Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1899-11-22
HOBSON ON
THE STAND
The Welcome Disbarment Case
Closed.
The Defense an Attempt to Prove
Conspiracy by the Daily
Gang.

Helena, Mont, Nov. 15.-Wellcome's
counsel put in good part OF today
throwing mud at Whites!de, trying
by every means possible to impeach
the evidence OF the man who has
caused Clark all this trouble and
thrown terror into the ranks OF
the boodlers. Secretary Rogers, OF a
bricklayers' and stone masons' union,
was on the stand quite while this
morning telling what he knew OF a
difficulty between Whiteside and the
union In Butte. He claimed that
Whiteside, during his trouble with
the union over the work on school
house In Butte, tried to get wltnessin
consideration OF $500 to pull out OF
the union, get Others to go with
him and organize branch OF the
international union; promising them
all steady work on the "Hill' after,
meaning that the Anaconda COM
pany would take care OF them.
Nolan objected to this evidence,
but the defense counsel claimed that
it was to show the connection be-
tween Whiteside and the Anaconda
company, that he was being retained
by that concern in return for favors
at his hands in the Legislature.
The court allowed witnesses to an
swer many questions that even men,
bers of the court admitted were very
far from the point at issue.
Senator Hobson was the next
witness. He told OF having met j.
s. NJ. Neill In Lewistswn prior to the
election OF 1895, but he denied he Of
fered then to support Clark, or asked
Neill what was the use OF spending
money in a republican community to
elect a democrat. He admitted that
he joked Neill about throwing away
his money trying to elect the demo.
cratic ticket. He denied ever getting
votes Of nine other republicans for
Clark. He denied on cross eXamin-
alton the meeting with Neill was pre-
arranged.
"Did you ever talk with Ben Phil
lips about his voting for Clarke"
"No, never talked with any re-
publican urging him to support
Clark"
"Did you attend a caucus OF the re.
publican members the night previous
| to Clark's election?"
"There was no caucus that night.
| | was chairman Of the republican
caucus and was asked tOcall acaucus,
but refused to do SO because l did not
know where all of the members lived
The witness said that a meeting
was held in the legislative hall.
"YOu considered the proposition oi
the republicans voting for Clark,
didn't you?"
mo, there was no proposition Of.
fered, just a general talk ON the Sen
atorial question"
"Who did the general talking?"
"Why, those present"
"Was 1t not agreed that the re-
publicans should support Clarke"
II think perhaps IL was"
| Continuing, the witness said In re
sponse to questions from Mr.. Nolan
that 1t was decided to hold u caucus
the next morning and he called It.
1t was held In the hall OF the legisla-
ture. All of the republican members
were present excepting one. The
proposition of the republicans voting
for Clark was discussed, and all but
four assented.
"The four who did not agree to
vote for Clark, were not present at
the meeting Of the previous night,
were they?"
II don't think they were."
"Did you ever have any conver-
sations with Mr.. Clark during the
campaign"
"Oh. met him in the hotel and we
sometimes spoke"
Did you ever talk to John b. Well
Gomez"
~ did not know Mr.. Welcome,
and did not talk to him until after
the election of Mr.. Clark
Senator Hobson said that he did
not recollcct whether there were any
speeches made for Clark, In the vari-
Gus caucuses OF the republican MEM
bers. Witness did not remember
who called the caucus. All the re-
publicans who voted for Clark were
at the meeting the night before the
session. Witness denied that at any
caucus, especially at which Represen-
tative Hedges urged the republicans
to vote for Power, that witness
told Hedges that there was
money In IL for him to vote for Clark.
On redirect examination witness
said he had told w. G.. Conrad he
would vote for him for senator at
any time such vote was needed to
elect him. He considered Conrad a
protectionlst, and Clark also u pro-
tectionist.
The supreme court will not
stand any more newspaper comment