The San Francisco call., 1897-03-21

patches which might, without PROOF OF
any kind, shatter mems regulations Tor
the remainder of their lives. Those in
the second row we're on their feet leaning
over the shoulders of those in the front
row and craning their necks forward.
Read the teIegrams," shouted Wright,
observing the indecislon OF the clerk and
the inauiring expression OF Speaker
Coombs' face.
Cutter caught the Speakers eye. He
was recognized and spoke clearly and de-
liberately:
''Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of tho
Assembly: On behalf of the Western
Union Telegraph Company, which con-
siders the action of this committee an
outrage and violation OF the laws of this
State, /. for one. demand that these tele-
grams be not read. F"
Melick raised the point OF order that the
reading of the report was not yet fin
ished.
Before the Speaker could decide the
point of order Burnett shouted, 'Mr.
Speaker, on behalf OF the people OF the
State of California and the state Legisla'
ture, demand that ey be read"
Cutter, in clear-cut accents. mocking the
tone of Burnett, exclaimed, "On behalf oi
the San Francisco Examiner, and not on
behalf of the Legislature or of the people
of this State.''
This statement was greeted with laugh
at the expense of Mr.. Burnett, whose
manner was rather too tragic and dramatic
for the occasion.
North of Alameda rose to a point of
order on the ground that the gentleman
was not speaking to the question.
The Speaker ruled that the point oi
order was not well taken.
my point OF ORDER" said Melick, "is
that he clerk has not yet finished read
ing the report
1.-The point OF order is not well taken" "
said Coomos.
Caminetti arose TO say something, but
he was cut short by Cutter who said {:
"The gentleman from Amador may think
that the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, being corporation, has no RI hts
simply because ii is corporation. The
superintendent of that company had
served upon him a subpena TO produce
oae telegram and no mora. He agreed TO
produce ii, but instead of allowing him to
do SO, the com mlttee sent orders TO stop q
box containing kilograms sent from Sacra-
mento 10 all parts of the Stale and 10 all
persons during the last fifteen or twenty
days They take that box by force and
they broa ht il to the Capitol and ex-
amined all the kilograms of business men
and private persons-private communica-
tions as sacred as letter enclosed Ill an
envelope under the seal of the Govern
ment of the United States.
at is contrary to morals and the law and
has no sanction OF justice. Let those TEL
egrams that the company is ready to pro-
duce. ana that the committee has referred
to, be produced and read, not the ones
which this committee has taken in def
ance of law, and which expose private in
terests of persons not mem bers of this
House. They now produce those tele-
grams which they say appear to be-in-
eliminating, but no matter how incrimi-
mating they may be they should not be
read, considering the manner in which
they were obtained, and the gentlemen
will find out to their sorrow that the law
will not permit it.
Wright renewed his motion. and Cross
moved as an amendment that the tele-
gram referred to in the warrant be read in
stead of the others.
Belshaw said that while he did not ap-
prove of the manner in which the COM
mittee had obtained the kilograms, he
thought that they should be read, as they
were now before the house. He believed
that the method used by the ommittee
was contrary 10 law, but he wanted to
know the contents of the dispatches.
Cross of Los Angeles argued that the
Assembly had no more rightto read any
dispatch than the one mentioned in the
SUBJ eena than they had TO read a dispatch
belonging to private citizen.
=
ford was that the question was not how
these kilograms came into the possession
of the committee, but whether they should
be read or not. kilograms were not men,
toned in the code as privileged communi-
cations.
Burnett of the. committee said it was
barely possible from the attitude of some
ofthe member of the Assembly that they
did not want an investigation. But" he
added, ~ tell you, gentlemen, if you
don't want an investiga tion you have
appointed the wrong committee. We
wanted 10 get that box and The tele sra ms,
and we got them"
"You have not got their contents yet"
said Cross.
ave took the box to room 72 in this
building" resumed Burnett. I'VE fully
realized the power of the great corpora
ton and the risk We were taking in defy
ing that corporation, bnt as men and citi-
zsns of the great State of California we
deemed ii our duty to do our best to get
the facts. During the course of that inves-
tigation Mr.. Jaynes m manager of the West
ern Union Telegraph Company, came to
the door and when we refused to admit
him he broke that door in and broke the
lock- and we had to barricade that door
with a table
II ordered Jaynes out OF the room and
he swore. We ordered him under arrest.
He told Us that they would follow Us. to
the ends of the earth and Mr.. Melick made
the remark that if they followed him they
would get lost among the cactus.
I'VE were told that power lay with the
people and we exercised that power re-
gardless of where the lightning would
strike. ! care not rap. | would have
done my duty ano got that box of tele-
grams-if had known that it would have
stricken. down the Governor of .Californfa
or of .
IS the first time in California that the
Western Union has been com pelled 20
disgorgr kilograms that might be incrim-
mating"
Price urged that the dispatches be read.
The House, on ylva-voce vote, decided
that the kilograms be read.
Power of San Francisco demanded that
the kilograms should be read. The FIRST
dispatch was dated March 6, and was ad-
dressed to 81. A. 5lodgett, Bakersfield,
and read as follows:
s'The bill after 2 hard fight has gone
over to Tuesday-special order. II NAV
not be reached that day. Looks like adj
iournment on Goth. Members draw no
pay. Hnngriest mob ever gathered-7OO
in bank contingent. 450 deposited contin-
gent, $50 needed. Give up. Time is short.
Don't say Ii. L. P. is foxy, but is havinD
hell to save stuff. If my Judgment is
taken wire 1000. May not use ali. Cam,
begin to tell what he has to contend with
by reason of what have written last.
Answer to 700 K street. BERT.
ITO II. A. Blodgett, Bakersfield: County
government bill all day. Still going. May
reach tonight. BERT,
49,. & aMarch 9.
'To Fl. A. Blodgett: Bill on third re ad-
ing. May reach tomorrow. Hurrahi