The morning call., 1893-01-21
THE BRETT INVESTIGATION.
Los Angeles PopuIists Knew Kerns to
Be Weak,

Be Weak.
SACRAMENTO, Jan. 20.-1homas V. Gator
was called upon this morning to take the
stand in the Bretz investigation. He said
he had nothing to say.
B. B. BatcheIdor. chairman Of The County
Committee of the Peoples party of Los
Angeles. was examined at length. his testi-
mony going to show that il was the impress
sion at Los Angeles last Monday. prior to
the election Of senator, that Kearns would
change his vote. He said that resolutions
were drawn up by The Farmers Alliance
Monday night and brought by him TO Sacra-
mento Tuesday, urging kerns and Cannon
to remain firm with the Populists. As far
as the witness recollected kerns gave no
pledge at the time Of his nomination to the
Assembly, but witness said KeTns subse-
quently told him he considered himself a
POpnlist and was sorry he had accepted the
Democratic nomination, rs he thought he
could be elected by straight Populist votes.
On arriving al Sacramento witness learned
of n conversation between Kerns and As
semblyman Adams which treasured him.
He said that he had told Kerns that IL he
fell d own on the Populist caucus he would
be published all over the country "a a
traitor. He said II was known in Los An
geles that Kerns was weak, and a meeting
OF the County Committee was held and
resolutions braciDg Kerns up adopted. The
witness brought these resolutions to Saera-
mento.
Mathews of Tehama here interrupted the
taking Of testimony by calling the attention
of the committee to the pronuneiamento is
sued by the Populists Wednesday night,
In which hey read Cannon and Kern out of
the party Mathews said the words
TRAITOR" Infamous" etc, were used in
this document. and it was signed by seven
members of the Assembly. He wanted to
know if such conduct was not nearly as
reprehensible as that of Breiz.
Gator said: ''Oh. well, 90 ahead and fire
them all out"
q don't care what they do with me-
said Bretz.
Mathews thought the expressions in the
pronunciamento called for censure, IL moth
ing worse
Bretz himself was then put on the stand
again. He was closely cross questioned
concerning his previous testimony. and
among other things Mathews asked him
about Chamberlain's proposition to sell
Gaffey four votes for White. Bretz ad-
mitted that Chamberlain had told him he
made the offer to Gaffey, and when Mathews
wanted TO know if he did not think such an
offer was Infamous. Bretz said that II did
not occur to him that it was.
did you not know that crime had been
committed"
"No, did not"
''Why did you not reveal to others the in
al
to sell the votes Of your party?"
Il did not understand that he was trying
to sell them"
BreiZ was examined by Afford at length.
He made great many damaging admissions.
Among others he said that during the
speakership contest be made it a condition
OF obtaining his support that he should be
appointed chairman of the Committee on
Corporations. before which he had several
bills. He acknowledged having said that
be might vote for Foote for Senator under
certain Contingencies; also that had he
been released from his cancus he might have
voted for White.
Adams or Santa Cruz another of the
Populsts. was called He related how he
had attempted to brace Kerns up. He
said Ksrns had promised him to vote
for Gator few moments before the roll
call on Wednesday. Adams admitted he
had promised Thomas Beck and Edward
White. brother OF Stephen. that he would
vote for White when it became evident that
Populist could not succeed He also
promised not to entangle himself with the
P0pulists so that he could not release
himself, and he did not consider he had
done so.
Afford asked Adams If he knew any Pop
uiist in the Legislature who had a mortgage
on his place.
eyes, SIT. / have a $500 mortgage on
my place. but want it understood that /
do not expect it to be redeemed IN that
way"
1t will be remembered that Chamb ain
told Gaffey one OF the Popuists had mort
gage which he wanted to lift. This answer
of Adams raised loud laugh.
Ex-Secretary of State Thomas E. Beck of
Santa Cruz was next called. He testified
stat Adams had told him that, though for
merly Republican, he had left the party
for good and would hereafter vote with the
Democrats. There was opposition In the
Santa Cruz Democratic convention to
Adams. but finally he was Endorsed on a.
| public pledge that he would vote for a
| Democratic United States Senator in pref
erence to Republican. Privately he had
| solemnly pledged Ell White that he would
not bind himself by caucus. After the
election, fearing that Adams would fall
down. Whites Santa Cruz friends had come
down to brace him up. Adams said he was
not bound by the Populist caucus, but
could absolve himself at any time. He had
admitted since the election of White that
the charge Of Bretz was Infamous.
jacobson OF Fresno, another Populist,
was called and asked if he had stated that
he had been offered everything from $500
| month place to foreign consulship to vote
for White. He said he had so stated in
substance. He told about Mordecai taking
him into the library and asking him If he
wanted a committee craftsmanship. Jacob
son said he did not. Then Mordecai asked
him what his ambition was.
He said he might aspire to a foreign
ministry.
"Oh." said Mordecai. shat is absurd. A
consulship, however, might be within rea-
son."
Mordecai further stated that he did not
wish to influence jacobson against his con-
science or to bride him. and yet he wanted
to secure his vote for White.
E. II. Tucker bad also approached him,
mentioning patronage. but had made no
definite proposition.
The witness denied that he had ever said