The morning call., 1893-01-21
BUNGLTNG BRETT.
Deep in the Mire of His
Own Making.
THE GAFFEY BOMBSHELL.
Detective" Chamberlain Forbidden
the Floor of the Assembly.
The Investigation.
THE GAFFEY BOMBSHELL.
Correspondence of THE MOHNrSe CALI

States Senate has been entirely dispelled,
and the charge that money was eorruptiy
used has turned like a verltable boomerang
and landed with telling force in the camp OF
Bretz, the acknowle lodged captain OF the
Populists. The Investigation has uncovered
certain transactions which the Alamedan
admits that he knew about, and they were
nothing less than the offering of Populist
votes. for money consideration, to John
T. Gsffey, friend of Whites.
It was not expected that this infamous
PROPOSAL of Chsmberlain's would ever be
brought to light, and 1t would not have
been had it not been for Chamberlain ar
bearing before the investigating committee
last evening and declaring that he had been
engaged by BretZ to act as associate counsel
with Gator. Immediately after he had
made this declaration John 7. Gaffey was
called to the witness-stand. With his MEM
ory of Chamberlain freShened, as soon as it
was possible for him to refer to the matter
Gaffey told the story of how Chamberlain
approached him and sought private inter
view. how they went together to Gatfey's
room, in the Golden Eagle Hotel, where
Chamberlain Iold Gaffey that he could sell
him four POpulist votes.
When Gaffey made this startling state
ment Chamberlain made no effort at denial,
and when asked by Chairman Shanahan If
he had any questions he wished to put to
Gaffey he replied that he had not. 1t was
only after his silence had impressed every
one present as being an acknowledgment of
guilt that he did rise 10 explain. But the
story he told was weak one. He said
he called upon Gsffey and made the pro-
posals referred TO in the role Of detective
in order to discover whether or not Cannon
was true TO the Peoples party. He said he
had con6ded his mission, its nature and the
result to Bretz only, ami that that individual
had characterized his action as indsereet.
During the investigation this morning
Bretz was asked to tell what he knew OF
ChambeIlain's visit to Gaffey. and he said
that when he heard the recital Of it be told
Chamberlain that he had made a fool of
himself, and that il the attempted transac-
ton ever became known it would be used
against them.
Mathews asked Bretz If, upon hear
ing what Chamberlain had done, he had
told any one about it, and he replied
that he had kept it profound secret. The
gentleman from Tehama questioned Brett
pretty sharply upon this point and said
some unpleasant things about shielding q
man who had been guilty of an Infamous
act, but BretZ stuck to it that he believed
Chamberlain had been performing The
functions If a detective when he made bis
proposals to Gdfey.
Then Mathews wanted to know of the,
witness how it was that he had employed
such MAJ TO act as his counsel. The Ala
media man was unable to escape from the
tightening chains. however, By saying that
be was as much aston ishe1 as any one
when he heard Chamberlain announce that
he appeared as his counsel. BE said that
lie had RETAINED from saying anything for
fear Gator had engaged him.
The members of the committee have IN
dOubtedly received information OF a reliable
nature, which has given them the belief
that one or two men among the eight P0pu-
lists had designs upon the Golfers of White,
as the Lines Of the inquiry most clearly
show. They have come to this conclusion ::
The leader or leaders of the Populsis felt
that as matters stood at the opening of the
Legislature they held the key to the ma
torial situation White could not sin as
long as they held cut and as long as Carl
son maintained his INDEPENDENT position. OF
him they felt reasonably sure, for be had
openly declared that he would not vote for
White. There was only one way for the
Democrats 10 succeed, and that was
by their unseating MCGOWAN and Mil
Ter and seating their Democratic opponents.
AS BreIZ and Other Populists had
been put INTO Office by Democratic votes,
and owed every position they held to that
party, the natural superstition would be
that they would have assisted rather than
INSTRUCTED. the party thathad been friendly
to them, and would have assisted rather
than INSTRUCTED the unseatiag of the Re-
publieans and the seating Of the Democrats.
Here however, was where the fine Italian
hand became visible There was where the
White forces first learned that the leader
of the Populists was their foe. They dis
covered that Bretz had got his BRETHREN
some Of them at least-to agree to disregard
all the testimony in the election contest
cases and vote to hold MCGOWAN and Miller
in their seats.
It was made apparent that Mathews
OWNED the motive, for he asked BretZ if ne
had said that he would vote TO keep Nc
GoTsn and Miller in their seats. no matter
what the evidence might be. Bretz replied
that the Populsts had decided not to allow
technicalities 70 accomplish the unseating
Of the two men. As technically" is rather
broad, far-reaehing term. 1t was not diff
cult to divine Breiz's meaning. With the
Republicans firmly 10 place and Carlson
jollied up with the belief that he was a
great man. the Notifications were considered
10 be impregnable.
Taking all of these circumstances into
consideration it only needed the evidence
of Gaffey and Of Chamberlain himself.
strengthened with the corroboration of
BretZ, to show that some one was laying
plans to do business with White. While the
integrity and honesty of many OF the Popu-
lists are unquestioned, still il is clear to a
man in the gallery that there was a scheme
on foot to hold things together until it was
possible TO hand the goods over to White,
and in a way that the majority Of the Popu-
lists would never know that anything IN
usual had occurred. This time would have
been when a deadlock had been reached
Then the guiding hand in the Populi,ts
camp could call caucus, release the men,
bers and turn them loose to vote for whom
they desired.
This was undoubtedly the programme,
and, while the endeavOr was being made to
carry il out. Breiz was watching Carlson
with jealous eye and Carlson was busy
specializing on the collectOrship of the port
OF San Diego and Keeping his weather eye
peeled as to every movement Of the Popu-
lists. greater number OF eyes than these
TWO WORTHLESS com bined possessed were fixed
upon them. however. and on Wednesday
last they were beaten at their own game.
Whites friends were perfectly well aware
of what the leaders of the Populists wanted.
and they did not propose to gain victory.
already so nearly won. by any such methods.
Carlson flew too high for them, for he
wanted the collectorship above referred to
and postmastership for friend. This
was out Of the question. Burke was won
over to White-in fact there never was any
good reason for doubling that he would vote
that way. That gave White sixty votes.
Kerns was ready and willing to vote for