The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-31

/ " e-SlliAt5 tOtir Jan. 0U.-J r.. GclS6Is
Who succeeded Fred Whiteside as
state senator in the Montana legislature
when the latter was unseated, was the
first witness today before the senate
! committee on privileges and elections,
in its investigation Of the charges
| against Senator Clark Of that state.
/ Mr.. Geiger said he had been the Re
/ publican candidate for the senate from
| tlathead county. He was asked
| whether he had not said in his speech
! accepting the nomination that his vote
| could not be purchased for a Democrat
/ for the senate. He replied that it was
! hi9 intention to convey the idea that
/ he could not be handled" He had
said L at if he sold out ne hoped his
/ coLJtituent5 would take him out and
hang him, and 1 still feel that way"
/ he said.
He had not said that he would not
1 vote for any Democrat, but il had been
1 h!a intention to prevent a deadlock. He
/ had also said that there were other
matters more important to come before
/ the legislature than the election OF
| some rich man for United States sena-
! tor.
/ Upon being questioned concerning his
/ financial condition when he was nomi-
4
J He had been in the hotel business and
I had sold out; he could not remember
Just how much he received, but after
much questioning, said he thought the
amount was about $3.50. He had also
/ received $500 from his mothers estate.
and had borrowed $500 for the cam
paign.
/ After he was given his seat he had
voted twice for Leonard for senator,
ON 2 a Agr
/ hesitated considerably over a question
as to what money he had deposited in
/ the First National bank at KaHspel
during or since the sitting Of the ieglS-
/ latuFe. but admitted that in May last
/ he had bought a draft for $500, pay
! ing currency for it. He had afterwards,
/ in August, opened an account at that
/ bank, depCsiJing $500 in currency ~ the
name Of John II. Geiger, agent" Since
that time he had made other deposits,
and had borrowed from the bank 81
/ 800. He had gotten the $500 first de-
posted from several sources, including
! $500 or $500 for his service and mileage
/ in the legislature.
Some of it / got at poker and the
! faro bank" he said. and added:
/ don't remember whether 1 won any at
4 pOkeF-ny experience was about even;
( but at faro 1 did
+ Did You win $1,000 at faro?"
! 1T Yves some short Of $1,000 but at
Helena and Butte together l think
4 quit about $3.50 or 81, 500 ahead"
You were a state senator; did you
not know it was a misdemeanor to play
farO?'
We'll. 1 was about as conscientious
in that matter as some other Montana
officials"
+ Continuing this explanation, he said
he had never made any great winning
at one time, never more than $3.50, but
F that ne mad been uniformly lucky, and
had played often. He had also gotten
500 in money for mining stock sold TO
Spokane parties.
How do YOU explain the fact that
YOU had so much better luck at faro
after you entered the legislature than
befOre?" asked Senator Chandler OF
Mr.. Geiger.
Why senator" was the Feply, 7
did not have I lived in Montana
twenty-five years and having fallen
into the ways Of the people soon after
going thee I had Frequently in the
early days won more than I did after
my election to the state senate. But,
Libby has no faro bank ana had not
played for some time"
In explanation where he had got <he
$500 deposited in August he said that
while in Peoria Ills. he had won $1,000
in s. day on a horse race. All told, Mr..
Geiger said he had in his poss- ssion
$500 when he reached libby after
going home from the leg Stature at
Helena,
when did you get the amount that
you have not already accounted f0r?'
Il cant tell without uncovering my
private affairs"
DO you decline to tell?"
i do"
This caused the members u the com
mittee 20 put their heads together in
consultation over the question as to
who her the witness should be COM
PEELED to answer. At the conclusion Of
this conference Mr.. Chandler told Mr..
Campbell to proceed with his Gues-
tiOnS. and Informed the witness that he
must reply. The question rs to where
the money came from was repeated.
The witntrs gazed at the ceiling for
fully five minutes and at last said:
Where did 1 set it2 Why in
Where did you get it from?'
The witness again took long time
for replying. Wen, sir, he said at
last. Il can't answer.
DO YOU mean to say that you don {
lnoU9"
Il don't know. To be frank, these
were other ways Of getting money in
. ILtlGIla UG"lE.< lNt S-S9lt4i "a ~ L~t'i~
; lature. I was approached az dliLerent
times TO vote for different bills.
Did you make any money IN that
wav2"
II don't know. I never sold my vote,
but 7 got money
Senator ChandIlT-NOw Mr. Geiger
The committee requires you 70 state
from whom you cot money 20 anead
and tell what you know.
To this me response came quickly.
- The witness aid; IT found na'kage
l FIJI my rcom containing Sll39 ac3 /
have since used the money. J. as the
time that the corporation bill l5z was
9 uU. 7 took the MONEY. put It in my
- rocket and used II. and from that time
-1 The present have never said word
cb0Ut it."
In reply to other questions he said
that he had an idea who let the en-
+ yelCDe in his room. but that he aid not
3 know He had he said. iE. ended to
e vote for the bill anyway.
al At this point Mr.. Faulkner, ~eDre-
rrnting the Clark interest. obtained
1 / permission 20 ask a question.
a VIII you state" he asked, whether
any part Of that money was given YOU
by any one connected with Mr.. lark
or by AIr. Clark himself to influence
your vote for him for United States
senator?'
2 But while he had permitted the Gues-
ton, Senator Chandler. as chairman OF