The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-05
BRIBERY is CHARGED
ELECTION OF SENATOR CLARK, OF
MONTANA, TO BE CONTESTED
IN SENATE
USE OF MONEY THE BASIS
Montana Millionaire Charged with
Having Expended Half IA Million
Dollars In Securing Seat I'm the
Upper House of CORgress-AlIega-
Carter-DetaiIs of Case.

Carter-DetatIS OF case
WASHINGTON, Dec. Ain the course
Of the proceedings of the senate today Mr..
Carter, of Montana, presented a memorial
from some of the members of the Mon
tana legislature against the validity OF
the pretended election. of William A.
Clark to the senate" The memorial re-
cites that Mr.. Clark did secure and pro-
cure votes In this legislative assembly by
paying for them, and the promise Of pay
ing therefor large sums OF money.
Therefore, your menoriaIists and pro-
testants do urge that said w. A. Clark,
by his agents and associates, did bride
sundry members of said legislative as
sembly to vote for him." the memorialists
say, land is therefore not the untram-
meled choice of the Montana assembly"
The contention is made that by bribery
and corruption Mr.. Clark was enabled to
secure enough votes to compass his cleo
ton as senator. 1t is said that the sum
of $50, 900, paid to members of the legisla-
ture by Mr. Clark or his agents for votes,
was produced in open session of the leg
islature, and deposited in the treasury
of Montana, where it still remains I'M
claimed by Mr.. Clark. The sum Of $780,
600. 1t IS alleged, was to be paid for the
votes Of four members Of the legislature.
1t is alleged that the $50, 900 is but a small
fraction of the amount expended by Mr.
Clark to compass his election. The me-
morialists offer to show to the senate
ample evidence to establish the charges
they make.
clio NV r
Stiff, speaker of the house, and twenty
seven other members of the Montana leg
islature Appended to, and made a part
of the memorial, is a report of the in
vestigation made of the election of Sem
ator Clark by the legislature of Montana.
Mr.. Carter also presented a petition
signed by Robert B. Smith, governor of
Montana; T. E. Collins, state treasurer;
Henry c. Stiff and many other prominent
citizens Of Montana asking 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 pur
pose of securing the premise of members
of said legislative assembly to vote for
and elect the said William A. Clark, he
named and unnamed by the petitioners,
to corrupt and bride the members of said
legislative assembly and to thereby Sc
cure their votes in behalf of the candi-
dacy of said William A. Clark. 1t is al
legged that Clark, in the furtherance Of
his desires, paid large sums of money to
the members Of the legislature for their
votes"
The petition then names a number Of
members of the legislature, with sums
they are alleged to have received set OPP
posite their names. These sums .aggre-
gated, according to the petition, about
s5OO,OOO
In addition to the sums alleged to have
been paid by Senator Clark to persons
named, for their votes or influence, 1t is
asserted that Senator Clark offered to
various persons for their votes or In
f1uence sums aggregating SIZE, 900. Those
persons are also named in the petition.
The petitioners aver that many other
sums, unknown at the present time, were
paid out corruptly by Senator Clark in
advancing his candidacy for the senate.