The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-14
Testimony of Mr.. McDermOtt Before
Senator's Who Are Probing the
Montana Bribery Case
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE PAID
EVERY .'TOM, DICK AND HARRY" IN
HELENA GOT MONEY.
An Editor Who Pays Interest Regu-
larly on a $4,000 Mortgage Held
by the Standardized.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 1S.-The Senate
committee on privileges and elections to-
day concluded its hearing Of Mr.. Neill
in the Clark investigation and also heard
William McDermott, another of the close
friends and stanch supporters of w. A.
Clark in his contest for the Senate be-
fore the Montana Legislature last winter.
Probably the most interesting testimony
of the day was a statement made by Mr.,
McDermott to the effect that Mr.. Clark had
made his a present of 5000 after his cleo
ton to the Senate. to pay McDermott for
his services in the contest. He also testi-
fed that he had expended about $4,000
in the legislative and senatorial elections.
The major portion of this money had been
received from Mr.. Clark's son, but the
witness contended that it was all spent
for legitimate purposes. After the State
election he had expended 5000 or $500
which had come from c. w. Clark and
Mr.. Welcome. This. he said. he had paid
to every Tom, Dick and Harry who asked
him for tito seventy five or one hundred
persons, more or less. He had kept a
correct account of all his expenditures,
but had not been able to find his books.
When he wanted money he would go to the
bank and get it; the understanding was
that Charley Clark was to keep money
there to meet these demands.
Asked the purpose of the mmitt of
which he was a member, Mr.. McDermott
said that it was that of preventing DAILY
from controlling the State. If the DAILY
ties were for fusion we were against 1T,
and if hey were against fusion we were
for ~it-anything to beat DAILY"
Giving a list of men to whom he had
paid money in Helena. Mr.. McDermott
was. he said, an expert in keeping a check
on such matters. 1--WE had him quite busy
for a time watching you (speaking to Mr..
CampbelD and Mr.. Whiteside. He got
only $500 or $500. but that service was
worth more All told, he thought there
were 800 or 400 men in Helena working for
Mr.. Clark during the senatorial contest
Their principal business was to protect
members of the Legislature from intimi-
dation by the DAILY people. All of them
were not, however, under pay.
who were these terrible intimidators
that you have told us about?" asked Mr..
Campbell.
II don't know but that you were one of
them" responded Mr.. McDermott.
Senator Chandler asked. What compen-
satiOn did you get for your services?"
WANTED TO RETURN THE CHECK.
'It was not my intention to take any
thing, but 1 did get a present of s.. ZOO after
the senatorial election"
"Who gave it to your"
"W. A. Clark. He sent me a check for
the money. 1 tried to get him to take it
back, but he refused, and 1 put it in bank
to my account"
Speaking of the election in Butte, Mr..
McDermott said that he had secured 800
| affidavits from persons registered from
vacant lots, and of forty from one room.
Yet he had torn them up and had made no
complaint before a justice of the peace
because there was no justice that he had
confidence in. Estimating the relative
strength of Clark and Daily in Silver Bow
county, in which Butte is located, Mr.. Nc
Dermott said that Mr.. Daiy employed 1900
of 5000 men there and Mr.. Clark 700 or 500.
Mr.. Neill in the course of his testimony
asserted that he had spent only a very
limited sum of money and said that all that
he did spend was his own. The witness
was cross-examined by Mr.. Campbell.
did you do any work for Mr.. Clark
during the last senatorial campaign In
Montana" He was asked.
II did all 1 could in my newspaper and
| otherwise in a legitimate way"
did you spend any money in either the
legislative contest or the senatorial cam
paign before the LEGISLATURE"
Yes, but it was my own"
did you spend any except your own?'
II did not"
Didn't you cave some money in Fer
gus county?"
Il did leave some money there for Dave
Hilger and Mr.. Williams, but 1t was given
me by A. j. Davidson and 1 was little more
than a messenger in the transaction"
Changing the form of the question. how
much money did you handle in the sena-
torial contest that was not your OWN"
II did not handle any money during the
| senatorial fight except such as one would
naturally spend-not to exceed in the ag-
Did you spend any money except in
| Fergus county,?
Il cannot say precisely as to that. Those
/ We're exciting times. 1 was in the thick
of the fray and pretty busy"
| In reply to a question, Mr.. Neill said he
had formerly been surveyor general OF
Montana. Speaking of Attorney Genera
Nolan's transcript of his testimony before
the Lewis and Clark county grand jury
Mr.. Neill declared that it was ~colored
throughout. He gave an instance in which
know that any money had been spent
in the Clark contest. 81 said," he con-
tinued, that / did not think any money
was corruptly spent. 1 believe the word
corruptly was Intentionally left out"
HAS Mr.. Clark a mortgage for $3.50 900 or
the Helena independent Asked Mr.
Faulkner.
II has a mortgage for So, 900. and ]
pay MIN his interest regularly" responded
Mr.. Neill.
a resident of Butte named Jacobs. who
stated that the prosecutions witness
Cason, had told him that he was gettinp
money from the DAILY people for his ties.