Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-12
Correspondence Read Before the Ir-
vestigating Committee.
SENATOR WILLING TO Be GRATEFUL
State Auditor Appears on the
Stand.
WHY HE GAVE HIS PLEDGE

| elections began its session in The Clark case
| today, with request from the prosecution
| to have the books of the Thomas Cruise
Saving Bank at Helena, Mont, showing the
| deposits of A. ]. Davidson and man
| named Toole brought before the committee.
The original subpoena had called only for
the deposit slips The point was not de-
| cded.
E. L. p. Ector dentist at Missoula. was
the first witness. He had participated in
the campaign in RavalIi county. in the in
| terest of f. p. Wood, who was the demo-
| cratic candidate for the legislature in the
| last campaign. and who was friend of
| Mr.. Clark. Mr. Ector said he had acted at
| the instance of Mr.. Bickford, one of Mr..
| Clark's managers.
| A number of letters from Bickford were
| exhibited. In one of these, written after
| the legislative election, Mr.. Bickford
| ferred To the presence of Our friend" in
| Hamilton AMI asked Mr.. Ector 10 ascertain
| what his financial condition was.
Mr. Ector said our friend was Mr.
Wood and that he had replied to this let
| ter saying that his Indebtedness was B.f"o.
| and that 5000 would probably be necessary
to settle all his debts. Afterward Mr.. Bick-
ford had given him 5000 to give to Wood.
| He had then refused to accept the money,
| telling Bickford it was all off" Wood
had told him that he could not afford TO sell
| himself.
| The witness SAID tndt lSlGhlpfH mao tIoll-
| ised to pay him for his services hut that
| no specific sum had been mentioned.
| He asked me how much expected
| said the witness, and ] told him that i
| wanted all / could get out of il. / contin-
| ued by saying: No doubt. You will make a
| stake out of IT He asked me how 10 per
| cent would do. l said that would he salts
| factory, as I have no doubt you will get
| $l0,0o0 or $4,000 out of it "
Correspondence With senator Clark.
|
with him by Mr.. Bfckford, and that sir.
Ector wrote to Senator Clark about tie
matter. There was a correspondent" with
that gentle man. beginning December 10,
| 1S9S. and closing November s. 1889.
| These letters We're read to show that Mr..
Bickford had been the agent Of Mr.. Clark
in the senatorial race. In the first letter
Mr. Clark said that the matter concerning
! which Ector had written him had heen
left entirely in the hands of Mr. Bick-
| ford, and that he would confer with that
gentleman concerning the matter.
| In the second letter. dated January 2S.
| 1899, Mr.. Clark spoke of the fact that ne
| had just been elected, saying Bickford Was
wild with joy and that there would be a
| hot old time IN the town that night add
| ing that, while he had no personal knowl-
| edge as to what he had done, he never
| disappointed any one who had helped him
| This last statement was practically repeat
| ed from Paris in April last and in another
| letter written from New York on N"vember
s last. In the New York letter Mr. Clark
| said he would refer Ector's matter To Bicl1-
| ford, and in the Paris letter he said il
was his desire that ANY one who served
| him should be amply remunerated.
One Of the letters of the series sign
| ed in typewriter. and the defense objected
| to its admission. This objection brought
| out the first division in the committee.
Senators McComaS and Caffery casting the
only votes against admission.
| Cross-eXamination was postponed until
| the defense could look up the letters r--
ceived from Ector.
Fixed His Price at 100000.
Representative p. G. Sullivan, member
of the last Montana Legislature from Gran.
lite county, testified that he had been ap-
preached by Mr.. Bickford when he went
to Helena prior TO the meeting of the legis-
lature and asked to vote for Mr.. Clark.
81 said" the witness testified, that [
might do so if there was enough in it. H.
| asked how much. I said $4,000. He thea
asked me if half that amount would not
| be enough. l replied no, and We sepa-
rated
Sullivan said that afterward he had again
met Bickford and that the latter had sug-
gested $1,000. He had told Bickford then
| that he would not vote for Clark under any
circumstances, and had seen no more II
him.
Wanted to Lead Bickford On.
Mr.. Sullivan said his purpose had been 10
lead Mr.. Bickford on and that he had not
expected to vote for Mr. Clark even If the
offer of $4,000 had been accepted. The wit
LESS stated that he is now the proprietor of
the Florence Hotel at Butte. and the cross
examination was devoted to showing that
this hotel is owned largely by Marcus DAILY.
The witness said that he paid his rent in
currency to Mr.. Hennissey. and did not
know whether or not DAILY was the owner
q admitted
from among the miners of the Anaconda
mine. and counsel brought the fact
that whereas before the Legislature met the
witness had been the proprietor of sa-
loon, paying $50 a month, he now pays
s.. 600 a month for the Florence House.
Unwilling to Testify.
Anthony Dougherty Of Helena proved to
be the first witness who was apparently
unwilling 10 testify. He was called with
the view of showing that he had allowed a
friend of his, named Gallagher, to occupy
for several days a room in the Brown block
rented by himself, and that he had re-
mafned in the closet of the room and Ove--
heard conversation between A. j. Steele
and Representatives Gillette and Flynn
concerning the senatorial election.
Dougherty declared that he had not re-
mained IN the closet and had heard no
such conversation, answering only yes
or mo- in reply TO questions and volunteer
ing nothing He SAID he had let Gallagher
take the room and had lived elsewhere
while he occupied it. but that he had seen
or heard no there.
To Head on Others
State Auditor T. w. Poindexter testified
that A. J. Steele had promised to give him
$50. 600 to secure the votes Of the three
members of the Legislature from Beaver
head county for Mr.. Clark. he (Poindexterl
to have 5000 for his services, but that he
had never approached the members be-
cause he was opposed TO Mr.. Clark's cleo
tion and had agreed to see them for him
only to prevent others acting in the capaci-
ty of go-between.
The committee adjourned until o'clock
before the witness could be cross-exam-
ined.
Gift OberIin College.