q. How long have you been here?
4. l came here Immediately after the
the legislature assembled, and with the
exception of being at home seven or
eight days, have been here all the time.
q You have been warm supporter
of the leasey
a. have, sir.
q. Do you know where Cunningham
had his rooms?
A. In the Brown building.
q, How often have you visited them
A. Almost daily; l have often slept
there.
O. What quantities of whisky and
cigars were used?
A Ihave seen it in bottles and jemi-
johns.
Q. DO you know who paid for 1t?
Q. You took Cunningham and Upton
to be hosts?
A. When they were present.
Q. Who else did you see therey
A. have seen numbers OF gentlemen
there belonging TO the legislature.
&. Did you see cards played there?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What sort of game?
A. Two or three sorts OF games. l
have played poker and seyen-up there
myself.
o. Who did you see play cards?
Witness declined to answer.
q. Do you know where the whisky
and cigars came from?
A. ] have an indirect knowledge; but
submit to the chairman that the ques.
tlOn Is not pertinent.
Another panegyrlc on the virtues of
the penitentiary lessees, at this point by
the witness, and some more war expert.
ence.
q. Is it not a fact that the hospitalities
in whisky and cigars and cards were fur
nished more freely at these rooms than
anywhere else in town?
A. know of two other places where
It was equally as free.
Mr.. Burgess wished to make a state
ment. He said: al object to give names,
because there are several gentlemen who
have played poker there whom l have
heard saw, Il would not have my wife TO
know. that / play--not for anything
There were other gentlemen there who
represent constituencies, with whom it
might be In the way, politically, for them
II the people knew that they played
poker. These are the reasons why / OBJ
ject to name them. 1 don't care who
knows that play poker"
Senator A. W. Houston examined:
q. You have been In favor OF the lease
A. Yes, sir; when came here be-
lieyed majority OF the legislature were
in favor OF the lease. During the session
of the Legislature, however, my discov.
cries led me to believe that the changes
that were made were made TO the oppo.
nents Of the lease. The press all over the
state began fighting the lease after we
came here, and the presumption IL, that
members OF the legislature, before COM
ing, thought that what the board had
done was all right; but when they got
here the press began to oppose the lease,
then IL was that opposition to the lease
began to gain strength. / myself was in
favor of the lease.
q. How did you know that majority
of The members were In favor OF the
iss-did you interview themg
A. No, sir; 1 arrived at my concl usion
beesuse tho lease had been made by Gov.
Roberts and the penitentiary boar d, and
because there had been no opp0sit ion de-
yeloped against IL.
of & In other words you were in favor
A. Yes, sir.
.. Did you know were Cunningham's
rooms wereY
A. have been there.
@. What did you seer
A. 1 have seen both whisky and ci-
CARS 1 have smoked cigars there, and
drank whisky occasionally.
q Did you see any OF the members Of
the legislature therey
A. Yes, great many Of the members
the citizens Of Aust dn qu''e = nun'ei VI
o. THESE refreshmsp,s wara traa
were thew e'
A. Yes.
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