Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-16
JUSTICE PIGGOTTS STORY
Tells How He Was Sounded Regarding the
Welcome Case.
Conversation With Frank Corbett,
General NOlan's Testimony.

held last night. The testimony. like that at
the morning session, was sensational. JUS
tice William F. Piggott, another member
of the Montana supreme court, was heard.
He was questioned by Senator Chandler.
His testimony was given in slow and i'm
pressive manner. 1t was on different lines
from that Of Justice Hunts, but received
equally close attention. Mr.. Piggott's state
ment covered an interview with Mr. Frank
F. Corbett of Butte, who is Mr.. Clark's
principal western counsel, which had oc-
CURED on the 9TH Of August last the same
day as DR.. Tracey's first two interviews
with Justice Hunt.
He said that he met Mr.. Corbett on the
street and the latter told him that he had
come from Helena in a special rain to see
him, and requested a private interview. He
had taken Mr.. Corbett to his rooms at the
capitol. when Corbett had told him that
Mr.. ]. S. M. Neill of Helena had telephoned
to Butte that the supreme court might be
influenced In the Welcome disbarment
case.
Detailing the conversation, Justice Pig
gott said that Mr.. Corbett apparently was
very much excited. His lips were trembling
and his manner was very nervous. Sitting
opposite me- said the witness, The said he
didn't want me to get angry at what he
was about to tell me. He then told me of
the receipt Of the telephone message from
Mr.. Ne1l, which had been as follows: We
can do business with the supreme court
He said he had spent two or three hours
with Mr. Neill and that the latter had
said to him. We can get the supreme court.
They will come high. and the scheme will
have to be capitalized for about five mil
lions He then proceeded to say that he
had applied various opprobrious epithets
to Mr.. NeiH for such a presumption, saying
that he had secured special train and
come over from Butte for the purpose of
heading off any effort in the line of such
an outrageous proceeding and to assure you
that if anything of the kind is undertaken
we have had nothing to do with it. If he
undertakes to do that l myself will get up
in the supreme court and tell what l know
about the proceeding. I have a mind to do
that anyway, Mr.. Corbett added. / re-
Piled" continued the witness, "'You can
rest assured that if Neill approaches me in
nor will the fact become public, for 1 con-
slider such an attack upon a mans official
integrity more serious than an attack upon
his life, and l believe that man making
such an attack should be killed by the man
to whom he had made the proposition. l
will endeavor to do that if SO approached
would never have man arrested for such
a proceeding. for l would not want the pub
licity, nor would ! want to bring court
into disreSute. "
Justice Piggott said that after this inter-
view Mr.. Corbett left him, saying he had
to hurry to the train, but that it was more
than half an hour afterWard that he had
seen that gentleman and two other men
leaving for the train.
Justice Piggott said that in the evening
after this Interview he had called upon
Cured between himself and Corbett. when
Justice Hunt mad related his experience of
the same day with DR.. TraCev
'On cross-eXamination MI Piggott said
that at the time of Mr.. Corbetts visit he
had no reason to suspect that Mr.. Corbetts
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 If
so, why.
To this he replied: II had no doubt until
Justice Hunt told me what had happened
between him and DR.. Tracey the same
day. / put this and that together and /
then concluded that Mr.. Corbett and DR..
Tracey had consplred together to make
an assault upon the Supreme Court with
their 100000; that they had made their
attack upon Justice Hunt and had failed,
and that MIR. 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-
lieved that Mr. Corbett had lied. but said
he wanted to leave the facts to speak for
themselves.
Attorney General Also Approached.
Attorney General Cornelius B. Nolan of
hOHtdIld leSlllltu Ire tllSO lldu an eApell-
ence with DIR. Tracey. He had conducted
the prosecution in the Welcome disbar
nent case and while the case was in pro-
gress DIR. Tracey, who was also his family
physician, had come to him, he said, at
three different times, suggesting that he
tNolan) could get money out of the case
from Mr.. Clark The witness said that he
had chatted with DR.. Tracey on the occa-
SION of the frs: meeting until the latter had
asked him how much did he think would
be required.
Il replied" said the witness, eff I should
lend myself to such a scheme l think L
ought to be entitled to 100000. The doctor
said he thought the sum reasonable Later,
on the same occasion, after he had come
to think the doctor serious Mr.. Nolan said
Clark and tell him that if his body were
skeleton and filled with gold it would not
be sufficient to buy him"
At the third interview Mr.. Nolan said he
had told DR.. Tracey that he had talked
enough. THE time has COME he said
he had told the doctor. ito put up or shut
uS"
DO you mean lt?' the doctor asked.
81 do" was the reply.
Then" the doctor said, come to my
office at 4 o'clock today and arrangements
will be made for you to get your money!
Could Not BE Bought.
Then the witness said he had told DR.,
Tracey again that Mr. Clark did not have
money enough TO buy him, and had had no
further conversation with him. MIR. Nolan
said that while he had resented the APP
proach to him insult he said he did
not blame DIR. Tracey so much as he blamed
those behind him, and that he still en-
ployed him as his family physician.
Gen. Nolan said that he had never re-
ported DR.. Tracey's conduct to the prose-
cutting attorney because largely of his per-
sonal friendship for him. He considered it
his duty to vindicate the law.
who violated the law more than Dr.
Tracey" asked Mr.. Faulkner
He was not the arch criminal was the
response.
Mr.. Nolan said that he was not here as
counsel in the case. but that he would eX-
pect Mr.. Campbell to pay his expenses.