The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-12
He WROTE LETTERS.
Senator Clark of Montana Com
mitted the Customary
IndiscretiOn.

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE senate
committee on privileges and elections
began it's session in the Clark case to-
day. with a request from the prosecu-
ton to have the books of the Thomas
Cruise Savings bank at Helena, Mont,
showing the deposits of A. ]. Davidson
and a man named Toole brought be-
fore the committee The original sub
poena had only called for the deposit
slips. The point was not decided
e. L. p. Ector, a dentist at Missoula,
was the first witness. He had partici-
pated in the campaign in Ravilli county
in the interest of E. p. Wood who was
the Democratic candidate for the legis-
lature in the last campaign and who
was a friend of Mr.. Clark. EsctOr said
he had acted at the instance of Mr..
Bickford, one of Mr.. Clarks managers.
Letters from Brickford were exhibited.
In one of these written after the legis-
lative election, Bickford referred to the
presence of our friend in Hamilton and
asked EctOr to ascertain his financial
condition. Ector said ''our friend" was
Mr. Wood and that he replied to this
letter saying that his Indebtedness was
$500 and that $1,000 would probably
be necessary to settle all his debts. At
terward Bickford had given him $1,000
to give to Wood. He had then refused
to accept the money, telling Bickford sit
was all OFF, as Wood had told him that
he could not afford to sell himself.
The witness said that Bickford had
promised to pay him for his service,
but that no specific sum had been mem
toned "He asked me how much / ex-
peeted," said the witness, "and I told
him I wanted all could get out of it.
I continued 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 be satisfactory as I have
no doubt you will get $4,000 or $4,000
out of it,
tt anDpar red that M SaftIapoopf
made with him by Mr.. Bickford and that
Mr.. Ector wrote to Senator Clark about
with that gentleman beginning Dec TO-
1898 and closing November 8, 1899 These
ford had been the agent of Clark in the
senatorial race. In the first letter Clark
Mr., Ector had written him had been left
entirely in the hands of Mr.. Bickford and
that he would confer with that gentle
man concerning the matter.
In the second letter dated January %,
1883 Mr.. Clark spoke of the fact that he
was wild with joy, adding that while he
had no personal knowledge as to what he
who helped him. This last statement
was practically repeated from Paris in
April last and in another letter written
the New York letter Mr.. Clark said he
Woqla reter Ector s matter TO Bickford
desire that any one who served him
should be amply remunerated One of the
letters of the series was signed in type
writer and the defense objected to its
admission. This objection brought out
the first division in the committee, Sena-
tors MeComas and Caffery casting the
only votes against admission
Cross examination was postponed until
the defense should look up the letters
received from Ector. Representative P.
G. Sullivan, a member of the last Mon
tana legislature from Granite county. tes-
titled that he had been approached by Mr..
Bickford when he went to Helena prev
ious to the meeting Of the legislature and
asked to vote for Mr.. Clark 4 said,'
the witness testified that l might do so
If there was enough in it He asked how
much I said $50 600. He then asked me
if half that amount would not be enough.
1 replied no and we separated
again met Bickford and that the latter
had suggested $4,000 He had told Bick-
ford then that he would not vote for
Clark under any circumstances and he
had seen no more of him.