Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-12-13

Hon. W. G.. Conrad of Great Falls
that state, was leading csndidat,
and likely to receive the honor. Hi.
defeat by Vim. A. Clark was accom-.
plished by bribery. And does not the
bribery referred to in the Memorial
presented in the United States Sen.
ate on the 18th of December, empha.
sized the necessity and policy of elect.
ing L. ;. Senators by direct vote of
the people? We hope that our Virgin
Ia Legislature will take the iniative
and declare with unamimity for such
a change In this connection il is
pertinent to remark. what blot upon
our boasted civilization is the humil
iating spectacle of briber of legis
lative votes TO secure his election, aud
Polygamist, or more properly BIZ
ganlst, claiming seats in the United
States Senate, where the highest SEN
Sc of honor, and the most enlig htened
Craftsmanship, should alone be ad-
mittec to have a voice in directing
the policy and destiny of this great
and powerful Nation.
The protest or memorial refer
red to, gives more forcible expression
bearing upon the subject in the fol.
lowing words:
The memorial presented in the
Senate by Mr.. Carter (Republican),
of Montana, Is from some Of the
members of the Montana Legislature.
and against the validity of the pre-
tended election of William A. Clark"
10 the Senate. The memorial recites
that Mr.. Clark did secure aud pro-
cure votes In this legislative assembly
by the payment therefor, and bv the
promise of payment therefor, of large
sums of money" Further. your
memorialists and protestants DO aver
that the said William 4. Clark. by
himself and his agents, did bride
sundry members of said legislative
assembly to vote for him for said
Office, the memOrialists alleging that
he was not the untrsmmelled choice
of the Legislature of Montana. The
assertion is made that by corruption
and bribery Mr.. Clark was enabled
to secure enough votes to compass
his election as senator.
1t is recited that the sum of $780,
600 paid to the members of the Leg
islature by Mr.. Clark or his agents
for votes was produced in open ses-
sion of the Legislature and deposited
In the Treasury Of Montana. where it
still remains unclaimed by Mr.. Clark.
The sum Of $4,000, it is alleged.
was to be paid for the votes for four
members of the Legislature. 1t is
alleged that the $4,000 is but small
fraction of the amount expended bv
Mr.. Clark to compass his election.
The memorialists offer te show to the
Senate ample evidence to establish
the charges they make.
The charges are signed by Henry
5. Stiff, Speaker of the House, and
twenty-seven other members of the
Montana Legislature.
Appended to, and made a part of.
the memorial, is a report of the in
vestigation made of the election of
Senator Clark by the Legislature of
Montana.
The petition is signed by Robert
Is. Smith, Governor of Montana: II.
+. Collins, State Treasurer; Henry
5. Stiff, and many other prominent
citizens of Montana, and asks for an
early and full hearing of the charges
against Senator Clark, which are set
out fully in the petition.
The petition declares that "for the
purpose of securing the support of
members of said legislature assembly
to vote for and elect the said William
A. Clark, he did confederate and con-
spire with" parties named aud un-
named by the petitioners "to corrupt.
bribe, and buy the members of said
legislative assembly and to thereby
secure their votes in behalf of the
candidacy of said William A. Clark"
1t is alleged that Clark did, in the
furtherance of his desires, pay large
sums of money to the members of the
Legislature for their votes. The pc
tition then names a number of mem
bers of the Legislature, with sums
they are alleged to have received set
opposite their names. These sums
aggregated, according to the petition,
about 100000.
In addition to the sums alleged to
have been paid by Senator Clark to
persons named for their votes or in
huence, 1t is asserted that Senator
Clark offered to various persons for
their votes or influence sums aggre-
eating $175,000. These persons also
are named in the petition. The pc
titioners over that many other sums
unknown at this time were paid out
corruptly by Senator Clark in adj
VancirO his candidacy for tba Ganako