The San Francisco call., 1899-01-24

CALL HEADQUARTERS, SACRA-
MENTO, Jan. 23.-Not long ago 1 wrote
that I would not believe a politician un-
der oath. To-day demonstrated that to
believe them all would be an impossible
ity. for they swore and swore. and that
which some of them said could not have
been true, for it directly denied that
which others had said. Yet not a voice
quavered and not a face flushed. 1 tried
10 be as one without prejudice, and stud
led each witness carefully. but to dis
Cern the attitude which disguises a false-
hood requires a better student of human
nature.
This has been a notable day in the in
vestigation. Tonight the committee is
tired ard the others who had to remain
during the afternoon are Just as tired
The session was held in a room about
large enough to swing a cat in, and with
IS much ventilation as a safety vault
People were standing, all save a lucky
few, and were jammed so tightly that
they could not reach into their pockets.
The place was hot, and several cigars
and cigarettes made the air reek.
There were so many witnesses that no
endeavor is made here to recount their
testimony. but when Herrin deposes and
. says the Southern Pacific has not been
helping. when Burns himself bears wit
ness TO the same ideal state of non-inter
ference, and then Major Mclaughlin
backs them To nicely, there is surely a
niger in the woodpile; but instead of be-
ing dragged out he seems to be having
more wood piled on top of him. Each of
these witnesses got in d slap at the news
papers, the major saying that no sane
person would pay any attention to them.
This was for him rather an unfortunate
remark. If he shows anger at passing
journalistic comment he will be rating
himself a lunatic. Perhaps he is prepar-
ing TO make a plea of insanity.
Far be il from me 10 judge set of men
hastily, but if the Burns people have not
captured the investigating committee, and
did not make use of ii to-day to pour
water on the colonels wheel, then can
not distinguish between black and white.
But for consciousness OF the WlCkedneSS
of gaming l would wager that the COM
mittee has accomplished only one thing
within its scope, and this involved the
disgraCing of Wright. Instead OF expos
ing facts that might have injured Burns,
il mas chucked them beneath the surface,
filled the grave, leVeled it and turfed II
over | do not say that the committee
hypnotized by the presence of the mighty,
and led into captivity while the trance
was on.
full In so far as was in their power they
Vindicated Assemblyman Cosper, mucn
TO the satisfaction of Chairman Cosper,
to them to shield them from the shafts or
1t is fair to state that ne
also tried TO shut off a question as to the
cost of Grants campaign. In TINS ne
failed. as similar question had already
been asked Burns, who had answered
that he had expended nothing yet, but
supposed his board bill would be heavy.
Now on the records which Will guide the
committee to conclusions this gives
Burns a great advantage, as Grant had
to reply that he let go of SlO,DO-yes,
$50 600 He paused when the query
reached the dignity of $4,000 and the
matter was pressed, twenty tho th9us3na 3,a1
given his evidence calmly and smilingly,
while Grants confusion was almost pitt
full. Nobody suspected this was because
Grant was not telling the truth, either
What may have been suspected as to
Burns. there was no comment and L am
not making any now.
In the morning in the Assembly cham
Der Dan Cole told of having sent $500 to
Jilson but he would not admit that this
had been for the purpose of Wooing jill
son to Grant. However, as Jilson did
vote for Grant and then go over to the
Burns camp, he cannot logically object to
a belief that some wooer with greater
charms came along. Cole admitted frank
ly that the money was from Milton
Green. Oh, yes, ii might have been from
Grant; he thought likely 1t had been.
Belshaw confirmed the story that Dale
had told of a monetary consideration for
q vote for Bulla, the offer having been
made by an attorney. Dale was called
for. but the sergeant-at-armS, after a
search, announced that Dale was not in
the Assembly room nor outside,
which being the case makes the ultimate
finding of the gentleman hard PROPOSE
ton At the afternoon session Crowder
also confirmed the story. Dale and Cope
land are too shy. 1t is not right that such
a report should be left in the air.
After Crowder. Z. F. Preston Of San
Francisco took the stand He detailed a
conversation in which he said Gunst had
said that Burns had spent $4,000 of his
own money on the Senatorial campaign.
They had been talking about the Sena-
torial fight and nothing else. Preston did
not hesitate, and part of the time he
looked straight at Gunst, who was chew
ing gum and did not seem to care.
GunSt also detailed the conversation as
he remembered it, and he was a. certain
as Preston that he did not remember It.
The two accounts agreed in few par
tiCulars Of no consequence and in no par
ticulars Of any consequence. Gunst said
he had spoken Of the generous contribu-
tions Of the colonel to the State Central