The record-union., 1891-02-05
Hobo" LOBBYISTS.
The Kind of Creatures Who Profess to
Have influence.
One Who Had Thirty Assembly,nen
Staked Out-An Interesting
Investigation.

evening, by a committee of the Assem-
bly,, of the charges or insinuations made
in certain newspapers concerning the ne
cessity for the use Of money in order to
pass the electric railway bills before that
body. And it was not very much of a
sensation, as it turned out
The first witness called was Hon. w.
w. Cannon of Oakland, who had been
reported in the correspondence of paper
of that city as having made the statement
that the bills could not get through on
their merits, but only by the use of
money, or something to that effect. Mr.
Cannon talked very plainly to the com
mittec. He said he had come here. at the
request of the City Council Of Oakland
TO use his influence in securing the pas
sage OF the bills validating electric rail-
road franchises already granted. bat had
40 sooner set foot liz the city than lie was
bounded by lobbyists who wanted
money under pretense OF securing the
passage OF the bills by the Assembly.
One man who cornered him in the
Golden Eagle Hotel about 8 o'clock one
morning told him there were thirty AS
| SemDlylncn III session i'll Il room not two
blocks from the hotel waiting for him to
see" them. He told the fellow lie was
not here in The interest OF any man or COR
! poration, but of theCity OF Oakland, and
there WAS 40 money to be used for the
purpose indicated, and he wanted nothing
to do with him or his alleged solid thirty
Assemblymen.
| AT the Capitol he was stopped in the
corridor by 4 man who asked him If he
was here IL the interest OF the electric
railway bills, and he replied that he was
! He asked the man what he wanted, and
| he replied that he wanted money to help
| get the bills through. Witness told him
to get out out of his way-that he was net
doing that kind Of busineSs.
''NaS that man Il member Of the As
sembly?" asked one OF the committee.
NO, sir,'' replied Mr.. Canrcn.
''Thank God ~ calculated the commit
teeInaD, at which there was 4 general
! laugh.
Mr.. Cannon assured Chairman Gould
that no member ofthe Assembly had ever
made q corrupt proposition or hint 10
! him, and lie did not believe that body
was Influenced by corrupt motives. He
| believed tliat when the members came 70
fully understand the merits Of The bills
they would approve them.
whit - the name OF the first lobbyist
who approached you?o asked Chairman
Gould.
THAT said Mr. Cannon, sis a ques-
ton I'd rather you'd not ask mo"
Chairman Gould-'"fhis thing comes
very rear affecting the honor OF the
| House, ard we would like 20 know the
mans n3lnc.'
Mr.. Calnron said he did not know the
name OF the second lobbyist who struck
him, but believed his name was Green
| He was always around the Legislature,
and YVES a member OF the Assembly in
l8T9-So. lie told witness that ''the boys
were kicking terribly because there was
no money in sight"
| Tho raar, rVko tpli him q hort
Assem- Dlylnen who We're waiting to see
! him was about 20 years OF age. ana wore !.
! full beard, cut short; he had bald head.
| Witness could not describe him so that
members Of the committee could identity
| him. He had seen him that evening at
| the Golden Eagle Hotel.
! Chairman Could insisted on Mr.. Cam
ron giving the name OF the man who first
| struck him for money, but tie witness
said he felt under an obligation Of honor
not to give his name.
Mr.. Camron was asked if he had since
been approached in similar manner.
| He replied that he had not-that he got
out of town as soon as he could, and after
certain statements had been made III the
| San Francisco and Oakland papers, he
did not dare 10 come back, as he 1elt that
he had been held up to public view as q
| possible boodler. Neither had he been
| approached by anyone with request to
!
! Speaker Coom5s was present during
the inquiry, and propounaeds several ques-
| tons to MIR. Cannon, as also did Mr..
| Shanahan and others.
WHAT MR.. DARGIs KNEW.
! Senator Dargie, of Ala,neda. was the
! next witness called. lie said he had in
troduced in the Senate bills similar to
! those pending in the House. In response
TO questions by the Chairman and other
/ = INC
said he had never heard OF any member
Of the Assembly demanding money for
his vote on the h;l!s. He hdG heard Of
! the matters referred TO by Mr.. Camron.
Mr.. Cannon did nos intimate to him the
names OF the persons who approached
| him.
Referring to an interview published in
his paper, the Tribune, witness said it
was sent by the papers correspondent at
The Capitol, Mr.. Hamilton. He {Dargie}
did not see it until atter.it was published.
MR.. HAMILToN's EXPLANATION.
MIR. Hamilton, the correspondent re-
! ferred to, was next called. He identified
| the article in the Oakland Tribune rs
! having been written by him. no mem
| Der OF the Legislature mad told him that
money was being used, or would be re-
! quired TO secure the passage OF the cleo
trio railroad bills. He had heard general
talk to that effect. Some Of the express
| sionS used III the article were prompted
! by what had TRANSFERRED on the floor OF the
! Assembly, coupled with his knowledge
OF human nature. The dilatory motions
made while the bills We're under consid-
! Grafton led him TO think that there was
not an honest desire 10 defeat the bills.
His experience in Legislative sessions had
| led him 20 so believe.
Witness said he had talked with Mayor
Giasscock of Oakland, and got the i'm
preston that he believed money would
be required to pass the bills. He could
not repeat just what passed between
them. He had no interview with Mr..
! Camron subsequent to the introduction
of the bills.
The remark attributed TO Mayor Glass
cock was made on hearsay.
MAYOR GLAsscocK;s EXPERIENCE.
Mayor Glasscock OF Oakland was next
called and sworn: Was here few days
ago i'll the interest OF the electric railroad
bills at the request of the Civ Council.
IN regard to the statement published in
the Post and attributed to him, witness
denounced it as a malicious falsehood.
| No member Of the Legislature had app
preached him while here with PROPOSE
ton for money. One night at the Golden
Eagle q man whom he did not know, and
who seemed to be under the infiu-
ence OF liquor, made himself very IA
lniliar and said he understood he GLASS
cock vas here in the interest OF the cleo
trio railroad bills.
Witness replied that be understood him,
and that he was not here in the interest
of any man or set OF men. but of the City
of Oakland. The man then whispered to
him that legislative wheels sometimes
needed greasing. Witness left the man
with the remark that he did not carry the
grcasa-pot. Witness said he knew very
lew members OF the Legislature, and had