The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-02-16
STILL EXPOSING
MONTANA SHAME
The Price Of Supreme Justices
Now Being Inquired Into.
THEY COME AT 100000
Clark Charged With Offering That
sum in the Welcome Disbar-
ment Proceedings.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 15.-When the
senate committee investigating the
election OF Clark 10 the senate met to-
day. Il developed that at last two
justices Of the Montana supreme court
were present. The first witness this
morning was Judge Coyne, county
judge OF Livingston county. New York.
He testified concerning a conversation
he had in New York city last October
with Mark Hewitt. witness for the
prosecution in this case.
Hewitt said. according to the witness,
that Welcome did not stand a ghost
Of show" In the dIsbarment proceed
lngs. whether guilty or not, as DAILY
owned the court and the case was be-
ing conducted with view to getting
testimony in the Clark case that was
to come before the United States SEN
ate. The Da y people. Hewitt was rep
resented TO have said. ARE determined
to defeat Clark and would not stop at
anything TO accomplish the result.
Coyne was excused temporarily in order
to permit the justices OF the Montana
supreme court to testify. in order not
to detain them.
Justice Hunts testimony created a
profound impression. He detailed four
different conversations with his family
physician. DR.. Tracy. Of Helena. In
two OF these he believed the doctor
attempted 10 lay before him a propo-
sition to bribe him in the Welcome
case. In one Of these cases Hunt re-
lated the doctor had said:
There is party here who has $780,
900 who wants to put It up II hat case
can be thrown out of court.
The witness said he replied to this
that all the money in the United States
could not induce him to sacrifice his
conscience to the extent OF granting
additional time in the Welcome or any
other case. Continuing. the witness
said that after this, Tracey made an
appeal to him to get OFF the bench on
account of his health. he. (witness),
having been threatened with lung trou-
BILE. Tracey said IL he continued he
was sure to break down. as the posi-
ton was very laborious. II he would
accept the proposition. he could take
rest. go abroad, visit the Paris ex-
position, have nothing to worry about
and thus indefinitely prolong his life.
Hunt said he appreciated what the
doctor said about going off the bench.
but he could not see his way clear to
accept the proposition. The doctor then
went away. the witness testified, say
ing he would not have Justice Hunt do
any thing he did not think was right
At the close of the direct examina-
tion, conducted almost entirely by
Chandler, Faulkner, on behalf of Clark,
made a formal motion to strike out
Hunts testimony because he failed to
connect Clark's name with the pro-
ceedings and was entirely collateral
The motion was over-ruled and the
eross-examination proceeded.
Hunt said that before Tracey made
the proposition to him he mad consid-
cred him man of pre-eminently good
character. He did not believe the doc
tor realized the enormity of the propo-
sitlon. Asked why he did not bring the
matter to the attention of the public
prosecutor, the witness replied he was
so Inundated that he preferred not to
disclose 1t.
You preferred TO allow an attempt
TO psrpetrate such crime go unpun-
ished?"
1T would have been embarrassing
to me as a judge"
1T was contempt
Il did not take notice OF it," ans
wered Hunt.
After further examination Hunt was
excused and the committee adjourned
until $3.50,
The committee held night session
at which Justice Piggott, of the Mon
tana supreme court, testified concern
ing the remarks made to him on the
two days when DR.. Tracey had inter-
views with Justice Hunt.
Justice Piggott's statement was that
Mr. Clark's leading counsel had come
to him and while apparently under
great excitement said he had just been
advised by Mr.. Neill Of Helena that
the supreme court could be unduly in
fluenced in the Welcome disbarment
proceedings; he wanted to know If it
were true and spoke of denouncing ony
such attempt.
The witness had informed the counsel
that he would never hear Of such at
tempt from him (Piggott) for he would
kill any one coming to him with
bribe offer.
Justice Piggott said he concluded
that Corbett and Dr. Tracey had con-
spired to make an assault upon the SUI
preme court with their s10O.0O
Attorney General Nolan, Of Montana,
who conducted the prosecution in the