The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-02-16
MONTANA SENSATION.
Alleged Attempts to Bride Justices
Of the Supreme Court.
TWO OF THE JUSTICES TESTIFY.
The Attorney General Of the State
Also Tells OF an Alleged Attempt to
Purchase His Omcial Action For q

| AuFeh"Se Hls OmelaA ACTION FOr q
Bride of 100000.
Washington. Feb. 16.-Highly sensa-
tional testimony was developed yester-
day in the investigation by the senate
committee on privileges and elections
of the election Of w. A. Clark to the
senate from Montana. Justice Hunt, 3
Republican member of the Montana SUI
preme court, testified that his family
physician, DR.. Tracey, had made what
he 1.-THE justtce) regarde. as an attempt
to have him consider, 500 900 bride to
favor Lawyer Welcome, one of Clark's
attorneys in the disbarment proceed
iEgs against Welcome. The witness
did not, directly at least, connect Mr..
Clark with this bribery proposition.
Tine latter's counsel, ex-senator Faulk-
ner, moved to strike the whole testi-
mony from the record, but did not sue
coed. The witness testified that the
same day one Of the attempts to bride
him had been made similar efforts
had been put forth to reach JUS
tice Piggott, another of the justices of
the supreme court of Montana. He
had told Chief Justice Brantley and
Justice Piggott of the effort to bribs
him.
The committee held a night session,
at which Justice Piggott testified con-
corning reparlls to him on two
days when Tracey had interviews
With Justice Hunt. Justice Pig
gott's statement was that Mr..
Clark's leading counsel, Mr.. Corbett.
had pomo n him ond 1vb;Io nm, rop +1,,
under great excitement said that he
had just been advised by Mr.. J. s. M.
Neill, Of Helena, that the supreme
court could be unduly influenced in the
Welcome disbarment proceedings,
wanted to know if 1t were true and
spoke of denounclng any such attempt.
Witness had Informed counsel that he
never would hear Of such an attempt
from him (Piggott), for he would kill
any one coming to him with a bride
offer.
On cross-examination Mr.. Piggott
Eaid that at the time Of Mr. Corbett's
visit he had no reason to suspect that
Mr.. Corbett's motives were not the
highest. They had been friends for
years. Senator Faulkner insisted upon
knowing whether the justice had since
formed any doubts as to Mr.. Corbett's
motives, and II SO. why. To this he re-
piled: II had no doubt until Justice
Hunt told me what had happened be-
tween him and Dr. Tracey on the same
day. put this and that together and
] then concluded that Mr.. Corbett and
DR.. Tracey had conspired together to
make an assault upon the supreme
court with their 100000; that they had
r1ade their attack upon Justice Hunt
and had failed, and that Mr.. Corbett,
Knowing Justice Hunt would tell me of |
this, had come to prepare me against
receiving his version Of the interview"
He declined to say whether he now be-
!ieyed that Mr.. Corbett had lied, but
said he wanted to leave the facts to |
speak for themselves.
Attorney General Cornelius b. No.
an, of Montana, testified that he also
mad an experience with DR.. Tracey,
He had conducted the prosecution in
he Welcome disbarment case, and
while these were in progress DR..
Tracey, who was also his family
had come to him, he said,
1t three different times, suggesting
hat he NOLAN could get money out
If the case from Mr.. Clark. The wit
less said that he had chatted with DR..
Tracey on the occasion of the first
Meeting until the latter had asked him
low much did he think would be re-
Iuired. Il replied said the witness.
II should lend myself to such a
cheme think | ought to be entitled
o 100000"
Later, on the same occasion, after
e had come to think the doctor seri-
us, Mr.. Nolan said he had told the
octor to go back to Mr.. Clark and
ell him that If his body were
keleton and filled with gold it would
ot be sufficient to buy him.
At the third interview Mr.. Nolan
aid he had told DR.. Tracey that he
ad talked enough. THE time has
ONE" he said he had told the doctor,
to put up or shut up
do you mean it," the doctor said.
II do" was the reply.
"rhen,' the doctor said come to
~ Office at 4 O'Clock today and ar
ct your money"
Then the witness said he had told
II. Tracey again that Mr.. Clark did
ct have money enough to buy him,
nd had had no further conversation
18th him. Mr.. Nolan said that while
e had resented the approach to him
! an Insult, he said he did not blame
+. Tracey so much as he blamed those
ehind him, and that he still employed
i'm as his family physician.
General Nolan admitted that he had
ever reported Tracey's conduct to the
attorney, because largely
his personal friendship for him. He
'nsidered 1t his duty to vindicate the
W.