Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-23
THE ECTOR LETTERS READ
The Hearing of the Clark Committee
Resumed.
Murphy. the Absent Witness, Was in
Columbus. o., Last Week-Charges
Against DAILY Opposition.


Montana, which have beer missing for
week or ten days, have arrived and We're
today presented 10 the Senate committee
on privileges and elections in connection
with the investigation of the charges of
bribery made against Mr.. Clark in his SEN
atCrial contest
The days session was opened by the
reading of dispatch from Columbus. Ohio,
SAYING that the absent witness, Murphy,
had been in that city last week.
In reply to inquiries Mr.. Faulkner and
Mr.. Hartman both said they knew nothing
to the Whereabouts of Mr.. Murphy.
Il hope the Columbus newspapers will
locate him., remarked The chairman. They
can do ii certainly effec;ually as the
Philadelphia newspapers locate all the mu1-
dtrs in tn2t vicinity.
The presentation of the ECtOr letters was
hot accomplished without a tilt between the
Two eX-senators. EdmundS and Faulkner,
who are engaged counsel on the TWO
sides of the controversy. Mr.. Faulkner
stated that two of the letters had failed to
arrive in the package first received from
Butte. hut that he had wired Mr.. Root to
make a search for them. and if they could
be found TO forward them.
Mr.. Edmu1ds wanted to know who Root
was and said that so far as appeared here
the postmaster or the street inspector Of
Butte might as well be asked to supply let
Mr.. Faulkner replied that he had not
opened them. but that all the letters bear
ing upon the investigation were there.
Charles w. Clark substantiated Mr..
Faulkners statement. saying that all the
Ector letters received We're here presented.
Ector Letters Read.
The letters were then read. There were
five or siv Of them to Mr.. Bickford AMI
four to Mr. Clark, and all We're identified
hN- Mr Errn -bn ,,lar
the stand. There were only two letters
1898. They were dated at Stephensville
and related TO the contest In these he
stated that the opposition to Mr.. Woods,
the candidate for the house that he was
supporting were working like fury and
that the Clark men needed some encour-
aGement. ITO made a thorough canvass
of the 1000 voters Of the country requires
the stuff, he said. and he added that he
wanted least 500.
The next two letters. of date. respectively
November IL and 21. just after the legisla-
tive election. referred to the efforts to hold
Mr.. Wood and of the opposition to get him
In these he told of Mr. Woods debts and
said that Mr. Wood had agreed to be bound
by whatever he did in the premises
The later letters ran from December :,
1888, to October 81, 1890 and related almost
entirely to Mr.. Ector's efforts to collect
what he thought was due to him for his
efforts in Senator Clarks behalf In Dc
cernber he wrote Mr. Clark saving he did
not know to whom he must apply for his
dues.
"Of course" he said, II am after what
there is in it for me-"
On March 1 he wrote Mr.. Bickford asking
him about the 10 per cent Of his (Bick-
fCrd's) receipts from Clark, which he (Ec-
tori considered he was to have 1t was also
in March that he wrote his second letter to
Mr.. Clark. In this letter he reviewed at
length his efforts in Clark's behalf, express
nd Ifa1-a
determined opposition to Dalyism.
Alleged Offer. From DaIy.s Men.
If you strike while the iron is hot" he
wrote, you can stampede the Irish king"
He also said In this letter that two of
Days men had promised So 600 to him dur
ing the senatorial contest for information
as to Clark's movements, but that he had
refused to entertain the offer
in the following July ne wrote to Mr.
Bickford, saying that he had come to the
conclusion that it was useless to depend
uron receiving anything through Bickford
He had he said, another opportunity then
to make a stake. and he did not propose to
lei that opportunity gu by, as he had the
opportunity which had presented itself In
the winter before.
The last letter of the series was dated
October 81 last, and was addressed to Mr..
Clark In this letter he asked if he was
~ expect anything. In all the letters he
pleaded poverty and debt as the controlling
reason for the pressure he was irving to
bring to bear upon Mr.. Clark.
On the cross-examination Mr.. Ector said
that Mr.. Woods had been an original Clark
man, and that he would probably have re-
mSlned so un.ess corrupt means were used
on the other side. He had thought 1t pos
sible that Mr.. Wood might be controlled
by getting possession of the mortgage
Il told Mr.. Bickford that the best plan
was to pay off the mortgage and then we
would have strings on him and thus have
Lin solid"
He had told Woods that he could get
enough money out of Clark to pay his
debts, but he had declined to enter into
the deal.
He had never had any authority from
Mr.. Woods to dispose of his vote. In one
of his letters he had referred to some one
as ''an incubus
ITO whom did You refer?'' asked Mr.
Faulkner.
ITO Marcus DAILY came the reD,y
promptly. In another letter he had ex-
pressed the opinion that it was important
that Mr.. Clark should see Mr.. Woods first,
nut ne said that his purpose in this was
simply to bring Mr.. Clark to time"
In reply to a question as to whether he
had been promised anything for coming to
Washington TO testify in this case, Mr.
Ector said that Receiver Ranft OF the Mis-
soula land office had advanced him 500
taking order upon the committee
In one of your letters you speak of hav-
ing received an offer of 5000 from the
opposition to Mr.. Clark said Mr.. Birney
or redirect examination was that a fact -
No, sir, responded the witness, that
was bluff.
Mr.. Ector was then excused and the COM
mittee took a recess unit! o. clock.