The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-02-23
CLARK Is HEARD.
and Denies the Charges Made
Against Him.

| washington, req. Ex-senator clark
himself appeared before the senate
committee Investigating the bribery
charges connected with his election to
the senate. His appearance caused q
ripple of interest throughout the
room. After being sworn the senator
took his seat quietly and Mr.. Faux
ner Immediately began his questions,
the first of which brought out the
facts concerning Mr.. Clark's career,
political and otherwise, in Montana.
He said he had resided in Montana
since 1863, most of the time in Butte,
and had been engaged in many occupa-
tions, the principal of which were mer-
chandising, banking, mining and the
reduction of ores. He had, he said,
taken an active part in politics, espe-
cially for the past Is years.
Coming to the campaign of 1898 he
said he had entered it at the solicita-
ton of number of friends ''wl,o had
asked me to help them organize the
state against what was called The Dali
power, which agreed to do with their
aid and assistance"
He then referred to the preliminary
meeting of his friends, the particulars
of which were related by Gov. lIauser.
in which he made the agreement above
related by agreeing to pay all the ex-
penses if the others would do the or
ganizing and perform the work neces-
sary in the campaign.
Relating further the motives actual
| en- IN to- int irpy
which was for few of the state Off
GERS and for members of the legisla-
ture, he said he had sent out some
friends to feel the pulse of the state.
He also stated that democratic politics
in the state had been running wild
for some years. The democrats had
been fusing with populists and silver
republicans and he was opposed 10
such a course, because it resulted in
the nomination of people who were
not democrats. The object was to SD
organize as to break down the zone
man power in the state. After ascer-
tanning these facts the senator said
that he had very reluctantly agreed
to the proposition of his friends and
to assist financially, furnishing such
funds as were absolutely necessary in
a prudent way to accomplish the OBJ
ject aimed at.
Senator Clark said he had at the
preliminary meeting with his friends
in Helena agreed to enter the cam
paign to wrest the power from DAILY,
but not with the understanding that
he would be a senatorial candidate.
That conclusion had come later. He
said that all told he had spent about
| $4,000 in the campaign. There were
four different contributions, pre-
liminary one of $4,000, then $4,000,
then $4,000 and then $4,000. He de-
MED explicitly all the statements made
by Whiteside, Mark Hewitt and others
connecting him with corrupt methods
in securing his election to the senate,
| saving that so far as he knew no
money had been used corruptly in his
ten the letter testified to by Justice
Brantley, but that he could not re-
member.
Concerning his contributions to the
campaign fund, after the preliminary
meeting with his friends, he said:
"Some days after this meeting gave the
amount which 1t had been estimated would
be necessary to begin with. That amount
| was 5000 The second contribution was
made in October and amounted to $40 900
| In November contributed $4,000, and
! after I was elected I gave my son, c. w
Clark, a check for about $50, 500 to pay ex-
penses incurred during the sitting of the
! legislature in Helena. Upon leaving the
city 1 had told my son to stay there and
| settle up all bills that had been incurred
| These four contributions were I'll that had
| been made by me in connection with that
campaign. The first contribution of $685..
OCO was necessary in organizing for the
| legislative campaign, great deal of money
being required to get voters registered and
| to get them to the polls"