The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-11

John S. M. Neill i have faint recol-
lection of having been introduced to
him, but l did not continue the ac-
quaintance. I know Charles w. Clark
and w. M. Bickford. I often saw Mr..
Bickford in company with Mr.. Well
Clark. 1 know w. A. Clark of Butte
by sight. I saw him in Helena several
times last winter and saw him in COM
pany with Welcome, Bickford and
Charles Clark
did you ever have any conversa-
ton with Mr.. Bickford in regard to
your employment by the Bridger Coal
company?"
II did"
"And did you receive letter from
Charley Clarke
II did"
"And did you have a conversation
with Charley Clark in regard to that
employment
Il did"
Relate the conversation you had
with Mr.. Bickford."
Insiduous Bribery.
'Tt was during the term of the dis
trict court at Hamilton. Mr.. Bickford
met at the court and said he would
like to see me that evening. He called
at my office that evening and he talk
ed to me at length about the candidacy
of w. A. Clark He said he represent
ed Mr.. Clark and said if l would vote
for him Mr.. Clark would give me a
position as attorney for the Bridger
Coal company. He said there would
be a good salary and not much to do,
and I wouldn't have to move to Bridger
unless chose to. ! could live in Ham
ilton or Butte or anywhere l pleased y
What did you say?"
II told him I didn't care to enter into
any negotiations and didn't feel inclin-
ed support Mr. Clark
'Have you the letter written to you
by Charles w. CLARKE"
IT have"
The letter was produced and intro
duced in evidence.
The letter is as follows:
Butte, Dec. IA. 1S9s.-H. L. Myers,
esq.-Dear Sir: I have to-day sent to
DR.. Minshall $500 as retainer for your
services with us at the Bridger coal
mines. l am interested as well as my
father in these properties and I am
very much pleased that you will take
charge of the legal work for US there
] expect to be in Helena some time next
month and will probably see you.
"Mr. Bickford has asked Mr.. Minshall
to remit the amount to you. Yours sim
cerely, CHARLES w. CLARK
when did you meet Charles w.
Clarke"
II had been here about week. I
was introduced to him and said I
had received a letter from him, but
had not answered it. He said it re-
quired no answer He said he would
like to have me call on him at his
room and talk the matter over I said
I would try to do so, but I never did
what do you know about money
having been received by DR.. Minshall
for you?"
Nothing but what he said. He never
mentioned the matter of the money
to me. DR.. Minshall said the position
would be worth $2500 a year"
did you have a talk with Charles
w. Clark in the legislative hall about
this letter?"
IT did,
when was it?"
'It was while the grand jury was in
session and investigating the charges
of bribery. He came to me and said he
understood I was going to read the
letter before the joint session, and he
would rather I wouldn't. I told him I
had no such intention. As matter OF
fact the letter was in the hands of
the grand jury at once"
do you know Wellcome?
"Slightly'
Have you been in his room?"
Quite a Little Roll.
"No; although I was invited to go
there a number of times. I was invit-
ed there by Charles W. Clark, Mark
Hewett, Ben Hill. w. A. Clark and
whiteside, but ] did not go up. Mr..
Whiteside and 1 had previous under
standing and 1 met him in the office
of the Helena hotel at 7 in the even
ing. Whiteside said the money was
all ready. 7 went up the elevator with
Whiteside, but instead of taking me to
Welcomes room he took me to another
room. He then said he would go and
get Welcome. think it was the fourth
floor he took me to. Whiteside left the
room and returned in a minute or two.
He said Mr.. Welcome was busy and
couldn't come in, but had sent the
money in by him. He pulled a roll of
bills out of his pocket and laid them
on the table. He counted the money and
I counted it. There was $4,000. Some of
it was in fifties and hundreds, and it
was quite little roll Whiteside put
the bills in an envelope and sealed it
up. / put my initials on and gave the
envelope to Whitesde with the under
standing that it was to be used in the
exposure of bribery"
The witness identified the money and
envelope.
Had you other conversations with
Whiteside?"
Il was told by whiteside that he had
been authorized by Welcome to offer
me $4,000 for my vote"
did you have talk with A. j.
Steele?"
Wanted Him to Leave.
'T was REQUESTED by Ben Hill to go
and see Mr.. Steele. I told him I would
and I saw Steele one night between 10
and - o'clock in room at the Grand
Central hotel. Mr.. Steele asked me if
there was any inducement whatever I
could name to get me to vote for w.
A Clark. I told him there was none
whatever that could be named. He
then asked me if there was any induce
ment that could get me to leave the
state for time. l told him there was
none. He showed me paper and then