The record-union., 1897-01-29

Il hereby recommend the bearer as
page" signing his name.
L thought no more about it, said
! Belshaw. and - and when the scandal
began l talked about it as loud as any
body. until one day Duckworth pulled
my recommendation to Smith out of his
desk and said:
| Did you not write that
| Il replied that l did. but not as a re-
quest for appointment-only to get tha
| boy his money. AS a matter of fact.
y. H. Smiths name as page was printed
in Mondays journal while l wrote tha
| recommendation two or three days after.
l here present an affidavit from Smith
that l gave him no recommendation pre-
vious to January 9th. and then Duck
worth had no power to appoint
| The affidavit was presented.
| Assemblyman Jones being sworn was
asked how there came to be five names
credited to him, and whether he recon-
mended them all.
| Jones replied that he had asked for u
place for Vischer but only for him per-
| sonally. However. a great many had
come to him and asked for his influence.
He had told them If his name would do
| them any good they could use it. To Il
question. he replied that he had signed
| no petition and had only asked per-
sonally for Vischer He understood that
| there was practically no limit to the
| appointments and he had merely told
those who came TO him to get on the list
| if his name would do them any good. He
did not know all the five persons credited
| to him. Asked bH Brusie if there was
any consideration. Jones replied. no, that
he had opposed Duckworth and wanted
| another man for Chief Clerk. So there
was no obligation.
| Ed. j. Smith created the only fun Of
the afternoon. Being sworn he eX-
| planned how, being an attache of many
years standing, he had carefully made
UP the mileage list for members from
Proctor's Directory. With the list of
attaches he had nothing to do Mr..
Smiths experience and observation en-
| abled him to give the members much
wise advice as to the needs of temporary
organization. but there is not space to
reproduce his wise and witty remarks.
| Several gentlemen gave their views as
to the requirements of the organization
of the Legislature.
On motion of Emmons, the Controller,
the Sergeant-at-Armsa and the Treasurer
We're summoned to appear to-day and
bring all cancelled warrants, all powers
of attorney and all papers bearing on
this subject in their possession.
| Adjourned.
DUCKWORTH SPEAKS.
AT a late hour last evening ths
Record Union received the following
| 49, OfC
Clerk Duckworth's brother, with a re-
quest for publication. 1t is accordingly
given here in close connection with the
list which is the all-engrossing topic Of
conversation. Following is the paper:
To the People of California: During
the early days of this session a COM
mittee consisting of Assemblymen An
derson, Cutter and Fontana requested
me to furnish a list of the members
who had asked for appointments on the
| sO-called temporary roll of the Assem-
| bly,. l complied SO far as l was able TO.
| checking up the names on the list with
as many members as l could reach at
that time. In handing the list to Messrs.
| Fontana and Cutter, / said to them that
some names were enormously charged
because some of the memoranda bearing
on these names had been mislaid. but
could at any time thereafter make the
necessary corrections so that the list
would be absolutely accurate. They as
Sured me this was satisfactory, ana
that as long as it was substa ntially cor
rect it would answer the purpose. My
last words to them were: Remember,
gentlemen, that l do not claim that this
list is correct, for l have not had time
to check it UP, although the major por-
ton of it is all right. With a few
changes however ii will be correct, and
if it is ever to go beyond the Repub-
lican caucus 1 will ask to have it first
returned to me for revision.
They assured me that my wishes
would be respected, and that the Re
publican caucus would consider 1t
privileged communication and preserve
secrecy concerning it.
On yesterday the investigating COM
mittee voted in accordance with the
promise of the Republican committee.
To-day 1T changed its mind, and gave
this list to the world, thus doing me
and other innocent parties injury al
most irreparable.
If this action had been taken under
other circumstances L would not say
a word. But this violation of the prom
ises made by the Republican caucus Of
ficials comes when l am confined TO
sick bed and absolutely prohibited by
my physician from giving any thought
whatever to my own interest in this
matter / therefore request suspen-
sion of judgment pending my restora-
ton to health. Every name on that
temporary roll is bona fide. Everyone
has been veuched for by eminently re-
spectacle people. and 1 have no desire
! to evade a fair and searching investi-
CATION into my connection with the or
; ganization of the Assembly. But in all
fairness, 1 ask that these matters
should. in so far as they concern inno-
cent parties and myself, be permitted
; to rest until l can at least stand on my
feet and meet the charges face to face
| s. j. .DUCKWORTH.