The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-22
A New Line Of Testimony to Be
Developed on Monday.
RAILROAD MONEY AND PASSES
Herrin De Young Preston, Gunst and the Mexican
Colonel Himself Are to Be Placed on the Stand
to Tell What They Know.

SACRAMENTO. Jan. 21.-The As
sembly investigating committee has at
last given evidence of a desire to inves-
tigate. Whether or not the investiga-
ton it proposes to make will be so con-
Quoted as to make it effective remains
TO be determined.
From a source suspiciously near the
headquarters of Colonel Burns orders
were issued this morning that the pro-
ceedings of yesterday were not to be
repeated to-day, it being evident that
to do so would precipitate a riot on the
floor Of the Assembly. Such a demon
stratiOn was to be avoided at all haz-
ards for the reason that if it occurred
the investigating committee would be
shorn of power and that the work that
had been delegated would be placed in
the hands of others who might not be
so anxious to promote the candidacy
Of the Man from Mexico.
So it was that bright and early this
morning there was posted on the AS
sembly bulletin board a notice that the
committee would meet Immediately
after the noon adjournment. The no
tice was signed by Chairman Cosper,
whose dilatory tactics while he is him
self resting under the imputation of
having solicited a $4,000 bribg for his
vote for Senator has drawn upon his
head so much criticism.
' Not even the prachced eye could de-
tect in the proceedings of the commit
tee when it met early in the afternoon
anything but an earnest desire on the
part Of its members to do their full
duty. To this end the subpenas for
important witnesses, which have been
held up for two days, were ordered
served, new subpenas were issued and
generally healthy tone given to such
other business as was transacted
As an immediate effect of this turn
in the tide of the investigation William
F. Herrin, chief of the Southern Pa
cifc Company's political bureau, is to
be hauled before the committee and
made to tell what he can remember of
the Illicit methods by which his en-
p ployers have sought to influence legis-
latOrs in the interest of the Senatorial
candidacy Of D. NJ. Burns. The imme-
date purpose for which his presence is
desired is to testify concerning the al
legation that Speaker of the Assembly
Howard E. Wright applied to him for
$1,000 and received but $780, it being I'M
'derstood that the money was needed
by Wright TO use in his campaign.
= Quite incidentally Mr. Herrin will be
asked TO relate under what kind of an
agreement or for what consideration
he issued two passes from San Fran
cisco to New York to Assemblynan
A. H. Merrill at the solicitation Of D.
". Burns.
Other railroad transportation held by
members of the rresent Legislature
and which was issued from the office
Of Nh. Herrin will be made the subject
matter for searching inquiry. 1t will
also be proper to ask Mr.. Herrin what
agreement existed between himself.
Colonel Burns and the railroad at tire
time he announced that Burns was the
railroads candidate for United States
Senator. All of this information and
much more will be required at the
hands of Mr.. Herrin if the committee
carries out its apparent determination
to do what it was created to do.
HerTin is not TO be the only witness
o. Importance. Subpenas were issued
and ordered served on NJ. H. de Young.
proprietor of the San Francisco Chron-
icle; Moses Gunst, Dan Burns gamb-
ling partner, and Hon. Z. F. Preston.
Mr.. de Young is expected to give evil
dence corroborative of evidence al
ready given in support of the charges
against Speaker Wright. 1t is expected
that Mr.. Preston and Gunst will give
evidence before the committee of a ma
ture calculated to establish the allesa-
ton that D. III. Burns expended the
sum of $4,000 to secure the election of
members of the present Legislature
and that the money was expended in