The record-union., 1899-01-19
ton Of casting any reflection on Mr.

Grants integrity.
Mr.. Bacon then moved that the ques-
tion be stricken out on behalf of Mr..
Grant. The motion was carried. The
Objectionable question was to the ef-
feet that knowing money was spent
in Perkins and Felton's campaigns you
supposed 1t was all right in this ease?''
Another like question again aroused
Attorney Bacon's ire, and he declared
that the examination was not being
conducted right Mr. Wright is not
being examined" he declared, but
there is an attempt being made to
strike at some one else over his shoul-
der"
Attorney Bacon was raped to silence
and was informed that the committee
| would not be irtimidated in any way.
| Speaker Wright then said: II am in
this position: I have been charged by
a San Francisco paper with accepting
money to vote for a United States Sena-
tor. This I absolutely deny, and if
the truth of this matter can be brought
out at this time I am only too willing
to answer any proper questions that
may be propounded.
Il never received money to vote for
Mr.. Grant. On the contrary it was i'm
plicitly understood that if I accepted
| financial aid I was to be entirely un-
biased in my vote for a Senator.
Later when / was passing through
Sacramento, en- route to Arizona, re-
ceived request from a friend, who de-
| sired to be accommodated with $3.50.
I forwarded the request to my warm
friend Milton Green and requested him
! to oblige me by advancing it and !
would later repay it. but there was
| absolutely nothing said to- me about
my voting for any Senatorial candidate
in consideration of the accommoda-
tion''
In answer to direct question, Mr..
Wright said: st do not know of any
money or other inducement being Of
fered any member Of this Legislature
in order to influence his vote for
United States Senator.
Il never gave any note or receipt for
the $500. I looked upon it as gift,
and there is no understanding that ]
have to return it. The $3.50 is a loan.
but as yet I have not returned it, /
did not know that the money belonged
or rather came from Mr. Grant until
Green admitted it here in Sacram, nto.
have always looked upon Mr.. CIR. en-
as a wealthy man.
By request of r. 7. Devlin, attorney
for Mr.. Wright. the matter of the con-
versation between Mr.. Leake and
Spreckels in the Cali building was
then entered into and Mr. Wright said:
Il was called up in the middle of the
night by the Oakland correspondent, of
that paper who requested me to call at
the Calf office in San Francisco next
day.
Il called and was very cordially re-
ceived by Mr.. Leake. He said we are
anxious to have chat with you about
your candidacy for Speaker Of the
House.
Il said 1 would be very glad to re-
ceive your papers support, but if it car
RES any compulsion for me to be biased
in appointing my committees with its
support, I shall have to decline.
Mr.. Spreckels, who was lying on a
lounge, got up and said I am glad to
hear you talk like that and We'll come
out for you Tomorrow
Later he sent for me and said 7
don't want you to appoint that - =
: Works on a committee, as he has
some measure on foot that conflicts
with Spreckels' interests
He was greatly incensed toward As
semblyman Crowder, and demanded
that he should not be appointed on the
Committee on Public Grounds
Previously to this I had been warned
against Leake, I had been told that he
was known as Slippery Sam,' but
had always determined never to allow
any corporate interests to assume any
control as far as my committees were
concerned.
"At one time in the Golden Eagle Ho-
tel in the presence of his reporter, Lew
ings. T. H Williams, Jr, and others
I.eake said: Say, old man, you know
love Burns. but am obliged to fight
him. 1 said Why is that, Sam?'
He answered, I am instructed to do
| so by my paper, and / have to do it,
81 then said, Well, 1 would rather do
any thing than act that way toward a
| friend whom I claimed to love-
He also informed me that he intend
ed to ruin the chances of both Grant
and Burns for the Senatorship, and that
if necessary he would publish this scan
dal, in order to do so.
He said he was sorry that had to
go down in order to attain his aim,
but both Burns and Grant had to be
| defeated, no matter who was crucified
in order to attain his object.
| Later Hugh Burke, one Of the Cali
reporters, approached me and said:
Mr.. Wright / have been Informed by
Mr.. Leake of your frank admission CT
receiving bribe, and I want to inter
view YOU 1 saw the intended trap
instantly and said I have made no
admissions. and do not desire to see
anyone but your principal"
Then in answer to questions, Mr..
Wright absolutely denied that he had
ever told Mr.. Leake that he got money
to buy of Pringle, he had never ex-
pended any money to buy off Pringle,
and the latter had never been bought
off. He had never told Mr.. Leake he
was financially in a bad way He had
never told Mr.. Leake that he intended
to ask Mr.. Herrin for 81 200 nor had