The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-20

Q. But. when being asked whether or
not you knew of any proposal of such
none whatever, and being asked to spe-
city you stated this one.
A. L cannot trust your memory, Mr.
Q. Well, is that the fact?
A. l do not understand it. shall have
to refer you to the stenographers' notes
on those things.
Q. Well. the stenographers' notes would
not govern this question as TO whether or
not that is a fact, Mr.. Cosper.
A. State the proposition again, then
not think that I did that.
Q. You did not mention the name Of an
AsSemblyman?
A. Not in that connection; no, sir That
is a misconstruction of the examination.
Mr.. Bacon-That is all.
Mr.. Burnett asked that a subpoena be
issued for M. H. de Young, and also
that subpoena be issued for ]. D.
Spreckels and w. F. Herrin. After a
lengthy discussion it was finally deter
mined to issues subpenas for those gen
tlemen, but at the request of Mr. Mellick
the matter was deferred until to-mor
row morning.
Mr.. Mellick called the attention of the
committee to an article contained in the
Los Angeles Times, signed by c. E.
Washburn, containing charge that
legislator had been offered $4,000 to
make Bulla his second choice, but
spurned the offer, and asked that sub
pena be issued for c. E. Washburn to
appear before the committee and tes-
tify. A motion was made to that effect,
seconded and carried
Mr.. Bacon-Mr. Chairman and gentle
men, you will remember that when this
investigation commenced l made some
little objection to the investigation taking
as broad a scope as it has taken. In my
judgment the investigation should at this
tlme-or at that time my judgment was
that the investigation should be limited
the investigation of the charge against
Mr.. Howard Wright This committee
overruled those objections and concluded
to go into this thing. A great many
vestigation it has been remarked by
the chairman and various mem
bers of this committee that they
were desirous of securing suggestions
from anybody that would lead to knowl-
edge of improper influences having been
brought TO bear upon members of the
rial votes, and, in fact, that question has
been asked of nearly every witness for
the last two or three days. Now | have
not been on the witness stand, but have
heard these questions. l have been ill
in fact almost too Ill to be present a part
of the time | have been here, but | have
begun to make some Investigations my
self, and with your permission, would
like to have you subpoena some witnesses.
gentlemen, | desire to say to start with,
l don't know when you will adjourn to
and | do not know who the first witness
will be, but it seems to me, gentlemen,
that you are posing before this State in
a position that will soon make this in
Yest1gatton very peculiar affair, in this:
That 1t has apparently been directed
against one man. This afternoon news
paper man is put upon the stand, and l
do not think that the trend of the testi-
mony up to the time that Mr.. Cosper was
put upon the stand can be misunderstood
or misconstrued by anybody that heard
it. Mr.. Brown was put upon the stand
mony did practically serve notice-that
the libel suit between The Call and the
Speaker of the House had probably been
compromised and settled.
Mr.. Burnett-Now, Mr. Chairman, am
to this kind of argument, and
trust if he has any suggestions as to any
evidence or any witnesses that might be
likely to throw any light upon this situa-
ton, I am perfectly willing, so far as 1
am concerned to take it,
Mr.. Bacon-I will stop that, then, Mr..
Anderson. The Speaker pro TEN. of the
House was in here yesterday and was ex-
to be excused from cross-examining him
on account of my i'll health and that 1
might be allowed to recall him. | would
like to have Mr.. Anderson recalled, for
conversation that was had between him.
self and Mr.. Benjamin, and upon that
conversation based a prejudice against
Mr.. Grant. The testimony of Mr. Benja-
min as to what that conversation was
is different from that given by Mr..
Anderson. I want to inquire Of Mr.. An
derson how-with that in his mind against
Mr.. Grant, one of the most prominent can
didates for the United States Senate in
this race-he would presume to appoint a
committee to hear and investigate
charges of corruption with respect to any
man who was a candidate for the United
States Senate? / want to say this, fur
1 think it is unseemly for this committee
to put Mr.. d. NJ. Burns or Mr.. u. S.
Grant or any other Senatorial candidate
upon the witness stand, for the reason
that I do not remember of an instance in
the testimony of any of the witnesses in
against any of those gentlemen that they
had knowledge of the improper use
of money, influence or anything else, with
respect to the vote of a single Assembly
man in this House. So, why should you
lower the character of your investigation
standing of the men who are candidates
for United States Senator, one or two of
whom seem to have very good chances
for election here, by calling them upon
the stand to refute charges that are not
made? On that account | object at this
or to putting Mr.. Grant or Mr.. Burns or
any other Senatorial candidate upon the
witness stand.
Now, I heard another rumor to-
day that + would like to investigate.
I have heard there WIS certain gen