The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-11
MYERS TELLS THE COURT HOW
CLARK TRIED TO BUY HIM
An Appalling Story Of Attempted Corruption They Were
After the Ravalli Senator From the Moment of
His Election-Three Men for $50,OO0
SULLIVAN WAS OFFERED $4,000 FOR HIS VOTE

Special Dispatch to the Standard.
Helena, Nov 10.--The case for the
| petitioner in the Welcome disbarment
| trial was practically closed to-day.
| While not one-half Of the witnesses
| subpoenaed for the petitioner have
been placed on the stand, it has been
considered by the counsel that the evil
dence is sufficiently strong. Many wit
nesses, too, are excluded for the rea-
son that, while their evidence would
tend to show bribery in behalf of Clark,
it is not directly connected with Well
come, and therefore is not relevant in
| this case.
| A few more witnesses will be put on
the stand to-day, the purport of which
| Will be to show how some members of
the legislature had their bank accounts
suddenly swollen at the time of the leg
| islative session. 1t is expected that the
| case will be finished before the end of
another week.
The court ran against two snags yes
| terday and the snags are not yet dis
posed of. One was on the motion of the
respondent to strike out the evidence Of
State Senator Myers as not duplicating
Welcome. The judges confessed that
they were not decided as to what they
should do respecting this matter and
declared their readiness to hear argu-
ment. Monday morning was set as the
| time for hearing the arguments Of the
attorneys relative to the relevancy and
| materiality of the evidence of Myers,
Anderson, Stiff and some other wit
tn
that any evidence should be presented
save that which directly duplicates
Welcome.
Much testimony has been admitted
by the court on this understanding
that its relevancy should be decided
later. and on Monday 1t will be decided
whether or not this testimony shall be
stricken out.
The second snag was reached in the
afternoon and it shortened the days
output of testimony by considerable
The cashier of the Bank of Boulder ap-
peared on the stand with the banks
ledger. He was asked relative to Sena-
tor Warmers bank account prior to the
legislative session with it's sudden jump
in the middle of the session, but the
attorneys for the defense stopped pro-
ceedings right there and objected to the
exposure of Senator Warmers bank
account. There was long argument;
the judges retired to consider the mat
ter and. not arriving al a speedy con-
conclusion, they adjourned court until
morning without rendering a decision.
An Appalling Story.
Were it not that Montana has become
somewhat Injured to stories of bribery
in connection with the last legislative
session, the stories told before the su-
preme court to-day would be truly APP
palling. The evidence of the day was
not directed so much towards Well
come as against Bickford, Steele and
others.
First of all came State Auditor Poin-
dexter with the story of how Steele
offered him $1,000 IL he could buy the
three Beaverhead county men for $780,
600.
Ihen came the straightforward re-
cital of Senator Myers of Ravalli coun-
ty, showing the batteries of the bribers
assaulted him from the moment of his
election to the last and left never a
by Bickford before he went to Hell
ena; ne told of the letter received from
Charles w. Clark, and this letter was
placed IN evidence; he told of the at
tempt or Bickford and others to bribe
MIN after he reached Helena, and the
$4,000 was exhibited which Nhiteside
got for him from Welcome: he told of
how, after the exposure and investiga-
ton, A. j. Steele tried to induce him
hrst to vote for Clark; second, to flee
the state. and, third, to sign paper to
the erect that his testimony before the
legislative committee was false.
Then came the story of Representa-
tive Phil sullivan, who was offered s15.-
600 by Bickford to vote for Clark: and,
finally. came the recital of Speaker
Stiff. who told of Bickford's offer of
$4,000 if he would withdraw from the
speakershp contest and vote for Clark.
The cashier of the Bank of Boulder
was on the stand when the days revolt
ing testimony closed.
At the morning session T. w. Poin-
dexter, jr., state auditor. was put on
the stand first. Before he became au-
ditor he had lived in Dillon about Is
years. He knew Messrs Paul and
Metlen, Senator Norris and A. J.
Steele of Helena During January, at
conversation with him in the chief
clerks office in regard to the mem
bers from Beaverhead county.
Detail the conversation"
offered $5O.OOO.N
81 met Mr.. Steele about Thursday or
Friday after the balloting had begun.
He asked me whether l thought the
three votes from Beaverhead county
could be obtained. He said they were
worth $4,000. He asked me to take
hold of the matter, and asked me what
l would want to procure the votes for |
Clark. I told him $1,000, and he said |
that was all right"
On cross-examination, Mr.. Poindex-
ter said that the meeting was by ap-
pointment and took place at o'clock
IN the afternoon. They were alone. He
dld nothing in pursuance to the offer
ana did not receive any money.
Henry L. Myers, attorney at law of
hamilton, Ravalli county, and state
witness.
came to Helena Dec 80, 1898, and
remained here during the entire ses-
sion. l know Mr. Welcome NV sight