The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-21
ORIGIN OF THE POLITICAL
FEUD THAT MAY UNSEAT
SENATOR CLARK.
Continued from Page 2s.

fered to Myers. who was an attorney, the
attorneyship of the Bridger Coal Com
pany, corporation owned by Clark. for
number of years at large salary. Sub
sequently he had received from Charles
w. Clark, Of Butte. son of W. A. Clark.
a letter stating that he hoped Myers
would accept the attorneyship, and that he
had placed in the hands of another party
the sum of $500 as payment on account of
his retainer. The understanding, accord
ing to Myers, was that he was to vote for
w. A. Clark for United States senator as
an equivalent for these favors. Speaker
Stiff. of the house of representatives, tes-
tilted that he had been approached by
Bickford in the interest of Clark's candi-
dacy and offered the sum of $4,000 If he
would cast his vote for Clark and refrain
from becoming a candidate for the speak,
ership of the house. Myers also testified
that after HIS statement before the in
vestigating committee of the legislative
assembly he had been approached by A.
j. Steele, one of Clark's supporters, and
offered large sum of money if he would
retract his testimony before the commit
tee and swear that it was false. State
Senator w. A. Clark, of Madison county.
repeated the story as told by Whiteside
of the purchase of his vote for the sum
of $4,000 by Welcome, and also told of
conversations he had with Senator Clark
himself in relation to the purchase of
members. State Auditor Pondexter lestf-
fed that he had been offered $4,000 If he
would secure the votes of three members
from Beaverhead his own county, these
members to receive $4,000 apiece Other
witnesses testified to the rental, by Clark's
agents. of rooms in certain buildings in
the capital city with vaults. wherein bank
bills of large denominations were stored
and where negotiations were carried ON
with many members of the legislature.
Welcome sat through all the disbarment
proceedings when this testimony was be-
ing given. but refrained from taking the
stand. The defense sought to show that
the bribery charges were the result of
conspiracy, headed by DAILY, but the testi-
mony failed to show that either White
side, Myers, Stiff, Clark or Anderson had
been identified with what was known as
the 'Daly faction The supreme court.
in its opinion said there was no alterna-
tive but to disbar Wellcome;. that the evil
dence was uncontradieted, and the evil
dence of a conspiracy so shadowy that 1t
was hardly worth consideration. The ma
jority of the supreme court judges are Re-
publicans.
A Preacher Is Contaminated.
One of the results of the investigation
before the supreme court was the down.
fall of a minister of the Gospel. He testi-
fled before the supreme court that he was
chaplain of the house of representatives;
that he, had gone to Clark and solicited
a bride for a friend. and that Clark had
told him he could not pay the money
himself, but that he would see 1t was
done. The church with which he was
connected, in Helena, then made serious
charges against the minister, the Rev. b.
ii. Warren. The minister was not allow
ed to tell how he came to go to Clark but
explained outside of the court that he
had heard that the exposure was a con-
spiracy against Clark; that he had heard
all around him rumors of what was going
on, that a friend came to him and told
him that the agents of Clark had offered
$4,000 for his vote and asked the minis
ter's advice: that he told this friend to
have nothing to do with it, but explained
that he would like to satisfy himself of
the truth of the charges that were made
against Clark, and asked and obtained
permission of his friend to go to Clark
personally and ascertain from the foun-
tain source whether Clark was corrupt
or maligned. Whether or not this ex-
PLANTATION was true, the minister got into
hot water and lost his charge.
w. A. Clark Picks Up $1,000.
Four or five days prior to the date set
for the disbarment proceedings before the
supreme court in Helena, Senator w. A.
Clark. of Madison county, as the story is
related by him, was approached by an
agent of United States Senator w A.
Clark, of Butte. who placed $1,000 in his
hands as retainer, and employed him To
go to the state of Missouri to attend to
some litigation there in reference to zinc
mines. The agent was particular to find
out what route Clark would go and nv
what route return, but Clark misinforrned
him as to the route, and then hurriedly
left the state to attend to the business
leaving behind him a note to the attorney
general, saying that he would be on hand
promptly by the time his testimony was
needed. Clark went post haste to Mis-
souri,, telegraphed ahead to have all mat
tiers in readiness, attended to the business
and returned to Helena three days after
the disbarment proceedings had begun,
and in time to give his testimony. He
jokingly said that It was the easiest
$1,000 he had ever earned
The foregoing are the main features of