The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-06
Makes a Statement Relative TO the Recent
Senatorial Contest at Helena.
Leaves His Case In the Hands Of
the Senate, Confident That He
Will be Acquitted of Every Sus-
picion Of Guilt In Connection
With the Charges of Bribery in
His Election.

NEW YORK, Dec. 5.-The Worlds"
Washington correspondent telegraphs
the following statement, dictated by
Senator w. A. Clark of Montana:
1T may seem remarkable to those
who do not know our Populist Governor
that he should sign such a protest.
having signed my credentials after all
the developments in the Senatorial con-
test at Helena More than this, the
credentials We're signed after thorough
investigation had been made by leg
islative committee and by a Grand
Jury and after the findings of both had
been reported. Since then no new
evidence has been elected To those
who know Governor Smith, however.
his action gives no cause for surprise
"As to the story of the $50, 600 ex-
posture, the circumstances as related are
too absurd to be creditable to any rea-
the recent disbarment proceedings
against Attorney Welcome before the
State Supreme Court of Montana by
Whiteside and State Senator Mark is
so conflicting and contradictory as COM
pared with that which they gave be-
fore the Grand Jury as to entirely dis
atory and, besides the evidence of
number of the most prominent and
honorable men of the State was pro-
duced to impeach the character of
these men for veracity.
"Whiteside is now under bond to APP
pear before the District Court of the
county in which he lives and will be
arraigned on Wednesday to answer a
0f l.
the Deputy County Clerk to give him
access to the vaults in which the bal
lot boxes were stored in Mo-
was candidate for State Senator. and
believed he had been defeated. Over
whelming evidence will be produced in
substantiation of this charge against
Whiteside.
after Whiteside had made his
charges of bribery in the State Sem
ate demanded that a Grand Jury be
called to make a most searching inveS-
tigation. The presiding Judge charg-
ed the jury fully to leave no stone un-
turned in their efforts to reach the
guilty persons if an attempt at bribery
had been made. A large number of
witnesses We're examined during an in
vestigation lasting two weeks. The
Grand Jury reported that there was
no evidence upon which an indictment
could be found
There is another thing which has
been misunderstood and THAI is that in
all the so alleged cases of bribery it
has not been shown in single instance
by any evidence that any of the par
ties so charged at any time voted for
me.
1.-The statements circulated to the
effect that preacher named Warren
testified that I had authorized him to
pay 100000 to a friend who, he al
legged, stood ready to vote for me for
consideration, has been falsely report
ed. All that he did say, and that was
an Infamous lie, was that l could not
consider any proposition of that kind
myself, but would see that it was at
tended to-
This divine during his talk with
me, asked for a contribution for his
church at East Helena / gave him a
check for 500. He was very careful
to have the check made payable to him
instead Of to- the Trustees of his church.
After an examination, of the indoTse-
ments upon the check I am quite con-
fident that he pocketed the money HIM
self, and that the church did not profit
any by the contribution.
"This contest instituted to-day Is the
elimination of an unprovoked, pernic-
ious, malicious and bitter warfare
which has been waged against me for
twelve years by parties who have used
every means to control not only the
politics, but the executive, judicial and
legislative departments of the State
and to monopolize the vast public bus
mess interests of the State.
ct am quite willing to leave this mat
ter in the hands of United States Sem
ators, knowing that upon full inves-
tigation I will be acquitted of every
suspicion of guilt"