The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-09-02

money Que from MI. Pepper tony mother.
My father, Michael Joseph Kelly, was in
terested in that business with Buckley
ana Pepper. Shortly befOr re his death he
transferred that in terest to my mother and
ADVISED that the business be closed
out as soon as possible. After his
death as my mothers representative
went to Mr.. Pepper and told him that it
was her wish that be should close out the
business for her. He was the surviving
partner and was the person under the law
10 assume control. After that interview |
never went near Peppers office except
when he sent for me TO receive a check
for my mothers share Of the proceeds.
On those occasions | never questioned him
about the business. l simply went and
got the check and after had shown it to
my mother l went to the bank and got the
money, which l turned over to her. That
was the extent of nv connection with that
business. never in my life received any
money from Pepper to be paid to Grim
Minis for any purpose whatever, and there
is not the shadow of truth in the story to
that effect"
Kelly declared that Peppers books
would show what the monthly payments
panied during the evening by young Max
Pepper. cousiE of the head aud front of
the Pepper Buckley Kelly firm. This
young man, who is cousin of the con-
tractor was also his bookkeeper He
came readily to Kelly's aid in establishing
his statement that he took no part in the
conduct of the sweeping business. He
said that Kelly never went to the Office ex-
cept when he was seut for aud that he
never inquired into the details of the firms
affairs. Young Pepper said he did not
know whether his superior ever paid
money to Crimmins or not
When ever Mr.. Pepper paid money out
to outside parties, that is to parties not on
tn payroll. he always sent his young
namesake out of the Office on some pre-
text. Sometimes he wo uld send for a man
and give him money, but never in the
presence of his employe. The young man
knew money was handled because be
could hear the coin jingle while Mr.. POI =
per and his visitor were closeted in the lit
lie office of the Government warehouse.
| The name of the man who received all
this money from MIR. Pepper had escaped
! the clerks somewhat defective memory
| Nor could he explain what bearing the
! mysterious transactions had on Kelly's
! case. He was sure though that Kelly had
never been paid the $3.50 peace money for
| Crimmins.
Phil Crimmins does not remember hav-
! Ing received $3.50 monthly from the hand
Of MIR. Kelly. In fact. he is positive in his
| assertion that he received no sucn sum nor
any sum whatever from Kelly or from
Pepper. He made that statement to re-
porteTs. and reiterated it TO Colonel Henry
| kOwalsky, the close friend of Kelly. H
| said: why, colonel, don't you remember
that once when Joseph Kelly wanted a
small political favor from me he had to
call you in tC intercede for him? You
came to me about it and l readily granted
it. Now. don't you know that if Kelly
had been paying me $3.50 a month. he
would not have had to ask anybody to see
me for him? He would simply have
come to me and demanded what he
wanted, and l would have gwen it to hin"
That seemed TO Mr.. Crimmins and 10
Colonel kOwalsky Touchdown argument,
and the colonel left the ex-boss satisfied
that his friend Kelly was not guilty of the
charge of hribe-giving.
Joseph Kelly said last night that he in
tended to ask the Grand Jury to investi-
gate the charges made by Pepper. He
said that the only way to settle the matter
beyond further dispute would be to have
an official investigation, in which all the
| witnesses would he placed upon oath. The
books of Max Pepper would DO doubt
show to whom money was raid.
1t is not impro bable thai the Grand Jury
will be appealed to by others TO look int
this affair. A good many people would
like TO have this thing sifted to the bottom,
and a. Mr. Pepper eVinces no disposition
to conceal anything 10 relation 10 it he
would doubtless be able TO render the
jury valuable assistance.
Whatever may be the truth of this con-
troversy 1t is conceded on all hands that
Kelly's candidacy for Congress has re-
ceived a severe blow. Democrats freely
asserted last night that be could not no.
be elected. and there was even some dis
cnssion as 10 the advisabiity of taking
steps to supplant him on the ticket by
some man who has had no Buckley" in
MS past career.
Chairman NJ Taber of the Street Com
mittee of the Crimmns and Kelly Board
Of Supervisors Is emphatic IN his deuial of
Andy CuDie's assertion that he CON-
PEELED Pepper to pay tribute to him 10
order to retain the street-sweepng con-
tract.
He said that his acquaintance with Pop
per is very slight, and that during his two
years term in office he had but one con-
versatiOn with him regarding the contract.
This was at the time when bids were
asked for the following term.
On that occasion Pepper inquired if any
favOritism was to be shown in awarding
the contract. He was assured that there
could not be. inasmuch as the printed
specifications were to be handed in sealed.
only to be opened at a specified time when
the full committee would be in attendance.
Mr.. Taber said that, as far as he knew,
Chris Buckley had nothing to do with the
contract in question, nor bad be any
knowledge of Crimmins and Kelly being
mixed up in the alleged jobbery.
William Wilkinson, a member of the
Street Committee of the lale Board of
Supervisors, said:
1.-THE first inform alton had of such a
transaction going on in the Street Com
mittee. was yesterday morning when |
read in the papers of Clunie's charges
against Max Pepper.
"As far as / know, the charge ia false
Pepper was awarded the contract because
his bid was the lowest, and the monthly
bills and specifications OF the number of
miles of streets swept were first Endorsed
and signed by Superintendent of Streets
Gilleran before being handed In to the
commit ee.
''Of course, we were compelled to rely
on Gilleran's veracity in this connection.
as without his Endorsement the COMMITTEES
would have refused to consider the
accounts.
II know nothing of Kelly's alleged
underhand work. nor Of Buckley's hyp-
motto influence upon the COMMITTEES, and if
any such things existed it was kept from
within the range of my observation"
There were no c2ueuses of factions last
night. Everybody was busy discussing
the POpper-Clunie affair and its posslbili-
ties. Sam Newman said that there was no
doubt in his mind that the Clunie- NJ cNab
side would win. because il ha1 the best of