The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-20

iliSlI0S0 lllOl WI Hh~I III
again use his good offices
for this financially stranded
Philadelphia who wanted
to 60 home. That is practi-
cally the story that was
told to me.
Q. Have you exhausted your informa-
ton in the direction of improper infiu-
ences brought to bear upon the legisla-
| tors. so far as this one Instance is con-
A Well. if you conhne it to information
l can tell you information that 1 have,
The chairman-f think we had better
have him give us the names of those that
can give the information and get It di-
rect. We may spend year here on hear
say matters.
Mr. Burnett would like to have his
information so far as I am concerned.
question is submitted to you. gentlemen,
whether we shall go into hearsay matters
with this witness or whether we shall ask
him for his sources of information and
get II direct from these.
Mr.. Burnett think we better get the
information TO see whether 1t is worth
Mr. Sanford~we can start with 1t and
see whether it amounts to anything or
not.
The chairman-very WELL you may re-
late to the committee what information
you have.
A Information was brought me from
some source that Assemblyman Cosper,
preached Milton ]. Green. the political
manager for L. S. Grant, and told him
that either Colonel Burns or his financial
representatives had offered Mr.. Cosper
5000 to vote for Mr. Burns; that Mr. Cos
per told Mr.. Green that he did not want
10 vote for Burns; that he preferred to
vote for Grant. but that If he did vote
for Grant he thought that he should be
remunerated to the extent of the offer
that had been made to him by Colonel
Burns or Colonel Burns agent. That was
the information. And in justice to Mr..
Cosper, l would like to add to that that l
detailed two reporters of The Call to in
terview Mr.. Cosper as to the truth or
falsity of it, and Mr. Cosper denied the
truth of the interview he was said to
have had with Mr.. Green in which these
facts were stated.
The chairman-Now, would like to say
TO the committee that this matter, being
somewhat personal one. l hope you will
make the examination exhaustive. If 1
do so, but l would rather you would con-
duct the examination upon that propo-
sutton. at at least until see that it is as
Mr.. Mellick-Who told you, LeYings?
A. 1 do not know
@. Well. there was the name of some
<ASScillOly HAL mentioned IN COln6cIiOn
with it, was there not? | did not hear
your story very good. Some one told
you that some Assemblyman-told you
that Mr.. Cosper had
A No; the information that 1 had was
that Mr. Cosper had gone to Milton Green
and then these other facts transpired.
You wish me to repeat it?
Q. did net hear 1t very good for some
reason or other
A. The information was that Assembly
man Cosper had gone to Mr.. Green and
t616 HfVI1T hat ri rd1 Of
Colonel Burns authorized agents, had Of
fered Mr.. Cosper $1,000 TO vote for Colonel
Burns for Senator; that Mr. Cosper told
Mr.. Green that he did not want to vote
for Colonel Burns; that he preferred to
vote - when he changed his vote from
what it is at present-to vote for Mr..
Grant. but that he thought that if he did
vote for Mr.. Grant he should be remun-
Grated to the extent of the offer that had
been made to him by the Burns people.
And l afterward sent two men to see Mr.
Cosper and Mr.. Cosper denied the truth
of that information.
@. 1 do not understand that exactly.
Do you say that your information is that
Mr.. Green went to Mr.. Cosper?
A. That Mr.. Cosper went to Mr.. Green.
Q. When did you hear this, Levings?
A Four or five days ago-I do not re-
member. Three or four, or four or five
8. And where were you when you re-
! ceived the information?
A. In Sacramento.
| Q. Whereabouts?
A l do not remember.
O. You haven't any idea whether 1t was
| in the Capitol building?
A think 1t was downtown-probably
was downtown:
A. Presumably. That is where we meet
most people that have information to
Q. You think it was in the Golden Eagle
A. 1 rather think So
| O. Was it in the evening?
A / do not remember.
| information, was 1t not, If 1t should be
true?
A. If it was true, yes.
O. That should have impressed YOU Is
not your memory good enough to have
| it impressed on you-the man that gave 1t,
or the time. or something about 1t?
A. have told you and the committee,
Mr. Mellick. that l do not remember the
source of my information.
Q. No; but I want to try and refresh
your memory.
A All right; go ahead.
| Q. Was it man or a woman that told
you?
| A. L do not know Probably a man.
@. Was he an old man?
A I am sure I cannot tell you. There is
no desire of evasion that reply this way.
| Q. 1 know: but l want to refresh your
memory. Mr. Levings.
A. 1 really do not remember. I have
| tried to refresh my own memory before
came here to-day, because / never expect
ed, after L haQ aScerIalneQ from COS
per his denial, to be able-even If 1t were
! true-to fix the truth of 1t, and I dismissed
it from my mind. as there are many other
matters that engage my attention.
Q. know; but you detailed two report
ers, did you not?
A. I did.
Q. Who were the two reporters?
A. Mr. Colver and Mr.. James
O. Mr.. Richard Colver and Henry
| James?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What did you tell them when you
saw them?
A. 1 repeated more briefly what I have
! told you, and told them to go to Mr..
| Cosper and ask him as to the truth or
| falsity of 1t.
Q. Both of them?
A. Yes.
| Q. Did you indicate to them from whom
| you had gotten it? Maybe they will re-
member what you told them?
! A No, sir; l did not tell them. l pre-
sumo l did not. do not see why I should
| have told them
o. You gave them no inkling OF what
kind of man it was that told you about
| it. nor anything of the kind? Did not
| YOU give them any inkHng except. just
go and interview him?
A. That is all.
O. Well do you think they have any
| knowledge of who II was that told you?
A. l know they have not.
O. You did not dream It?
r,fNf lran