The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-18

Attorneys were present with sugges-
lions, and, while these were being con-
sidered, the room became crowded and
adjournment was taken to the Senate
chamber, where the committee received
Mr.. Wright, heard from him that he
was not ready to take the stand, and
then everything went over until even
ing.
The committee met first in room 70.
1t is a little room, a table occupying
most of it and majority Of the spec
tators had to stand. The only candi-
date for the Senatorship present was
U. s. Grant. He was accompanied by
Milton Green and represented by At
toriey Bacon. Cosper was chairman
and Meade came in just long enough to
say that he would not serve, could not
be made to serve, and he didn't serve
There were a good many words ex-
changed before a plan of procedure
had been agreed upon.
l could note many signs Of enthusi-
asm on the part of the committee. That
it is made up Of intelligent men there
is no reason to question, but it faced
difficult and delicate problems 1t had
been charged with the mission Of as
certaining If the accusation made in
The Call against Speaker Wright was
based on fact and had been empowered
to ascertain the whole truth concern
ing legislative corruption. There was
every probability that the reputation
of associates would be struck down !,
that scandal already admitted to ex-
list would be dragged into fiercer light.
and however essential this task might
be it could not be regarded as a pleas
ing duty. L felt like congratulating
Meade that his other work was pressing
enough to justify him in declining to
serve.
AS this is written the evening session
Of the committee takes place In the
Capitol. I was there for time. There
Is no occasion that I can see for criti-
cisfng the course Of the committee thus
far. 1t has indicated that it intends
to pursue It's own course and not per-
NIT lawyers to direct. The members
individually have expressed the inten-
ton of being thorough, and they could
hardly fail to be so, since the witnesses
are known and are ready. While the
Wright matter is the only one under
consideration now there is no limita-
ton placed upon the authority of the
committee, and it may have to deal
with more than this one episode.
Speaker Wright was to have been the
first witness, but was excused in the
evening as he had been in the after
noon ON the plea that his attorneys
were not ready. The observer, devoid
of prejudice, could not but feel sorry
for this man. There awaits him an
ordeal from which there appears no
chance Of his emerging with shred of
character left. The allegations are 50
specific and so circumstantially sus-
tanned, that they seem to constitute an
.unassailable Indictment Wright when
addressing the committee spoke in a
voice indicative of suppressed excite
ment, and no wonder. The strain un-
der which he has been laboring for days
must have been terrific.
w. S. Leake was the first witness He
calmly told the story of Wright's hav-
ing received money from Grant, and
cited as his authorities Wright him
self and Milton Green. The story was
as it had appeared in The Call, except
that Mr.. Leake, in his narration, went
farther back. and step by step por-
trayed the events leading up TO the de-
nouement which had startled the peo-
pie of California. He was permitted to
go on without much questioning for
awhile. but at last was forced to answer
as TO the identity of others than Wright
whom he believed to be implicated or
who mad been mentioned by Wright as
being implicated. Against some of
these, as he explained to the committee.