The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-04
CLARK BRIBERY INQUIRY.
WITNESSES SUMMONED ny CONTEST
ANTS UsED ny THE DEFENCE.

We're Paid For nv Contestants Council,
Who Also Knew That they We're Untrue
Counsel Deny This Testimony but VIII
iIave to Repeat ths Denial Under Oath.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-The Senate Committee
on Privileges and Elections to-day continued
its Investigation OF the charges OF bribery In
the election OF Senator Clark OF Montana. Dur
ing the month or more In which the case has
been going on all the evidence rendered has
been on the side Of those prosecuting the
charges, The testim ony for the defence began
yesterday. and it was the concurrent opinion
OF all who heard II that II was quite up to the
standard Of loose swearing that any OF the
prior witnesses had established.
Mr.. Faulkner. counsel for Senator Clark. said
that two witnesses hal been summoned on the
other side, but had not been examined. He
would like TO examine them on his side.
l.. J., Wright. one OF the witnesses referred
to. was sworn and told this story. az follows:
Il live In MIssoula. Mont. | am a watch
maker and keep n secondhand furniture store.
| never had an agreement with Mr.. Rector
to meet him alone. with a view OF seeing him
pay money 10 q member OF the Legislature"
iAs had been sworn to by Rector
Mr.. Faulkner We're you present, As Mr..
Rector SAID you were. when Mr.. Steel was pay
ing some money out to Jackson. q member OF
the Legislaturep A. I was not.
Mr.. Faulkner-Did you have any relations
with Ben Hill in relation to this caso2 II 80
state what occurred.
Witness-Hil talked to me several times Ia
August and September last about the DAILY fac
ton trying 10 get evidence to dispar Mr. Well
come. About the last OF October Hill came to
me in a cigar store and introduced me toa man
with him as Mr.. Little. Mr.. Campbellis private
secretary. Mr.. Campbell Is the leading coun-
sol for the contestants,l called Hill aside and
asked him who the mar was. He said Hes
ali right. He Ia Mr.. Campbell's private secre-
tary, They are around trying to get evidence
to disbar Welcome" said. why does no
come to me'" lie said. You need not be afraid
OF him. Ha will do you no harm" l said.
i do not think much OF him" Then
we all three walked to the Florence Hotel
together. Little and | went into the billiard
room and then into the card room. / told
him some few things and asked him II such
evidence would be any good to him He said
that certainly it was. asked him how much
II was worth. He said Il cannottalk that way
TO you After an hour or SO | went home.
Next day Hill came around and said; Here. II
YOU make out an AFFIDAVIT and swear to it re-
gardless OF what is in 1t. well give you 500
for your affidavit told him / would think
OF 1t. | thought It over til Hill came back
again that night. | said to him: Il will tell you
what | will do, | will MAKE out an affidavit.
and you and Little can help me and make II as
strong "a you have a mind to. | will receive
500 for the affidavit. and before | testify 500
must be placed In your hands for me" The
day before | went 10 the private ONCE
OF Mr. StieN, and he started TO make out
pny statement. l said Il guess that will do"
! Ind folded il up and put IL in my rocket and
went out. On the evening OF Nov. 2 Hin came
around again and we went over to the Florence
Hotel and saw Mr.. Little there, and we three
went over to DR., Minchall's Office. Little and /
started to make out the affidavit which Mr..
Campbell has now. Mr.. Little did not think Il
quite strong enough and Hill sat down and
wrote a lot more to it. making 1t stronger. |
swore to it and paid 81 for it myself. We went
over TO the hotel ard Hi said he had hot the
money t.. pay M then. He rus,led around and
gave me 500, H.. slipped the money into my
hand in the Hotel florence.
The Chairman-What did you do with the
Witne-s-I turned it over to Mr.. Hill. Hill
made out a receipt for Sl1o and said that he
you'll give me, the balance = the. morning.
Next day I'LL told me he had gwen $3.50 to Dr.
Mlnchall to let his wife 20 East. SO | kicked
for another 500 and Hi gave il to mo and I
made ont another receipt for $3.50,
The AFFIDAVIT spoken OF was one in which the
witness Swore To very damaging circumstance
against the Clark side 1t was read to the
cnmWittec hv Nr. Eau kner, who then asked
the. witness; is that statement true or false"
,Wltness-lt IS faIse, and Hill knew it at the
q What occurred after that? A. | did not
testify in the Welcome case. | was not called
by the prosecuting.
q WHY 4 They knew | was promised
hey dit not pay M the $1,000. | asked Mr..
WhitrsiIc about II and he said: "A thousand
dollars tn your hands would re worth twenty
= VIVA, dit that mean; \. l. meant that |
could sell my Testimony for S2O.OOO.
g. Pr Dr. Mlncha.l get any money for testi-
after he testified Mr. Hill. Dr. Minchall, Mr..
Cowan, and myself were standing on The steps
Of Dr. .Miqrhglls house. We went into a room
pocket and soid: Or. Mnchal, here
IL your money!. and he gave him $500.
two ffty;doliar bills and nvo yen.y v
srringing us. | want you to let me hold this
money Tor you, and will let you have money
enough to 70 ,hom".'
q What did h" mean by stringlng you2 A.
That, they would not put W, the money
VIII ch they had promised. DR.. Minchall SAID
he had supposed here wnssl.0OO FER him.
in Helena Tor MIR Clark.
"a Have you been in rolitics1 A.. Yes: l run
Tor office three or four times and was Always
beaten.
- Are you a Democrat in %politics7 A. am.
senator Burrows Did YOU intend TO lead
COUNSEL to understand that YOU would testify
for $4,000. 4. Yes.
Ben Hill Tot whom the last witness had
spoken 50 much was next called. He had
been summoned on tho mart OF the contestant,
hu' as the counsel on that side declined to call
hun he WI, Put on the stand by counsel Of
at,r Clark. He gave his hge as ~. his resi-
dnncp IA NissOula, Mont, and hIs OCCUPATION
"a messenger of the Wells Fargo COMPANY,
contractor. Woo chopper. canister and miner,
H. SPOKE Of having done work at some Of
Mr Clqrk's mines, for which Clark had
the asst witness he had prepared and sworn to
an AFFIDAVIT giving in much detail an account OF
H. activity IN hrlhIng members OF tho l.agisln-
ture IN the interest ct Mr.. Clark, and relating
imaginary Conversations with senator Clark in
which ~" declared his determination To 10 a
fun by Mr Faulkner, aftera statement by the
witness that II had been VIZ ten In the presence
Of Mr. Campbell and Mr.. Nkitr~iie. attorneys
for the Day side. After the reading the chair
man suggested that Mr.. Faulkner contlne mis-
quoStIons to the point that Campbell aud
Nhitcside had reason TO believe mt that time
thar the statements made Ia tho anidavi; wcre
false.
Witness spoke % n recent affidavit made by
him contradictory OF the first and of which he
had given Mr.. Campbell "A copy. He said thot
within a month. after h. made the long am
davit he had begun marking ont portions 81 IL,
ir Camphrlrs presence, and had continued that
over in Washington to Camphel. There was
very Iittie left o! It then. lie would lie to
Camrbell and Campbell would lie back TO him.
Laughter.