The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-13

any money. l apparently fell In with
tneir plans without committing myself
ana was soon on the inside. and they told
me all that was being done. They offer
ed me $4,000 in cash and a great deal
more in promises. John b. welcome and
Shnarlie Clark tson OF W. A Clark were
me managers. while their chief assist
ants were A. j. Steele. William McDer-
mott and w. NJ. Bickford They were all
engaged IN buying or trying to buy the
support of members for w A. Clark for
United States senator Besides the men
nave named, they had a great many sec
ono lieutenants, with whom / did not
come ss In contact. have in my hands now
$4,000 in currency. which / win turn over
TO the committee. Five thousand dollars
OF this was paid to me by John b. Well
come Tor my own services. / desired to
my own word. and as I had confidence in
me integrity of State Senator Clark. OF
e manson county. ! sent Congressman
Mr.. Clark agreed to help me I met him
oy appointment in Mr.. Campbell's room in
the Helena hotel on the night of Janu-
wanted him to take. and then saw Mr.
Melicome and told him that Senator
llark, of Madison county, could probably
be bought. Mr.. Welcome authorized me
70 oner him $1,000 and the next time 1
saw Welcome, which was the next dav
/ told him that Clark would accept IT,
ABOUT o'clock In the evening Of January
Helena hotel. and he asked me to bring
Clark Up to room e01. and Welcome placed
zen s'vp eiils IN large envelope and
sealed II up, Clark put an Endorsement
on T. and they gave IL to me to hold
until Clark should fulfill his part OF the
agreement. which was that he was TO vote
for w. A. Clark. OF Butte. for United
II he voted as agreed was TO give him
the money, whether w A. Clark was
elected or not. ] talked the senatorial
situation over with Charles w Clark
Welcome and Others very often we dis
cussed the different members and they
told me Of the members that had been
bought and others with whom they were
negotiating. Welcome said: Ever. man
who votes for Clark is to be paid. and
the man who votes for him without being
well paid is fool
Charges of Bribery.
Whiteside told of several members who
had been bribed The amounts paid or
placed in escrow for each member were
from S.0co to $1,000 There seemed to be
ne end TO the supply Of money" said
Whiteside before the committee. II think
ihey expected 10 use nearly million dol
lars. WELCOME said that w. A. Clark
mad instructed them to go in and win.
no matter what Il cost. They generally
paid $500 or 81 900 down, and the remainder
was placed In the hands OF third party
70 be paid 70 the member after he had
given his support to w. A. Clark for
United States senator"
Whiteside said he acted upon his own
responsibility entirely. He wanted. he
said to catch every man who was con-
cerned in such work. and "endeavor to
break up the band of boodlers that has so
long Infested this state" Senator Clark
OF Madison county, and Senator Myers OF
Ravailf county. helped him. he said for
the sole purpose of making the exposure.
Whiteside testified that he did not think
Clark knew all the details. but knew in
general way what was being done by
welcome and others. In talking over the
situation with Whteside. Clark spoke OF
senator Anderson. OF Meagher county. and
told Whiteside he did not think Anderson
could DC influenced with money like some
senator Anderson who afterwards testi-
fed before the supreme court in the Well
come dlsharment proceedings that he had
been offered $4,000 for his vote by one Of
Clark's agents. He has since died There
was other corroborating evidence, direct
ana circumstantial. indicating the truth
fuiness of Whteside's story. The report
of the committee was made containing
the evidence of witnesses of standing and
repute. who have since repeated their tes-
timony to the supreme court In the Well
dollars In thousand dollar bills were turn
ed over by Whiteside to the committee
and placed in the hands OF the state
treasurer.
Investigated by Grand Jury.
The. legislative assembly by resolution
called Tor grand jury investigation A
grand jury WAS called. Clark's supporters
had been claiming Ciark's election on the
have tifty-seven votes. Before the first
Joint ballot was taken the investigating
committee reported. and Immediately
altogether seven votes In both houses.
After the grand jury was called rumors
In Helena We're rife to the effect that the
grand jury was being tempered with.
But the feeling In Helena. even after the
exposure. was so intense for Clark that IL
would have required men of nerve even
In the face OF the evidence 10 have in
mr. Iala
uniiinchingiy by Clark. IL only Clark
could be victorious and DAILY Inundated
Helena was willing TO forget and forgive
the peccadilioes of politics. Clark must
be elected now, they said. at all hazards
and Clark was made to realize this
There was no direct denial of the charges.
but the cry OF conspiracy was raised and
echoed all over The capital city. Dis
patches went over the wires from Helena
to the press of the country which were
coiored In Clark's favor, and represented
Daily rival candidate for the senator
ship. although Daily was In New York
The governor of the state, the speaker Of
the house and nearly all the state officials
denounced the bribery and expressed be-
lief i'm the existence of wholesale corrup-
ton of the legislature. IL was sought 10
Keep the attorney general from the grand
jury room and II was necessary 10 pro-
cure an order OF court for his admission
The grand jury heard great deal of evil
dehce. and finally brought In report IN
which they exoneratsd ali parties, The
attorney general when the report was
brought in. in the presence of the jury
denounced its action in falling either 10
indict Whiteside and others for conspir-
acy or Clark and his agents for bribery
Then Clarks vote which had remained
unchanged. began to increase two and
three votes daily. until the day on which
he was elected, when eleven out IT the
fourteen Republicans IN the legislature
went 10 Clark IN body.
The Republicans and Cisrk's supporters
together had a majority IN the senate
After Mhiteside'S exposure, q contest
senate on the ground that ne had not re-
reived a majority of the votes rast al ,ba
election In Flathead county Whit.sfIe
was unseased. aud John ~ Gsiger his
Republican opponent az the pels. given
the seat Geiger immediately cast hls
vote for CLARK But before Mhua~hla
went out. and when he had been told MS
seat would be- taken from him. h. ad-
dressed the Joint assembly IN ore ~ iha
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