The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-28

Chambers has had a great deal more to
say on the paper than 1 have; have
Fever entered the building since that
contract was drawn.
But didn't you understand that this
gave you the control? No; 1 suppose if
1 had stuck for something Chambers
would have given way; If wanted GER
tain things done.
Didn't you underestimate Chambers
suggested manager to the man that
was there, and 1 never offered a sug-
gestion, and never suggested anybody
for position, even, on the paper.
Didn't you understand that this gave
you the control, the absolute control to
the first day of March? No, sir.
And didn't you understand that this
is an option by which Chambers can
come on back on the first day of
March? Yes, sir; I understand that
| thoroughly.
HASN'T CONTROL OF PAPER.
Don't you understand now, Mr.. Nc
Cune, that you had the absolute con-
troll during that time? l do not; and,
in addition to THAI, l know 1 haven't
had control of it; Chambers has had
just as much business in the paper and
| a great deal more thar l have.
What object had you in paying the
expense, the losses of this paper? As
you stated, L intended to be a senatorial
candidate, and 1 didn't want the party
organ TO fall down; wanted the DEM
ocraIic party to have an organ, and try
and carry the election in the state OF
Utah.
You knew. then, that the paper
| wasn't paying current expenses, didn't
you? Yes, sir; had known that for a
long time.
And what are these losses? That 1
couldn't tell you.
What have you paid since December?
! l haven't the remotest idea.
| Approximately? l couldn't even ap-
proXimate it. L don't know a thing
/ about 1t; but that you can find out alb
! solute and positive from the secretary
of the company.
This, however, relieved Mr.. Chambers
from paying anything OF the losses,
| didn't IL? Yes, sir.
And you agreed to pay them all?
Yes. sir.
Now, Mr. McCune, don't you have
some idea about the loss, and didn't
| you when you went in there? Yes; L
did have some idea; the loss, as L I'M
derstood. was running between twelve
and fifteen hundred dollars.
a month? Yes. sir.
| Every month? Yes, when 1 took hold
Of it.
When you took this option? Yes, sir.
| Or whatever you may nave meant to
call it? Yes, sir.
Didn't you understand that was to
be your party organ? Yes, sir; Demo-
cratic party'S organ, 1 suppose you
mean; yes.
/ And your personal organ, as we'll?
No, sir; not my personal organ.
And 1 thought you had just stated
you were going to become a candidate,
! and you wanted its assistance? Yes,
| sir; TO elect a Democratic legislature
in the state; not to use it as a personal
organ to represent-or elect me United
| States senator.
1t was just to elect the legislature?
The legislature; yes. sir.
Is that all? Yes, sir.
| Is that the only reason you entered
| into this contract Yes, sir; that is the
only reason l entered into this con-
! tract, and 1 don't think if you follow
/ the papers up. you will find it is my
organ.
That is the only reason? Yes, sir.
To elect Democratic legislature?
Yes, sir.
When did that election occur? In
November.
On the Sth of November If that
was your only purpose as you have
stated it was, why did you still agree
to continue to pay these losses during
the months of January and February,
1899? For the simple reason that the
contract states that 1 agree to do it
! by paying sometime and then give
Chambers the chance, that 1 hold a
half interest or he takes it back.
He takes it back, but even if he
takes it back he gets it all back by
simply reimbursing you for ene-half
the amount which you lost? Yes, sir.
And would still be gamer one-half of
the loss? Yes, sir; now, let me make
q little explanation for the information
of the committee; in making this con-
tract, Chambers felt the paper had
much higher figure than this, and he
went on saying, well do you expect
to get the half of this, if you have to
pay even $4,000 a month, do you expect
pect to get the half of a paper, that I
have paid so much out on?" 1 says,
Chambers, if the paper won't pay
half of it or any part of it is worth
less to any man; to show you, l will
give you the privilege if you will pay
me half of what 1 pay out, to paw it
back" I expected 10 retain much Of
the paper.
You are not obligated to, are you?
Certainly, if he doesn't take it up.
If he doesn't take it? Yes.
Permanently? Yes, the half interest,
and from then on we both pay half
and half of the loss. if there is any.
And I say you have just made this
B y
principal months in which the legisla-
ture was to be held in this city? Yes,
sir.
You expected the senatorial contest
would be over by that time? II never
once thought of the senatorial contest
when that contract was gone into,
neither Chambers or myself ever
thought or dreamed of such a thing.
POKING FOR IDIPROPRIETY.
Didn't you think that these dates
were very significant? They might
/ look significant TO you, as you seem to
place a Jackson construction on most
everything that you run across.
October November and December,
during the months Of the election and
the months between the election and
the meeting of the legislature and the
further two months in which the legis-
lature met in this city? Yes, sir.
You don't think that is significant?
Not at all, as far as the contract
goes, think ! got by odds the best of
it, because I am satisfied that Cham
bers will not take the half up and
undertake to go on paying the losses
and the whole paper himself again.
How do you think you got the best of
it, by paying all the loss? By paying
all the losses up to that time, and I
got a half interest in the paper for
that amount and he has paid out some
100000 I think.
And you will get decidedly the best
of it by paying $500 a month for five
months? The loss hasn't reached
that. as I understand, in the second
month after I took it. it ran down to
$500 or less.
You think you will get decidedly the
best of it by paying the loss for five
months? Yes, sir; if the paper is