The herald., 1897-03-06
Hedge About the Examiner ID
vestigation
NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING
Or II He Does, Simply Declines to An
swer Questions
Reporter Levings. Who Made CnarRes OF
Bribery, Committed for contempt-Pro-
ceedings Adjourned TIL Monday


tion cases have been decidedly humor-
ous. They have resulted in discovering
who wrote the articles charging bribery
but were unable TO force witnesses 10
disclose who was his source OF informa-
ton. All the force of the Examiner was
on hand and placed on thewitness stand
In the afternoon before the assembly
committee and in the evening before the
senate. A great crowd was present on
both occasions and the senate was I'M
able to get quorum for the transaction
of business in the evening, senators
being in attendance at the trial.
valentine of Los Angeles conducted
fhe case before the assembly and More
house the case before the senate COM
mittee. All the Examiner men declared
they knew nothing of the article except
Managing Editor Andy Lawrence, A. j.
Murphy and l.. L. Levings. Murphy
Information was all hearsay, so ne was
excused by the assembly. In the senate
Lawrence and Levings' refusal to testi-
~ was taken under advisement by the
committee, who will tomorrow report 10
the senate Probably the newspaper
men will be summoned before the par
of the senate and if they refuse to an
swer will be sent to Jail for contempt.
Levings was to have been sent to jail
this evening by the assembly committee
but nothing was done With him.
His testimony was substantially the
same before both committees. When
asked If he wrote the articles he object
ed to stating.on the score that as news
paper man he could not divulge any IN
formation he had gathered He SAID as
a newspaper man he would at once lose
LOO trfh a
learned in confidence. Mr.. Levings then
explained that he was in an embarrass-
ing position. The matter he searched
for and wrote was the property of his
EMPLOYERS. and he could not. without
their consent, give up his source of in
formation. If he did give up such in
formation, his usefulness as news
paper man would be ended.
Attorney Valentine made the direct
question: did you write the article?"
The newspapers attorneys made objec-
tion, but the committee promptly over
ruled them. George Knight, who, with
Andy Clunie and George McEnerney,
are the attorneys of the Examiner ar
gued that it made no difference who
wrote the article, the point was, are the
assertions true? The question was then
withdrawn.
Levings was then asked If he knew
that money had been paid to any assem-
blyman An objection was made. The
witness was then asked if he could di-
rect the committee where to learn the
facts. He said he thought he could.
Levings said that one source of his in
formation was the Western Union tele-
graph company
did you go there?" Here the news
papers attorneys made objections. The
question was temporarily withdrawn.
Levings was asked if he could name
any individual who had received money
The attorneys objected. Knight said he
did not propose to permit the witness to
tell any names. He would only allow
him to direct where to go for informa-
tion. He had told that the Western
Union Telegraph company would be a
very mine of information. This COM
mittee had the same powers as the
Lexow legislative committee of New
York. and could go into the telegraph
offices and get every message. The
Jaynes law, decided by the supreme
court, said Knight, was not worth the
paper 1t was printed upon.
Valentine declared that Levinys
had been newspaperman long enough
to know that he could not assail people
without facts, and he should answer the
questions which had been put to him.
Levings was asked if he knew of his
own knowledge that money was paid
to any assemlblyman. He said he did not
see any money passed. He was again
asked if he had written the article.
Levings was instructed by Knight AMI
Clunie not to answer. Levings said he
could not answer without jeopardizing
his position. LevinNs was asked what
information he had in his possession.
This brought forth another objection,
and Valentine declared that the Exam
liner had published an article besmirch-
ing the characters of legislators and
then baked the efforts to learn the
truth.
Inthe evening thesame farce was gone
through with before the senate com
Snittee. The same questions were asked,
the same objections were made only
Clunie and McEnery did the objecting.
Senator VOORHEES, and Alvinza Hay
ward were called. Both of them de-
clared they knew nothing of any brib-
cry and Hayward expressed his willing
ness to allow any kilograms he had sent
to any member of the Legislature about
the bill in question to be produced. He
had sent none, and therefore none could
be produced.
Lawrence admitted that he had re-
ceived written communications about
the matter, but said that he had de-
stroyed the writing, and declined to
state what the contents of the papers
were.
The. matter was f1nally allowed to rest
until the senate decides whether 1t will
punish newspapermen for not answer
ing questions.
The attorneys for the Examiner de-
clare they will not allow their clients
to answer any questions or give any in-
formation as to where they got the
facts they published. They want to
conduct the prosecution themselves IN
their own way, and have the senate ana
assembly give the Examiner the power
to subpoena witnesses etc. las it chooses.
This both senators and assemblymen
say they will not for o moment agree to.
The assembly passed the lunacy bill
to a third reading this evening. 1t
also has before it bill providing that
city clerks and attorneys in cities Of
the fifth class shall be appointed by the
council and not elected by the people
That bill has passed the senate.
The governor is out of town and will
not return before Monday. He is forced
TO leave Sacramento every few days, as
here he is continually attacked with
rheumatism.
Mrs. Senator Androus and her two
sens left for Pomona this afternoon
FRASIER.
THE ASSEMBLY INQUIRY.
SACRAMENTO. March 5.-The in
vestigation into the charges of bribery
made by the Examiner was resumed
this morning before the assembly COM
mittec. Assemblyman Valentine ap-
peared as counsel for the committee
The Examiner demanded that all tele-