The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-08
SENATOR CLARK'S WITNESS.
- ATTORNEY, BIcKFORD, TAKES
Up THE DAY.
rs~prehensiveiy Denies All Charges
- bribery with which His Name
ma Been Connected, FIatly Con-
tradicting Many Of the Witnesses.

vAsuISGTON, Feb THE first wit
-. called before the senate committee
:. .,ections today In its investigation Of
=. electIon of Senator Clark, OF Mon
sssa was George r. McGrath, of the
'.v1 service commission. located at Chi
SO He was. in 1892 and 1893. editor of
Newspaper In Butte. Mont. which. he
la. supported Mr. DAILY. He was also
s-rrefary OF the Democratic state central
,emmtttee. An attempt was made by
ssrnsel for the defense to investigate the
uantana senatorial election OF 1893, but IL
was checked.
Attempt to Prove mn Ola Deal.
statements were made by ex-senator
rsuikner and Mr.. Foster showing that
INV expected to prove by McGrath that
a ie1c he had been In a caucus OF Days
trends and that DAILY had then suggested
~ defeat OF Mr.. Clark for the senate by
setting some one 10 go to Mr.. Clark for
money and. failing TO accomplish this
nurpore, TO put up the money himself for
- s'exnosure" This, II was claimed by
sounsei was the scheme carried out by
~ DAILY through Mr.. Whiteside In 1899.
sbcwfng malice tenaciousiy held By DAILY.
ne point was argued at length by counsel
On both sides. and the committee went
into executive session To decide II.
Ancient History Excluded.
Mr.. McGrath was temporarily withdrawn
from the stand.
When the doors were reopened, Chair
nan Chandler announced that the COM
mittee had decided to exclude for the
usssent the testimony relating to the SEN
atorial campaign In 1893
mack Denies Receiving Bribes.
Powell Black, a member OF the Mon
lana legislature, was then recalled. He
denied all the testimony of Whiteside and
Rector connecting his name with bribery
and efforts at bribery in connection with
he senatorial contest He said, in con-
tssdiction OF Whiteside. that 1t was not
irue that he had been fixed" by Mr..
steele, and he denounced all OF Rectors
stories concerning him as untrue.
uickford the Star witness.
walter NJ. Bickford was next called. He
had been one OF Mr.. Clark's agents in
the senatorial campaign OF 1852 and
his name, next to that OF Mr.. Welcome.
had been most prominently mentioned by
the prosecution. Mr.. Bickford said he was
1t present a resident of Butte, but that
h. had formerly lived at Missoula. where
no was . law partner OF Mr.. Stiff speak
= Of the house OF representatives, and a
preminsnt witness FOR the prosecution In
the Clark case Mr. Bickford was frst
asked concerning HIS engagement OF Mr.
milf to examine the title OF property
owned by II. w. Mclaughlin, Of the Mon
tana legislature. which property was aftes-
ward purchased by Mr.. Clark through Mr.
Bedford.
Explains McIaughlin Purchase.
The latter said It was an ordinary bust
nses Transaction. Mr.. Stlff being employed
hedauae It was inconvenient for him tthe
vitness) to perform this service himself.
MS TaIks win atsM.
NJ Bickford said that at a subsequent
line he had talked with Mr.. Stiff con-
osrning the iattsr's candidacy for the
hsuse spcakership. He had never. how
ever. at any OF these conversations told
Mf stiff that there was an understand
INC that Mclaughlin should vote for MIR.
clark for the senate. He had az one time
p1or 70 the Mclaughlin transaction
Isiked with Mr.. stir concerninx tho sena-
toFial election. He had preached the sub
ject and inquired Of Mr.. Stiff how he felt
"a tho subject. II asked him how he felt
toward Mr. Clark" said Mr.. Blckford.
and he replied that he knew Of no reason
Why he could not vote for Mr. Clark II he
should be the nominee of the Democratic
legislative caucus
Mr.. stiff told me he had aspirations
for the district judgoship OF that district.
and said he wanted me to so shape his
course as member of tho house 10 not
lntnre his chances for tho nomination two
years hence. | then thought him friendly
10 Mr.. Clark
The witness denied that he had sug-
rested 10 Mr.. sun that II he would sup
port Mr.. Clark for the senate the latter
would appoint him as attorney go repre-
sent some OF his interests. The Me
lAughlin transaction was explained at
lsngth, the witness explaining that the
tiinher land owned by Mclaughlin was
especially favorabiy located and that Mr..
CLARK. being large user OF timber. had
found X necessary 10 establish mills In
ertlet TO protect himself against monopoly
Recess until : y. IN.
Contrsdtcts His Former partuer.
Mr.. Bickford continued his testimony In
Tue afternoon session. He contrndicted
M stiffs statements in detail lie had
not told Mr., Suff that the fec of $500 paid
Tor examining the title 10 the Mclaughlin
property was for himself and not for the
usm. the price paid for the land was be-
mw It's value and not above; Mclaughlin
vas engaged as manager OF the lumber
enDprny formed on the basis OF the par
eAase from him because he was a mill
nan, and not 10 influence his vote for
W. Clark for the senate