The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-02-16
Propositions Made to
Two of Them.
w Welcome Disbarment Case at
Issue.


vsatigation Of the election Of Senator
Clerk today Justice Hunt of the Montana
Supreme court. was q witness
4 His testimony created profound I'm
preston. He detailed four di II srsnt
conversations he had had with his family
physician, DIR. Wiliism Tracey Of Helena,
In two OF which he believed the doctor
had attempted to bride him In the Well
come di ST arment case which was at that
time before the court Of which the wit
ness was q member. The first of these
conversations had occurred on the fifth
of last August in Dr.. Ira cey's office.
Tho court then held that IL had juris-
diction in the disbarnsnt proceedings
and he went to DIR. Tracey's Office at the
Invitation OF the latter.
"when I went to his Office" said the
witness, "Dr. Tracey invitsj me to a
back room. The doctor said: Il have
a funny kind OF proposition which has
come up for you.
The doctor than went on to tell him,
according to Judge Hunts statement,
that he, the Doctor. was taking an inter
est In tine Welcome case. He had been
told, he said, that 1t was largely mat
Ter In the discretion OF the members of
the court as to the case continuing, that
he understood tie disbsrment proceedings
IT, be q political fight largely, and adding
that while he did not know Mr.. Well
come, he understood that he was decent
fellow.
Judge Hunt said that he had replisd to
all this to the effect that while there
was a certain amount Of legal discretion
permitted, the case would have to take
Its course just as any other oase-
DIR. Tracey then said to him, according
to the witness, ~ don't suppose then
there Is any use to lay my proposition
before you"
without, however, waiting for any
formal reply, the witness said, the doctor
proceeded as follows:
"Thsre is party here who has got
sl00.o01 and wants to put 1t up If that
case can be put out Of COURT"
Justice Hunt said that he replied to the
doctor that ali the money In the state
and the Anaconda mines, together with
every dollar that DAILY and Clark were
both worth and all In the banks could
not induce him TO sacrifice his conscience
to the extent of granting additional
time In this or any other case.
Justice Hunt said that he did not be-
lisve that DR.. Tracey meant to actually
bride him.
In answer to questions from the mem
bers Of the committee Justice Hunt raid
he thought DIR. Tracey had mentioned
Senator Clsrk's name In the first CON-
versation when he had spoken Of the
Welcome case as merely q political
fight between Mr.. Clark and Mr.. DAILY.
At the close Of the direct examination
which had been conducted almost en-
tirely by Chairman Chandler, Mr.. Faulk.
ner on behalf of Senator Clark made a
formal motion to strike the testimony
Of Justice Hunt out of the record bscauss
ID had failed to connect the anne Of MIR.
Clark with the proceeding.
the motion was ovsrruled and the oross-
examination proceeded.
Justice Hunt said that before DR..
Tracey had made the proposition to him
he had considered him as q man Of pre-
ctuluouGy koou OhnknotoEs dc uio NV
believe the doctor had stopped TO think
of the enormity Of the proposition and
he still regarded him as good man.
Witness said he had first told his story to
Justice PigRot, next to judge Brantly,
aft,rward to Judge Dewitt; never to
Attorney General Nolan. he understood
that Judge Pigget had told Attorney
General Nolan. Piggot 30 far as he knew
had no utilization with DAILY.
Asked why he did not bring the matter
to the attention of the public prosecutor,
Judge Hunt replied that he was 90 hu-
initiated he did not care to disclose 1t. FL
"You preferred to allow the attempt to
perpstrate suoh crime to go unpun-
ished}'
"It would have been embarrassing to
me a. judge"
'sIt was contempt OF COURT"
"I did not take notice Of it,
witness said Judge Pisgot felt the
same way about 10.