The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-04
Alleged Effort 4, Blacken the Charac-
ter of Representative Campbell,
Who Is Prosecuting the Case.
STATEMENT BY THE LAWYER
FLAT DENIAL OF CHARGES MADE BY
TWO of THE WITNESSES.
Protest from Senator Hoar Against
Admitting Evidence (Which Could
BE of No Value to Anyone"
Special to the indianapolis Journal.


WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-The investiga-
ton into the bribery charges against Sena-
tor Clark, Of Montana, by the Senate COM
nittee on privileges and elections. has I'M
covered a mass of rottenness and corrup-
ton such as Washington has never seen.
All the witnesses thus far put on the stand
by the defense have testified that they
had been parties to a conspiracy organized
by representatives OF Marcus A. DAILY to
prevent the election OF Senator Clark and
TO blacken his character by swearing to
manufactured stories discriminating him in
the wholesale bribery of members of the
Montana Legislature. Several of these wit
nesses had previously made affidavits back
ing up the conspiracy stories according to
rehearsals superintendent by Days agents
BY their own confessions they have been
indulging in inGiscriminate perjury and all
sorts of rascality. Almost without excep-
ton they have named Representative
Campbell. one of the leading DAILY attor-
neys, as the prime mover and organizer of
the conspiracy They appear to be quite as
anxious to establish this fact as they are
TO make IL plain that they lied In charging
Senator Clark with corruption. Their tes-
timony in respect to Campbell is believed
to foreshadow that gentleman's criminal
prosecution under the state laws OF Mon
tana 1t is evident that Senator Clark and
his friends will be merciless in their at
tacks upon the integrity of the prosecuting
witnesses and will leave no stone unturned
to find testimony to break down their char
acters.
The committee gave almost the entire
day to hearing the testimony of Ben Hill
and l. l.. Wright in its investigation of
the charges against Senator Clark. They
were called by the defense, although they
had come to Washington at the instance
OF the memorialists. Both testified that
they had been engaged to make affidavits
against Mr. Clark; that they were paid for
them and that the affidavits were false
Both had been in Helena during the sit
ting Of the Legislature as Mr.. Clark S
friends, and both said their expenses had
been paid there. Hill claimed that Camp
bell and whiteside had assisted him in
debating his affidavit and they knew state
ments contained in 1t to be false. These two
witnesses agreed in statement that sew
eral witnesses. including themselves. had
agreed. after giving their affidavits. not to
w
until they should get more money. $1,000
apiece, but Hill said that Campbell had told
him that he would not dare pay him be-
fore he should go on the stand. because of
the use Clark would make of the fact If
he should become acquainted with it. Mr..
Campbell made a statement contradicting
the assertion made by Hill. and also the
statements made by Lyons yesterday.
wRIGHTS TESTIMONY.
L. L. Wright, a matchmaker of Missoula,
Mont, was the first witness In the Clark
case to-day. He had been summoned by
the prosecution, but they declined to put
him on the stand and he was called by the
defense. 1t became apparent at the begin
ming that he had been called to impeach
the testimony of Rector concerning the al
legged efforts to bride Representative JAG
queth- Rector had testified that Wright
was present when the money was paid, but
Wright denied this. The witness also
an affidavit and to testify IN the Well
come disbarment trial at the instance of
Ben Hill and Mr. Little, secretary of Rep
resentative Campbell. He said he was TO
receive $50 fer the affidavit and $1,000 for
his verbal testimony to be taken later. He
did sign and swear to affidavit, receiv-
ing 500 for this service. The affidavit was
read by Senator Faulkner and IL was full
OF accusations against members of the Leg
isiature one of which was to the effect that
A J. Steele, friend of Senator Clark, had
given him an envelope containing $4,000
to be given to Senator Myers for his vote
for Mr.. Clark. but that Steele had later
come TO him requiring the return of the
money. saying that Myers preferred that
whiteside should hold it,
Now Mr. Wright. is that affidavit true
or false?' asked Senator Faulkner.
1T is false and they knew 1T was false
at the time II was made, replied the wit
ness .T did IL for what there was in it,
IT was got mp to purify politics.
ut is the statement you swore to-" sug-
gested Se9ator Turley. and the witness
assented. He had not intended to make the
same statement he had made in his afi-
davit IL he had gone on the stand, but he
had refused 10 testify because the $1,oy0
could not be had. He had received sl.5cO
from Days friends at Helena and at
washington he had received 500 and $500
since his arrival. The witness said that
since Ben Hill and himself had been in
Washington they had received an offer of
s. 500 behalf OF the prosecution TO get
out OF the city.
HILLS EVIDENCE.
Ben Hill. also OF Missoula. was called
next. He had been excluded from the
committee room while Wright was testi-
flying. He had been connected with Rep
resentative Campbell and Mark Hewitt
he said. In working up the case against
Mr.. Clark for the past eight months. He
had just been down to Bridger he said.
for Mr.. Clerk. for which he had received
$50 from that gentleman. where he met
Mr.. Whiteside on the street In Butte and
had told him lot OF lies. After that he
had gone TO CampbeiIs Office and signed
"about l. 100 pages OF stuff in which there
was not . word Of TRUTH This affidavit
had been dictated and written by him. The