The herald., 1897-03-10
THE SENATORIAL SOLONS
Order Stubborn Reporters Off
to Jail
THE EXAMINER EMPLOYEES
Refuse to Give Their Authority for
Bribery Charges
Up to Date the Mine Where tho rIucb
Wanted information Lies Has
Not Been Developed
Special to The Herald

Special to The Herald
SACRAMENTO, March 9.-The scene
In the senate today was one of the most
dramatic in the annals Of the legislature
OF this state. From on early hour the
galleries, lobby and floor were crowded
to suffocation. Every senator had two
or more persons sitting with him. and
the reporters quarters were crowded.
The Examiner force came in early.
| Lawrence looked nervous Georgs
Knight sat on the steps of the presi-
dents desk, and Levings stood nearby
leaning against a wall. Fred Law
renee, Andys brother, moved around
the chamber and finally settled behind
the chair of Secretary Brandon AL
Murphy sat in chair in the corner near
| Knight and Lawrence. Ned fIamilton
occupied one of the reporters seats with
a pad of paper before him, but he did
not even take notes
| AS the hour of II approached tho
| crowd increased until even standing
room was at a premium. Just as the
long hand ON the senate clock pointed
to IL the lieutenant governor
brought down his gavel with sharp
rap and announced that the hour had
arrived for the contempt case.
Lawrence was brought before the bar
of the senate. He took a seat with Nc
Enerney sitting beside him, and the
| secretary read in a loud voice the ques-
| tions propounded by the committee.
which he had refused to answer. Nc
Enerney offered an explanation of why
Lawrence refused to answer Whether
or not" said McEnerney this COM
munioation is of the privileged character
that would. secure the witness im-
murity, the witness will refuse to an
swer ON the ground that the question Is
neither material nor relevant to amy is
sue that this senate has the right or
! jurisdiction to inquire into. 1t is purely
hearsay'
Everybody pressed forward to listen,
and the noise was so great that Boyca
gave notice that If it did not cease he
would offer a resolution to clear tho
floor. When order was restored the
questioning of Lawrence was continued.
He tried to have McEnerney do all tho
answering for him, but the senate in
sisted that he refuse OF answer himself.
He refused.
AL Murphy was called to the bar. He
| also declined to answer, but said he
knew nothing of the article. only being
able to guess who was It's author from
its style.
Levings followed and declined "a
answer questions also.
The three defendants were then
| brought before the bar Of the senate, an !
| Knight standing at the secretary8
desk, began his address in favor Of Law
renee and his companions. Knight - .
good speaker and he spoke with much
| force. His argument was plea against
the authority of the senate to commit
for contempt. He argued that the sem
| ate could not investigate idle newepa-
per rumors, and that it was a matter OF
| no concern to the senate whether thc
Examiner lied in what it said or whether
| it had any foundation for it's charges
Suppose 1t did lie,' said he, how can
| you as a senate punish it?
This is question for the judiciary to
| settle, and you are the legislative
branch of the government"
The article, he said, had made no spe-
cific charges and the senate therefore
| should take no notice of 1t. He de-
clared that there should be no politics
| in the matter. He said that what In.
formation Lawrence had or what he
did with it was of no Importance to tho
senate. If the senators thought they
were injured by the article in the Exc
aminer they should sue individually.
When Knight closed a recess was taxi
en- until 2 p. M, when resolutions were
offered by Morehouse demanding the
| commitment Of Levings, Lawrence and
Murphy until such time as they saw f1t
to answer the questions propounded to
them at the bar of the senate.
After a long preamble reciting the
| fact that the spondents refused to
answer the questions, the resolution
| concluded: Resolved, That the said
| A. NJ. Lawrence be taken into custody
| by the sergeant-at-arms of the senate,
| and that he be committed to the county
| Jail of the county of Sacramento, state
! of California, until he shall have purge0
himself of this contempt by answering
| the questions which were propoundeA
| to him under the direction of the sen.
ate; that copy of this resolution, duly
attested by the clerk of the senate, b
the authority of the sergeant-at-arms a
the senate and the sheriff of the county
| of Sacramento"
| If possible, the audience WIS hrYeP
| in the afternoon than in the morning.
! and the excitement was more intense.
Morehouse opened, the discussion on
the Lawrence cases it being decided to
take up each case separately. He read
| from contempt case of DR.. 0. Mccarthy.
formerly editor of American Flag. who
had been sent to jail for refusing to an.
awer an investigating committee some
thirty years ago. In that case the gup
preme court held that the Legislature
could force witnesses to testify.
Senator Bert thought the Examines
had virtually backed down and thero.
fore the matter should be dropped.
Prisk held the same view. Wtthin0s
ton said he had been opposed to inves-
tigation but would vote for commitments
because the senate had gone so far. H
took particular interest In the case q
Mccarthy, cited by Morehouse, be- 4
cause the same man was running =
newspaper In San Diego today on t1o
same principle. *
The roll being called there were twene
ty-sdx votes, including all the senatoro
from Southern California, for commit 3
ment. and eleven against It. The -
suit was received with terrific appla1o1>
| On motion Of Morehouse the reooIut)on
against AL Murphy were withdrevn
| and the vote In LevinEs resulte0 ~ <
same as in the case Of Lawrence.
Judge Hughes Of this city, ouDcoGo Z