The herald., 1897-03-19
NO SENATOR WAS BR|BED
Nobody Tried to Bribe Any
Senator
THE EXAMINER CHARGES
maIig1ed Men as Innocent as Auy
Sucking Dove
The Investigating Committee Probsd Deeply
Finding Only immaculate Purity-The
Offendsrs Again Out on Ball

the Examiner charges of bribery In con-
nection with assembly bill 273 made its
report today After reciting the publi-
cation of the article and the efforts to get
the Examiner employees and the man
ager of the telegraph company to testify
the report says:
1.-The managers of said telegraph COM
panies appeared before your committee
and objected to being required to pro-
duce the kilograms as aforesaid, because
they had no authority to do so, and be-
cause 1t is contrary to law for them to
do so; that they would produce any par
ticular telegram from any particular
person to or from any other particular
person that might be specified with such
particularly as to date and subject
matter as would enable them to find the
kilograms, should any exist. After con-
sideration, your committee sustained
the objection; and at various times dur
ing the examination requested of repre-
sentatives of the Examiner, who fire.
quently appeared before your commit
tee, that If they would specify name or
names of any person or persons, to-
gether with date or approximate date OF
sending or receipt of any kilograms, and
that such telegram had reference, in any
manner, to assembly bill 27S, the COM
mittee would require the production of
such telegram or kilograms, but no fur
ther information was given. Your COM
mittee, as a consequence, had no infor-
nation upon which to proceed in the
matter of investigation. as the parties
who had made charges and statements
declined to give source of their informa-
ton, and we therefore, concluded to,
and did, examine each and every one of
the forty senators constituting this body.
and the most searching questions were
put to each and every one of them re-
garding the reasons why he had voted
for or against assembly bill 273 when it
was under consideration in the senate;
also, as to whether he had been influ-
enced by corrupt or improper motives
in voting for or against said bill; also, as
to whether he had received any telegram
or kilograms. letters or communications
of any kind regarding the matter, and as
a result we find that but one telegram
was received regarding assembly bill 273
and that was the one received by the
senator from Santa Clara, which tele-
gram is in the possession OF the commit
tee of the assembly investigating like
charges. The senator appeared before
the committee and fully explained the
circumstances and the reasons why he
had voted as he did concerning assem-
bly, bill 27S, and also the receipt of said
telegram, and his explanations were and
are entirely satisfactory to your COM
mittee, and there is no reason or cause
why his actions or motives concerning
assembly bill 273 can be impunged or
questioned as to their honesty and sin
cerity.
The evidence also discIoses that the
senator from Tehama and Butte re-
ceived a letter from Mr.. Cross, one of
the trustees of the Hobart estate, ask
ing him to support A. B. 273. Mr.. Cross
had long been acquainted with the sena-
tor to whom he wrote, and the senator
fully explains the matter, and his hon
esty and integrity in the premises are
not in the least degree impugned, or
even the subject of adverse comment,
the letter being simply friendly conf
munication Your committee finds
from the testimony that one of the
chief reasons for the activity displayed
In support of the bill, which was not
unusual activity in legislation. arose
from the fact that the united bar OF
MADEIRA county had requested the pas
sage of such BILL and had caused the
same to be introduced by the senator
representing their district, which bill
was allowed to lapse because A. b. 21S
came into the senate about the time the
MADEIRA bill was under consideration,
ard took its place. Other senators
voted for it because their personal ex-
perience appealed to them to do SO, and
the remainder because they believed It
to be a good bill, and many who voted
against it stated that they favored the
principle of the bill. but that they CON-
sidered it too broad in its provisions
and that, had the amendments which
were proposed, and which were as fol-
lows, been adopted, they would have
supported It,"
After quoting from the journal to show
the various amendments offered to the
BILL the report concludes as follows:
And your committee Is of the
opinion that the entire senate was In
favor of the principle sought to be put
in force by the BILL and that there was
no bribery nor corruption nor undue in
huence, nor attempt at bribery, nor
corruption of any kind or description in
connection with said bill, or with the
action of any senator thereon, and that
the charges and statements made In the
said article in the Examiner were and
are groundless and devoid of truth, in
go far as bribery. attempt at bribery,
corruption, attempt at corruption, or
the use of undue influence In influencing
the vote or conduct Of any senator con-
nected with the said bill Is concerned.
All of the witnesses who appeared be-
fore the committee were duly sworn
and testified; their testimony was taken
down by stenographers. has been trans
cribed and Is herewith filed.
Respectfully submitted,
uT1TCK TNSON