The San Francisco call., 1897-02-04
CLOSING PLEAS
FOR DUCKWORTH
Evidence ALI Taken in the
Temporary Roll In
vestigation.
Judson c. Brusie Speaks in
Justification of the Chief
Clerks Course.
Committee Will Meet in Executive
Session To-Day to Pass Upon
the Findings.

SACRAMENTO, CAL, Feb. 3.-The
temporary roll scandal investigation was
practically ended this evening by the con-
clusion of the taking of testimony. About
half dozen witnesses were examined.
+. G. Jordan, County Clerk of Ala media,
told how the appointment OF Wesley
Dixon had been recommended to Mr..
DuCkworth. Grant Towle narrated the
manner in which Clerk Duckworth had
stopped payment of the warrants OF
GunZendorfer and Rodriguez, after he had
learned that they had not taken part in
the organization OF the Assent bly,. r. r.
Duckworth and a letter from A. Campbell
of San Francisco explained to the salts
faction of the committee how the name of
Campbell had been omitted from the roll.
Mr.. Emmons said that the resolution
creating the committee simply authorized
1t to get at the truth ana report 1t to the
Assembly. 1t had no authority to find a
verdict or to take any final action in the
matter.
1t was decided that ten minutes would
be sufficient time for the arguments on
each side, and Mr. Chynoweth opened for
the committee. He began by stating that
he desired to call the attention of the COM
mittee to a portion of the testimony given
by Mr.. Duckworth. The original list was
sent TO the printer and appeared in the
Journal with one or two names added to
it the next morning. Then he wished 10
call attention to letter sent by Duck
worth to the State Printer asking him to
add another name which had been omitted
that of Rodriguez. The list sent to the
State Printer by DuckWorth was the official
list. AfterWard he directed the State
Printer to change the list by the insertion
of another name.
The point is" continued Mr.. Chyno-
weth, whether or not that is mutilation
or an alteration of public document, and
| would refer you 10 section l13 OF the
Penal Code"
Judson c. BrusIe followed with an elo-
quent address, in which he poured honey
over the committee and the reporters.
mot one single question" he said, sin
the whole course OF this investigate has
been asked by US with the hope of bring
ing that response that would shift the
responsibility onto the shoulders OF
others. That list, gentlemen of the COM
mittee, is more to the credit OF the men
who rememb bered their friends than il is
to their dishonor. 1t was introduced
against our protest; it was never intended
by Mr. Duckworth as defense, and l will
say here that if his defense had depended
upon introd ucing that list, it never would
have been introduced by us. He has con-
fessed frankly TO you that under the So
icitations of the mem bers and under the
great pressure OF the moment, those
names were placed there to pay the debt
OF gratitude. He has tried to present his
case without involving any one else, and
we believe that he has succeeded"
Brusie proceeded to say that the Sec
ri sriy nf I ha
Assembly, the minute clerks OF both
houses and the two sergeants- alarms
were obliged by law TO go to the Stale
Capitol at each succeeding session and per-
form the duties of their offices until their
successors were elected. 1t designated
those who must return, but it did not
mean that those three alone should par
ticipate in the ceremo onies of the occasion.
The statute provided that the permanent
organization of the House should be
effected with eighteen officers and attaches
Duckworth appointed 108, yet on the per-
manent roll there are l55.
who is to say" continued Brusie
''that you don't know how many are re-
quired? and as one honorable gentleman
said. There is plenty OF room tor economy
elsewhere during the session besides stop
ping that trit1ing reward that falls drop
by drop into the pockets of poor and de-
serving men,
The people of this State are looking
Tor general results, not as to who shall be
held responsible for the number of people
appointed under the temporary organiza-
tlon. There is only one man on the
face of the earth who can suffer from the
findings OF this com mittee, and that man
Is S. J Duckworth. Ii there is any PEN
atty, if there is reputation to be sacri-
feed, if there is good name to be lost, he
alone must stand it."
The speaker asked that the committee
when it came to the findings, should not
go behind the question as to whether or
not he committed fraud. That was ali
that the resolution provided for. Duck
worth had made full honest confession
10 the effect that he had listened to the
opportunities of friends in the Assembly
until he himself was appalled, by them.
Many men seemed to delight in putting
the blame somewhere, and it unfortun-
ateiy seemed that Duckworth was the
man selected to bear the blame. In max
Ing these appointments the evidence
showed that Duckworth had not gained
any advantage in his canvass for the chief
clerkshlp. Not single witness had said
that the chief clerk had ever approached
him on the proposition of voting for him,
Mr.. Brusle justified the practice of reward
ing political friends.
From the Office of President of the
United States, he added, down to the
distribution of patronage in the Cabinet
political services are rewarded. The man
who torgets his friends is despised by all
men. We know how these men come and
importune us. To go on the temporary
roll is an advantage where there are
several candidates, and to put one and
not all on the roll would be giving that
one an unfair advantage over his rivals,
and there Is no course open to the clerk
except to put them all on. If 108 were
put on, and there are 155 now, it is to
your credit that they are there. 1t is the
very means by which we are all elected.
and 1t is the very means by which this
country is governed. 1t is true to-day, as
ithas ever been, that ito the victor belongs
the spoils, Notwithstanding the purity of
elections law. 1t is a human impulse
and no law on this earth can prevent it,
Members of the Legislature. like the
honorable gentlemen that they are, went
upon the stand and acknowledged that
they made these REQUESTS of the chief
clerk"
On motion of DR.. KeabIes the commit
tee decided to go into executive session to-
morrow to consider the findings of the
committee.
LETTER CARRIERS, SALARIES.