The age-herald., 1900-05-16
Says He Was Tried Under Pre-
 sumption of Guilt.
SPEECH CREATED A SENSATION
At One Time Mir. Clark Gould Not Re frain from Tears His Colleagues Crowded Around Him to
 Offer Congratulations

Washington, May 15.-Mr Clark of Mon- tana fairly swept the senate today with surprise by a formal announcement that he had sent his resignation as a senator to the governor of Montana.
 The resignation came without previous notice, and probably not half dozen peo- pie in Washington knew that it was to be made. MT. Clark made this announce ment just at the instant the iron was hottest. MT. Chandler chairman of the committee on privileges and elections, had given mo- tice that at 1 o'clock he would call up for consideration the resolution unanimously reported from the committee declaring MT. Clark not entitled to his seat Tn the senate. A spirited contest over the resolution was expected Every senator in the city was at his desk.
 At 12:30, just as the routine business was concluded, MT. Clark quietly urose and ad- dressed the chair. He desired he said in a low, tense voice, to address the senate on a question of privilege personal to him self Instantly there was buzz of ex- -pectation. Senators from both sides of the main aisle hurried to seats near MT. Clark and a hush fell the Montana sen- ator began to speak,
 
 heard, but as he proceeded his voice be- came clear, and while at no time did he speak loudly, the intense earnestness of his utterance carried his address to the remotest part of the chamber.
 His address speaks for Itself. It was sharp arraignment of the committees &C., tion and report, an explanation of political and business affairs in Montana and bit ToI on1 hiS friends.
 Tears in His Eyes
 As Mr. Clark adverted to his desire to hand down to his children a name untar- nished even by the breath of disgrace, tears came to his eyes and his voice trem- bled with emotion. He almost broke down. Then bracing himself, he read the letter he had sent to the governor of Montana rendering his resignation.
 Little other business of importance was transacted. The resolution relating to MT. Clark went over until tomorrow, and the senate proceeded to the transaction oi rou- tine business.
 In the course of his speech MT. Clark an- nounced his resignation from the senate, reading letter dated May Il, in which he rendered his resignation.
 MT. Clark said "1t has not been my in- tention to disturb the recognized traditions of this most honorable body by intruding my opinions upon any questions that might arise for consideration during the present session, but the question called up today for discussion so vitally concerns my own interests and the interests of the great state which I have the honor in part to represent, that I shall ask the indulgence of the senate while I, as briefly as possible, submit some remarks, referring first to the character of the investigation; second, to 10 ssr,1oi rit txr nf 1noit % ar privileges and elections, which has submit ted findings adverse to the retention of my seat in the senate; third to the conditions existing in the state of Montana for num- berof years prior to my election, which jus tifes my political actions, and, lastly, a statement as to the course I deem best to pursue in the premises.
 Tt is mot my desire to cast any aSper- sions upon the motives which actuated the distinguished senators composing the com mittee and yet with the most respectful consideration for the learning, legal ability and eminent standing of these genetlemen. I am forced to the conclusion, which be- lieve meets with the concurrence of not on- ly large number of senators on both sides of this chamber, but also of so per cent. of my constituents in the state of Montanaa, regardless of political affiliations, that the mthods of procedure in the investigation of this matter were manifestly unfair, non- judicial, and that they resulted in yer
 
 that which would have occurred should the evidence have been confined to that which was admissible and pertinent to the issue.
 Manner of investigation
 "I contend that an investigation involving a seat in the highest legislative body of this Eation as well as the honor of an individual chosen for that position by the people of one of the sovereign states thereof, should be conducted in a strictly judicial manner. and that in the proceedings the established rules of evidence should be applied. It is we'll known to everybody that this was not the case. It is true that there was a strong effort made by the honorable senators from Alabama, Maryland, Kansas and North Carolina, at the beginning of the investiga- tion to exclude all the irrelevant testimony, but their efforts were unavailing
 "The senators who filed a minority report expressed in emphatic terms their condemn ation of the proceedings in this respect as well as denunciation of the character and practices of the principal attorney and some of the witnesses who testified for the prose- cution.
 ''Theeresuit of the admission of all kinds of hearsay, irrelevant, mischievous and per- Jured testimony was damning in the ex- treme to the respondent, as through the me- dium of both the respectable and the venal press the most widespread publicity was given to some of the pernicious falsehoods touching the respondent and likewise large number of. most important and up-