The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-24
TESTIMONY IN CLARK CASE
MORE EVIDENCE OF CORRUPTION IN
THE SENATORIAL ELECTION.
Mr.. EctOr Explains Letters-NO Quo
rum When a Vote Was Taken on
the Samoan Treaty.

appear in an official capacity. There was
Whites visit. No appointment had been
made so far as could be learned, and the
presentation of his card was the first
notice that the secretary had from any
thing but newspaper sources that Mr..
White was in Washington. Nevertheless,
the visitor was admitted at once, and spent
nearly an hour in close conversation with
Secretary Hay.
At the beginning he put himself on a
safe footing by informing the secretary
that he had no credentials and no official
character whatever. He frankly admitted,
however, that he was in the United States
for the purpose of aiding his countrymen
to enlist the sympathy of the American
people. The secretary was much interested
in Mr.. Whites statements, as was shown
by the fact that he accorded him an hour s
audience in the busiest moments of the
day, without interruption. The subject of
the conversation was the state of affairs
in the Transvaal and no statement of
what passed beyond that was obtainable.
The Senate committee on privileges and
day in its investigation Of the charges
against Senator Clark. of Montana. Wit
nesses for the prosecution were absent, and
Senator Faulkner, for the defense, indi-
Gated a desire that none of those who are
to be called as witnesses on that side
should testify until the prosecution had
completed it's case While no positive state
ment was made to the effect, the committee
indicated quite positively that the Clark
witnesses might be called by the prosecu-
ton after Monday. The principal witnesses
to-day were Mr.. Ector, recalled, and State
Representative Fine. The latter, though
friend of Nh. Clarks. gave testimony from
which the prosecution evidently derived
much satisfaction. He said that he had re-
ceived about 5000 from MIR. Clark since the
adjournment of the Legislature in work.
ing up testimony looking to the disbarment
of Senator Clark's namesake, State Senator
Clark, of Madison county, who voted in
opposition to the senator
Some of the letters written by DR.. Ector,
the Missoula dentist, to Senator Clark,
which have been wanted for week or ten
days, have arrived and were to-day pre-
scented to the committee. There were five
or six of them to Mr.. Bickford and four
to Mr.. Clark and all were identified by Mr..
Ector, who was again placed on the stand.
There were only two letters dated prior to
the November election of 1898. They were
dated at Stephensville and related to the
contest. In these he stated that the opposi-
ton to Mr.. Woods, the candidate for the
House that he was supporting, were work
ing like fury and that the Clark men
needed some encouragement. ITO make a
thorough canvass of the 2,00O voters of the
county requires the stuff, he said, and he
added that he wanted at least $780,
The later letters ran from Dec. Z, 1898, to
Oct. 81, 1899, and related almost entirely to
Mr.. Ector's efforts to collect what he
thought was due to him for his efforts in
Senator Clark's behan. In December he
wrote to Mr.. Clark, saying he did not
know to whom he must apply for his dues.
''Of course he said, 81 am after what
there is In it for me-" On March he wrote
Mr.. Bickford. asking him about the 10 per
cent. of his (Bickford's) receipts from
Clark. which he (Ector) considered he was
to have. 1t was also i'm March that he
wrote his second letter to Mr.. Clark. In
this letter he reviewed at length his efforts
loyalty to Clark and his determined opposi-
ton to Dalyism. ''If you strike while the
iron is hot" he went on to say, you can
stampede the Irish king" He also said in
promised 5000 to him during the senatorial
contest for information as to Clark's move
ments. but that he had refused to entertain
the offer.
In reply to a question as to whether he
had been promised anything for coming TO
Washington to testify in this case, Mr..
Ector said that Receiver Ranft, of the Mis-
soula land office. had advanced him SlGO,
taking an order upon the committee.
I'm one of your letters you speak of hav-
ing received an offer of s.. 900 from the op-
position to Mr.. Clark" said Mr.. Birney on
redirect examination. WAS that fact?"
IL. l11 H.. lot
was a bluff"
The success of the negotiations instituted
by Secretary Hay with view of insuring
the "open door, for American trade in
China, may now be regarded as assured.
The last phase of the negotiations was the
reduction of the arrangements reached in
formally to the shape of what are known
as defnitive notes. This work has been GO
ing on for some weeks with the result that
everyone of the powers that participated in
the negotiations has returned to the State
Department this written agreement with
the exception Of japan and Italy. There
is not the slightest doubt in these cases. for
Japan was one Of the first of the nations
approached by the United States to well
come our overtures, while Italy voluntarily
entered the negotiation without waiting for
advances from the United States. The nom
receipt of their formal undertakings is be-
leved to be due to a delay in the mails for
that they have already been discussed
The Cabinet at it's regular meeting to-
day discussed the Porto Rican situation.
The arrival here of two committees of rep
resentative business men of the island and
the large and increasing number of letters
which are being received by the President
have tended TO confirm the administration
in the belief that unnecessary time
should be occupied by Congress in taking
action in the matter. The opinion is unani-
nous in the Cabinet that free trade with
the island or a nominal duty is essential to
prevent widespread business disaster
among all classes of its people.
The newspaper gossip about the visit of
Webster Davis, assistant secretary of the
interior. to points in South Africa was
briefly touched upon in the Cabinet session.
Davis is away from his post on sick 5eave.
that his visit to any place is personal and
unofficial and that no one has right to
attach any official or political significance
to his movements
The Senate to-day confirmed the follow
ing nominations of Indiana: Postmasters-
j. A. Hall. at Cicero; j. +. Lehman, at
Berne.
The remains of forty-four soldiers who
died in the province of Santiago last
spring arrived at Roslyn. Pa. to-day and
were removed to the National Cemetery at
Arlington, where they will be inferred to-
morrow with appropriate military cere-
monies. All but fifteen Of the bodies have
been fully identified and the casksts con-