The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-31
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.

| Last afternoon at 3 o'clock the senate
committee on privileges and election mel
again in the committee room to continue
the taking of testimony in the impeach
ment trial of Senator Miles Crowley
The subject matter of discussion was
still the Pullman pass question and the
/ first witness introduced was Mr. John
Lunsford of the Galveston News.
Mr.. Lunsford, being duly sworn, said
"My name is JnO X. Lunsford. | had
a casual conversation with Senator Crow.
| lev about his pass. | think it was some
| time after the adjournment of the legis-
llature in 1893. He asked me to get him
n railroad pass to st. Louis over the
Frisco road, and incidentally mentioned
that he had q Pullman pass. At the
time this conversation occurred l was not
connected with any railroad, but was
city editor of The News. l am now
managing editor. AS to the Pullman
pass question, | think he said he was
fixed as to Pullman pass"
Mr.. Kinsey was the next witness on
the stand. He stated that he was here
in compliance with the order of the com
mittee with papers in reference to the
Crowley matter, but as they were pri-
yate papers of the Pullman Car com
anime the papers before making their
contents public, and if the had no bear
ing on the subject up for discussion that
they be withheld from publicity. In
compliance with his request, the com
mittee went into executive session to re-
view the papers in question, everyone
but the committee and Mr.. Kinsey being
excluded from the room. The committee
after examining the records decided that
there was nothing possible in the adm
there was nothing in the records that
would possibly be admissible as evil
dence in the case at hand. When Sen
ator Dean stated this, Judge Terry took
exception to it and asked Mr.. Kinsey
if he did not have some additional rec
ords. That gentleman replied that he
had shown all his papers to the commit
tee.
Questioned by Terry-Kinsey said the
pass had q date, but it had been pasted
i'm book and the chair had ruled in
executive session that the date of the
pass was not necessary, inasmuch as
Mr.. Terry in his charges had not named
any date of the issuance of the pass.
Mr. Lovejoy asked that nothing more
be considered on the documental evil
dence examined in executive session. and
the chair granted his request. Mr.. Love
joy moved that Mr. Kinsey's testimony
submitted Saturday be stricken out, as
it was based on hearsay, but the chair
ruled to the contrary and the testimony
will be duly considered.
Senator X. II. Steele being sworn said:
81 was n member of the committee on
labor in 1898. My impression is that if
the Pullman car bill was ever discussed
in the committee | was not present. |
remember hearing some talk about some
ladders but as to whether it was in
the senate, in the committee room or
somewhere else, do not remem-
Der. l don't ever remember to
have made Il motion to postpone action
on this bill. | never had Pullman pass
and | never rode on n Pullman but if
had pass 1 would certainly use it,"
Cross questioned by Terry--'I said /
never rode on n Pullman during the
session of '93. | don't remember for
certain whether | was present at the
committee meeting when they discussed
the labor bill. l don't remember to have
ever been extended Pullman pass on
this bill. In fact, can say positively
that l was never extended a Pullman
pass by anyone. No, sir; l do not remem-
Der that Mr.. Crowley acted as clerk to
the committee on labor and read this
bill"
PENDING further investigation, tel
egram was read from ex-senator Brown
ing as follows, he being one of Judge
Terry's witnesses:
Il neither had asked nor was offered
Pullman pass. Have no recollection of
the Crowley bill. Will come if desired.
w. II. BROWNING"
IL was decided that this telegram was
sulllcient and it was entered as evidence
without the presence of Mr.. Browning.
Mr.. Terry said that he had some other
testlmony 10 offer, but he was afraid
that 1t would be barred by limitation.
Mr. lIoyeJoy arose and said that he
wanted to state what this matter that
Mr.. Terry was referring to was; that he
uiun want 1t to 20 out to the public
mat Mr. Crowley was trying to hold
out some testimony. Senator Dibrell here
interposed and asked Mr.. Terry if il did
not refer to some letters from some doc
tors. Mr. Terry admitted that it did.
Mr.. Loyejoy then stated what Mr. Ter
ry, was trying to say or rather init
mated which in substance was that
In 1856 there was a political campaign
going on in Harris and Galveston coun-
teseISenator Dean clipped in before
Mr. LOveJoy got very far and asked if he
proposed for the committee to resolve
itself into laundry for the purpose of
washing all the dirty linen of political
campaign in Galveston and Harris coun-
mes! After some further wrangle over
this matter it was ruled out of order as
being irreyelant and Senator Crowley
was called to the stand, all the other
witnesses having been examined.
Senator Crowley being sworn said:
In 1913 | was state senator from the
Seventeenth district. The bill with
r"fcr"h'" to the Pullman Palace Car
company was introduced by me by re-
quest and it was forwarded To ne from
Galveston. The bill did not originate
with me and | don't know where it did
originate The bill went 20 III, commit
night and | acted as 'ommittee clerk, all
tee on labor. We had meeting one
night and | acted as committee clerk, all
the regular clerks being engaged with
other committees. 1t was moved that
the bill be referred to another committee,
but was defeated. We never had any
more committee meetings or rather we
could not get quorum. The McGaughey
trial coming up about this time knocked
everything else ont.
| had a conversation with a Mr.. Newell
about the bill. After the adjournment
of the legislature | received an annual
Pullman pass, on June 10. after the
legislature had adjourned and | did not
apply for this pass.
Mr.. LOvcjoy had a telegram from Mr.,
Petit of Chicago in answer to one sent
him by Senator Crowley fixing the date
of the issuance of the pass.
Mr.; Terry objected to the introduction