The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-15

Washington that the justice would teS-
tify before the committee that DR.
Tracey had offered him bribe of $780,
900 in the Welcome case The doctor
then said to him:
You know 1 never offered you bribe
and that [ was only joking IN our. con-
versations concerning the Welcome
case. You know I had no S100, ,0000 with
which to bribe you, and am not one
of that kind of fellows:
COTTT.DN'T SEE THE JOKE
Justice Hunt said he had replied to
DR.. Tracey that he wished he could
believe that he was only joking, but
that he could not put that construction
on his proposition. He old not, how
actually bribe him, but simply to lay
the proposition before him
In answer 70 questions from members
of the committee Justice Hunt said he
thought DR. Tracey had mentioned
Senator Clark,s name in the first con-
versation when he had spoken of the
Welcome case as merely a political
fight between Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Daily.
He had first related the fact of the
propositions being made to him on the
night of August 5, when his associate.
Justice Piggott, had come to his house
and related that he had been aD
preached on the same day.
At the close of the direct examina-
ton which had been conducted almost
entirely by Chairman Chandler, Mr..
Faulkner on behalf of Senator Clark
made a formal motion to strike the
testimony Of Justice Hunt out of the
record. because it had failed to con
meet the name of Mr.. Clark with the
proceedings and was entirely collat-
eral.
CROSS EXAMINATION.
The motion was overruled and the.
cross examination proceeded
Justice Hunt said that before DR..
Tracey had made the proposition to
him he had considered him a man of
prominently good character. He did not
believe the doctor had stopped to think
of the enormity of the proposition and
he still regarded him as a good man.
Witness said he had first told his story
to Justice Piggott next to Judge Brant-
ley, afterWard to Judge Dewitt, never
derstood that Judge Piggott had told
Attorney General Nolan. Piggott, so far
as he knew had no affiliation with
DAILY Asked why he did not bring the
matter to the attention of the public
prosecutor, Judge Hunt replied that he
was so humiliated he did not care TO
disclose it; he preferred not to.
G-You preferred to allow the at
tempt to perpetrate such a crime to go
unpublished?
At would have been embarrassing
to me as judge.
Oft was a contempt of court?
Al did not take notice of it.
Witness said Judge Piggott felt the
same way about it.
TOLD THE OTHER JUDGES.
He had Immediately notified his
brother judges after the interviews of
August 8 and after the interview of
November IA, he had Immediately gone
to the court ard notified the chief JUS
tice.
Odd you inform your associates
that it had been a serious proposition?
Att never occurred to me- that it
could have been jocular interview un-
til it was suggested to me by DR..
Tracey later.
Or Tracey alluded to no one?
A.-No one.
Q.-Dr. Tracey asked only for JUS
tice?
Al believe he thought there would
be justice.
At this point Senator Hoar created a
laugh by recalling the fact that Lord
Bacon said he only accepted bribes to
do justice. But that" he added was
not the view the house of commons took
of it,
Continuing the witness said he under
stood that Dr. Tracey wanted dis
missal of the case.
Rut this was after the demurrer
had been overruled. said Senator Faux
ner How could the case then be dis
missed?
A.-That occurred to me. but DR.. Ira
cey was not a lawyer.
Chairman Chandler suggested that
this line of metaphysical examination
was doing the defense no good.
Mr. Campbell asked only one question
which brought out the fact that Justice
Hunt is a Republican. as is also Justice
Brantley who has been summoned to
appear before the committee. Justice
Hunt was then excused and the com
mite adjourned until 7:30 p. m.