The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-23
LEGISLATORS TESTIFY
IN THE BRIBERY CASES
W. G. Nebeker, {. M. Jackson, E. G. Wins, J. W.
Hughes, N. Lien and Geo. E. Carpenter Examined.
Evidence Shows How he RunOrS Of Attempted Bribery
Arose Contradictions In Some of the Stories.

Several interesting witnesses were
heard by the legislative investigation
committee yesterday. but practically
none of the testimony tended to sub
stantiate the charges made by Repre-
sentative Law against a. W. McCune.
Much of the time was spent in argu-
ments between counsel on the admissi-
bllity and pertinence of evidence. Sen
ator W c. Nebeker testified in the
morning as 10 statements which he
says Were made to him by r. W. Sloan,
and which he thought might have been
construed as an offer of a bribe. IN
the afternoon the Jackson charges were
sifted, showing that their foundation
was in a remars4 made to e. q. WINS
by Fisher harris, that Jackson must
be found, no matter what the expense,
on certain evening.
Mr. WINS said that he did tlot consid-
er thar tie remarks had any Interior
significance until jackson himself suS-
gested it TO him, and he added that
he would never have carried the mes
sage if ne had understood that it was
meant he should suggest buying Jack
sons vote
Representative Law was asked for,
but he was reported to be SO i'll that
he could not leave his bed. Later it
was reported that Law was down town
and paid Il visit to the N,asatch drug
store. He was there found by the ser
Seant-aJ-arms, and instructed TO ap-
pear before the investigating commit
tee. He promised to do SO, and Ser
geant-at-Arms King departed. Then
Law changed his mind. III be id
if 1 go, he is reported as having said;
and he didn't go subsequently, DIT.
Witchef came in, and IQon his advice,
Law Went home Immediately. The doc
Tor said last night thar Law was bet
ter and would probably be able to at
tend the committee meeting today.
There was d weary wait in the
morning before the committee began
its work. The prosecution had sub
poenaed Senator W. &. Nebeker, Rep
resentative Jackson, I. II. L3nnau, Z.
G. WINS and }. W Hughes, but none OF
them were on hand, and ii began to
appear as though the case for Mr.. Law
would have to be closed without fur
ther testimony. Doe King, sergeant
alarms, was in despair. He gravi-
tated between the committee room ana
the telephone like one distracted, but
all his efforts seemed vain and uO Wit
neSSes came. At last, when everyone
was beginning 10 despair, ". q. Neb-
eker strolled IN. and ne was seized by
Doc" King and hurried into the COM
mittee room. 1t was tnen J0.20-one
hour and twenty minutes had been
very neatly and very successfully
killed.
WILL NEBEKER'S STORY.
Senator Nebeker's testimony was to
the effect that r. ". Sloan had stated
10 him early in the session that ne was
in Salt Lake Tor the purpose Of getting
Aquila Nebeker, W. q. Nebeker, Roy
lance, Jackson and Peery to vote for
y. w. McCune, and that when he had
accomplished that, his mission was
ended. He met Mr.. Sloan at the coun-
ty building on Feb. :, he said. and the
latter took him into the hallway and
there SAID TO him: Now, Win, ] dom [
want you to be angry al what I'm go
ing to say. This campaign has cost
Mr.. MCCune considerable money. and
I'd ike to see some Of my friends get
some of it,"
he went on to say" said Mr.. Neb-
eker, something to this effect: VIII
you take money for your support. or Is
it true that you viii take money for
your support?'
Didn't Mr.. Slcan say this" asked
Arthur Brown: Now, don't get an
cry, but I come to you as q friend TO
tell you that you ought 10 be informed
,
take money for your vote
Il don't recollect the language ac-
curately" Senator Nebeker replied
but [ think he said what I have re-
lated
Did you get angry at the PROPOSE
tion2"
7 walked away. I didn't want to
get angry at Sloan. for we have been
friends, and ] had said I should smash
anyone on the nose who tried TO bribe
me-
But you've been friendly with Sloan
since then, haven't your asked Brown
L think so. I've talked with him
since"
Your friendly relations of the past
have continued, ana you've eaten and
drank with him? ,"
Il haven't eaten with him but
wouldn't be sure that I have not taken
a drink with him
Who did you first ten this story
to2"
20. W. Powers. at his Office"
Who neSt?'
TO Representatives Law. Smith.
Johnson and Judge Colborn in Senator
Cannon's headquarters, 1 believe"
'Wnen2"
I'm not sure bur think it was Fri
day eVe ing between and j o'clock
IL. Nebeker stated incidentally that
he had heard that he had been ac-
cused ever since election tine of
susceptibility TO bribery and he had
understood that Mr.. AIcCune had made
the statement that wv. G. Nebeker
could be bought whenever the price
was Forthcoming" He added that Mr.
EIcCEne ne TO himself denied that he
had ever nSSie such statement
Only one ether witness WAS placed
upon tiIe stand in the morning. This
was :. E Carpenter, telegraph editor
of the Deseret News. VINO was called
20 answer one question. He stated that
Mr. McCune had told him on Saturday
short time after Law brought his
charges that he had never been alone
with Law in his life. He said that Mr.
McCJne was laboring under much ex-
citement at the time as he had inst
learned that Mr.. Law had made the
charges against him.
JACKSON WAS FEARFUL.
REPRESENTATIVE C. NJ Jackson was
called in the afternoon AS soon as he
was placed upon the stand argument
began Mr.. Jackson's testimony was
principally in regard TO Z conversation
with z. y. Wins aSd the defense
claimed that Air. T-sns' own testimony
was the best evidence on that score and
he should first be called. Mr.. Evans
pleaded that the sergeant-at-ar1 had
70 Hs,T T,-sr. ! H.