The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-20


that length of time. and if there was then
no chance of electing Gator lie (Adams)
would 90 with him. Subsequently he agreed
to rsmain with us. Then / saw Cannon
rush up to Kerns aud whisper In his ear.
Kerns jumped up and went out OF the As
sembly chamber, where he was met by
! John T. Gaffey. They went together into
| the State Library. Carlson saw them go 10
there. and he rushed after Gator and told
him for Gods sake to get after Kerns. that
Gaffey had him in the library. When Kerns
| returned to the Assembly chamber he said
| it was all fixed, and he was going to vote
| for White"
Afford then asked Breiz if, when Kerns
had signed the caucus pledge, he had made
| a reservation in the matter of the Senator.
Tretz said that there was no such reser-
walton. Kerns had.sgned the pledge will
ingly. It was then drawn. but Bretz
said that in the caucus it was agreed that
they were all to stand together for ten
DAYS At the expiration of that time Kerns
would have been free 10 vote for whom he
pleased. The witness admitted that he had
signed an agreement TO vote for Demo-
cratic candidate for Senator under certain
circumstances. Those circumstances were
when in his own judgment it became no
longer possible TO elect Popullst.
Alford-Are the facts you have stated the
only evidence upon which you relied In
making the statement you did on the floor
of the Assembly?
Bretz-Yes, substantially
Alford-What do you mean by substanti-
ally?
Breiz-Well, thought those things justi-
fed the suspicion. Marion Cannon came
up here with the aVowed intention of elect
ing White.
Chairman Shanahan thought that these
susnieions were all out of order.
Afford then asked If the coming of Can
non was his only evidence.
Breiz-I never charged White with using
money. knew that Cannon had taken a
contract to elect White. and if any money
was used he used it. My suspicion has
never gone beyond Cannon. l think he
had to furnish that vote for White and that
he did it with his own money.
Mathews wanted to know if he thought
that simply because 4 man had violated his
pledge was any reason why he had been
corrupted with money.
Breiz said that 1t was the surrounding
circumstances that made the affair look
suspicious.
Mathews-Do you think written agree
ment more binding upon an honorable man
than verbal one?
Bretz-Not at all.
The witness then admitted that he him
self had agreed TO turn to the Democrats.
Shanahan asked if he knew of any
money having been paid to any one on
account OF Whites election, and he replied
that he did not
At this time q wrangle was started be-
! tween Shanahan and Mathews as 70 the line
| of questioning that was to be pursued.
| Mathews said that he had just as much
] authority in the committee as Shanahan
and he proposed to ask questions in his 0 wn
| way.
Brett was then excused from the stand
and John T. Gaffey was called.
Pueschel asked the witness if he had
used any money in Mr.. Whites fight.
| He replied that he had not, nor had he
made Kerns any promises. Pueschel asked
| him if any one had been to him Offering
votes for sale.
He said no member OF the Legislatu re
had done so, but man named Chamberlain
had approached him and asked for a few
|
II took him TO nv room." said Gaffey,
''and he told me that it looked like dead
lock. l replied that | thought not; that
| there were Democrats among the Popuists
who would never consent to a deadlock.
| Chamberlain then told me that he had four
! PopulIsts for sale. One of them had a $500
mortgage on his land and that would have
10 be removed. There were others who had
not fixed price, but he could arrange il for
them. ! told Chamberlain that Mr.. White
was not buying votes. He had made his fight
hOnorably, aud would never consent TO the
purchase of votes. Chamberlain said tha
ii was very expensive living here just nov
and some money would be necessary a.
once. 1 refused to give him any encourage
nent and he then left. l then went tC
! White and told him and we had good
laugh over il.
Chamberlain is acting as associate cOun-
sci for BretZ, and was present when Gafey
made this statement, but he said nothing
Chamberlain is a lawyer in Oakland, and
during the late election made stump speeches
for the Peoples party.
Gaffey then explained the nature of the
interview in the library Yesterday with
Kerns. He said he was interested in bill
to increase the NUN Der of the State BOARD
Of Equalization. and it was to secure Kerns
supper. that he sought the interview will
him yesterday. The sCnatorship question
was not mentioned by either one Of them
| He had never asked Kerns to vote for White
but be had always believed he would wheT
the time came.
Cannon was the next witness called. III
said that he understood that Kerns would
vote fer White whenever his vote would
elect him. He had never employed Gaffel
to wait upon Kerns. The witness said tha
he had frequently talked with kerns abou
voting for VI bite, but he had never hearC
him say that he would until yesterda,
morning at the Capital Hotel. At that tim,
| Kerns was surrounded By mob consisting
of Barlow, Bretz and other P0pulists, WIKI
we've endeavoring TO get him to promise Il
vote for Gator, but he openly said he wa
going to vote for White. Cannon then ex
planned bis whispering to Kerns in the AS
sembly chamber.
TN tie first place." said he, 81 did no
whisper. / spoke in an audible tone o
voice. How l came to speak to him wa
| this way: Senator Mathews told me tina
the Senator was very i'll and could not be
present. consequently White would not bt
elected to-day. Knowing the position Kern'
was in, he went to him and told him wha
Mathews had told me"
Shauahan asked the witness If he knew
of White using any money corruptly in hi
canvass.
He replied: "Emphatically no, sir;
would go back on my best friend if
| thought h was attempting to bride legis
| latOr. Those have ALWAYS been my princI
pies"
Gator undertook to tangle up the witness
but failed. He answered all question:
directly and without equivocation. He SAID
he did not know that there was to be