The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1899-03-11
McGUNE CHARGED WITH BRIBERY
Representative Law of Cache County Pre-
fsrs the Charge.
Says MOCune Agreed to Pay Him 81 800
for His Vote, and Paid $50 Down to Bind
the Bargaln-The Charge Creates Great
Sensation and Committee is Chosen to
Investigate 1t.

McCune, leading candidate for United
States senator, is charged with bribery
to secure his election. His aecuser is
Representative Law of Cache county.
McCune enters firm denial of the
charge, which is met by Law with the
assertion that he is prepared to prove
the charge. Utah politics have never
known such a sensation as the charge
has produced and little else is talked
OF. commission composed of Sena-
tors Shurtliff, Whitney and Howell
and Representatives Sorensen, Stewart,
Cummings and Mansfield has been
chosen to investigate the charges.
They are now sitting as court of in
quiry, but report is hardly expected
before Wednesday. The commission
is empowered to summon witnesses
and compel them to testify.
At the opening of the joint session
Saturday, Representative Law arose to
a question of personal privilege. His
manner indicated that something un-
usual was about to transpire. He
spoke with earnestness and seemed to
weigh his words as he uttered them,
There was marked stiffness when in
clear, positive tones he charged that
Mr.. McCune had given him money for
his vote. After a few preliminary
remarks, Mr.. Law continued:
Mr.. president and members of this
legislature will now give the proofs
for these charges made. Now, sir, |
will state that last Tuesday night |
held an interview with that gentleman
| UNI. McCune) and in the course of our
remarks he said that he proposed to
be electcd-that he had spent too much
in this fight to lose. And, sir, on top of
that, he said: Law, if you will vote
! for me tomorrow you may name your
price" Mr.. President, L did not take
advantage of that offer because I am
not built that way. l claim to be an
honest man and l cannot be so at
tracted from my line of duty Had it
not been for the knowledge that I
might detect the foul schemes of this
man and expose them to you and the
people l should most assuredly have
flung everything back into his teeth.
l have taken stand against that can
didate, and then determined to dis
close this kind of business.
Now, sir, yesterday afternoon was
telephoned to from the McCune head
quarters and was asked to come to
those headquarters, l made the APP
! pointment at o'clock, and the same
proposition was made me as on Tues
day night. Now, sir, after left those
| 1r1 arfn I E.
hours, after which l went at once to
the chief of police, Mr. Pratt, and /
agreed that it was our duty to detect
and expose and drag into the iron arms
of the law, this culprit-this man that
was trying to purchase the honor of
this great state of Utah. We acted on
short notice. We instantly made
plan to reveal to the public this scheme
that had been so fully plotted. Now,
sir, am here now to present the facts
! in this case.
telephoned to the McCune head
quarters this morning, and after insist
ing on seeing McCune PERSONAL---VERY.
Cune himself-McCune came to the
telephone. 1 then reminded him of
the conversation Tuesday and told him
God forgive me for telling lie; but
did it for the honor of Utah)-I told
him that l had reconsidered his offer
and wanted to meet him for further
arrangements of the proposition.
Mr.. McCune and l then met at the
Wasatch drug store; and there and then
we held conversation, the substance
of which was how much it would take
to buy my vote. We agreed upon the
price. The exact amount is not neces-
sary to be named, but will name it if
you want me to do so. Numerous
cries of Name it, name it!'O 1t was
$1,000. Fifteen hundred dollars, my
fellow egislators-fifteen hundred dol
lars for me to sacrifice the honor of
myself, my citizenship, our Utah, our
great republic! That was the price
agreed upon, and in few minutes it
was agreed that l should be paid 800
this morning, and between and 4
o'clock this afternoon l was to receive
the remainder of the sum.
Now, sir, want to tell you just how
l proposed to detect the thing and fur
nish indisputable evidence for the
scheme, in order that the public may
not doubt the foul effort, and in order
that we might strike terrific, stag
gering blow to this corruption of state!
| Now, l slept in the Jennings block last
night, and it was our plan to have Mr..
McCune meet me there in my room this
morning, while Mr.. Pratt should be
where he could listen to what should
be said by us. But, sir, when asked
Mr.. McCune this morning to go into
the privacy of my room, he said: mo,
let us go into some saloon" l replied
that there was too much at stake for
me to go into so public place, and
told him that my room where / slept
last night in the Jennings block would
be the most secret place. Then Mr..
McCune said: "Wait till 1 get some
change" and he bought some cigars at
| q Will vryo1 I