Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-06
SENATOR cLARK'S CASE
Hearing Of Testimony Begun BY the Senate
Election Committee.
First Witness for the Prosecution
Was the Speaker of the Nom
tana Legislature.

The taking Of testimony In the case of
Senator Clark Of Montana before the Sem
ate elections committee today attracted
great interest and developed some sensa-
tional testimony.
The committee room was filled to its
greatest capacity. those attracted by curl
osity filling all the space not occupied by
the committee. counsel and witnesses.
The First Witness.
The first witness Of the prosecution,
whose examination occupied most of the
day. was H. c. Stiff. speaker of the Mon
tana legislature. In his direct examination
he testified to having''been offered $500 to
make an examination of title to certain
property to be bought from a member Of
the Legislature. Mr.. Mclaughlin, at a price
several times greater than its value. the
object of this testimony being. to show that
this purchase was a method adopted by Mr..
Clark to bride Mclaughlin n
The witness also testified that Mr. Pick
ford, whom he described as Mr.. Clark g
agent, offered him $4,000 to withdraw
from the contest for speaker of the Mon
tana house and to support Clark for the
Senate. He said also that A. B. Cook Of
fered him $4,000 If he would withdraw
from the speakership contest and support
Clark. and that after his election as speaker
Mr. Cook renewed the offer of $4,000 II
he would support Clark for the Se,Ate. He
casions, but in a manner calculated not to
entirely discourage Mr.. Cook. witness de-
sire being to learn what he could as to the
methods adopted to elect Clark to the Sem
ate. 900 -i>-- Sc . n. -.
Cross-Exa min alton. .-.-.,
The witness was very sharply cross-ex-
amined by ex-senator Faulkner. On cross
examination witness repeated a statement
made on direct examination, that on the
of Ss4,,
Coole he had replied that if Mr. Clark de-
sired his vote he could afford to pay
so. 900 .,
He said that this reply was made to leave
the impression on Cooks mind that pro-
gress was being made by him In the at
tempt at bribery. but that he was careful
to SO word his reply as not to commit him
self to the acceptance of any sum- He said
that he expressly stated in his reply that
it must not be construed to; mean that he
could be induced to accept any sum.
Witness reiterated that he did not resent
the offers, but merely declined them, be-
cause he wanted to learn as much as he
could of what was being done in the effort
to elect Clark. In explanation of his not
having included the alleged Cook offer in
an affidavit made by him on the subject of
affidavit was voluntary and that deeminS
what he has stated as sufficient. he did not
want to voluntarily bring in the name of
Cook. who had been a friend of his,
Had Not Been Hurt by Offer.
Witness said that he did not feel that he
had been hurt by Mr.. Cooks offer, and
that he congratulated. himself on being able
to resist the temptation. and the fact that
it had confirmed his own confidence in his
ability to resist temptation.
He had said in his direct examination that
Cock had said that he would talk with
Clark about raising the offer to $5o,0st.
With reference to this witness said that
he had never seen Cook again on the sub
ject-
The direction Of the cross-examination
appeared to be to try to- show that there
was not so much in the high moral assump-
ton of the witness, and the cross-examina-
ton was marked by the penetration of
questions and the promptness and clearness
of reply .-l
Senator Whiteside Testifes.
Fred. %hiseside, Montana state senator
from Flathead county, testified that he had
been approached prior TO and after the
meeting OF the legislature in the interest
of Mr.. Clark's candidacy by John S. Neill,
John B. Welcome. and -CharlT W. Clark,
son of the senator ~
He had seen Mr.. Welcome by appoint
ment at his room at d hotel III Helena and
rad also met there others of Mr.. Clark's
friends. He had also met there Senator
Clark, who told him that Welcome had
spoken favorably of him CWhitsSidejt
Inc hrst lntlmation he had had that his
support of Mr. Clark would be to his finan-
c1al advantage came from Mr. Neiil.
Afterward Mr.. Welcome had told him
that his vote for and support of Mr. Clark
would be worth $4,000 He had cooper
ated with the supporters of Mr.. Clark for
the purpose of exposing the corrupt meth
DDS which he was satisfied were being used
to secure Clark's election.
He exhibited a list of the members of
the legislature whom Mr.. Welcome and
Senator Clark's son had requested him to
see.