Evening journal., 1901-02-01
Several Witnesses Have Been Ex-
amined in ROSS-McNuIty
Contest
GOODWIN GIVES TESTIMONY
Seemed an Unwilling Witness and
Replied Reluctantly to Questions
Asked by Mr.. WhiIeman

II was nearly midnight last night when
the first session of the hearing Of the
Ross McNulty senatorial contest before
the Legislative Committee adjourned tol
meet again this evening.
The session was held in the law Offices
Of J. Harvey Whiteman in the Ford
building. Howard ~. Ross, the contest
amt was represented by Walter II.
Hayes, William $. Hilles and David j.
Reinhardt. Francis J McNulty was rep
resented boy J. Harvey Whiteman. Be
side him sat Francis A. McCloskey, clerk
IN the Department Of Elections who aided
Mr.. Whiteman materially in his examin-
alton Of witnesses.
The entire committee, composed OF
Senators S. NJ. Knox, Robert Mctarlm
$. $. Pennewil, George NJ. ID. Hart and
stephen Slaughter. was present. E. 9.
Hardesty was stenographer. Messrs.
Ross and McNulty, Senators Groves and
Harrington. Representative Layton and
Sergeant-at-Arms Leach OF the Senate,
also were present. No one else was nd-
mittcd except the representatives Of the
press.
MUCH INTEREST EVINCED.
Much interest was manifested in the
hearing and the corridors OF the Ford
building upon which Mr.. Whiteman's Of
fce opened was crowded by people, both
colored and white, who eagerly drank in
every word OF the testimony that could be
beard through cracks in the doors or over
the transoms. At times the hearing be-
came exciting and there were several
| lively tits between the attorneys as the
evidence was brought out.
The most Interesting, although appar-
emily unwilling witness was Street SUI
perysor John ii. Goodwin, Jr. For over
an hour Mr. Goodwin was put through the
sweating" process by Mr.. Whiteman
who finally dragged out of him all ne
/ knew about the trouble that occurred on
| November in the Third election district
/ of the Second senatorial district in the
Second ward The witness was very re-
| luctant TO disclose facts and frequently
appealed TO counsel for Mr.. Ross and to
/ Chairman Knox with the query, DO /
have TO answer that question: / don
think it's fair"
Goodwin was informed by both counsel
and committee that the questions asked
hy Mr. Whtcman were fair and that he
must answer them. but was not bound 20
incriminate himself. lie testified to hav-
ing had talks with Mr.. Ross at various
places since the election; of having had
il suggested to him by Mr.. Ross that ne
leave town temporarily as he would bo
mo good" to either side in the contest.
! Upon telling Mr.. Ross that he was a
poor man" and unable TO bear the OK
pense he said that Mr.. Ross told him hC
would take care of him.
He also said that number Of bogus af-
fdavits bearing on the case had been
made out in his house since the election
in Mr.. Ross presence. He admitted say
ing ON the day of the trouble that they
mcnning the crowd about the pollsl had
better clean the place out. He said h'
had taken one OF the books from the poll.
ing place and carried 1t into a grocery
store nearby. The book was returned
After the hearing Mr.. Ross said tha
as soon as he heard Of the hogils nili
davits he had them thrown out and tha
none of them was among the a'iidavit
presented last night. His counsel knew
nothing Of the afhdavits until il had beer
discovered after they had been made an'
every afidavit about which there was thi
least doubt was thrown out Mr.. Ros
said he would rather not have the sea
in the Senate than to get it on any falls
, testimony
AFFIDAVITS FROM DOVER.
The meeting was called TO order D..
Chairman Knox at 7.3O o'clock. William
S. Hilles. Of counsel for Mr.. Ross, oiferc,
in evidence 1853 anidavits from variou
voters in the Third district Of the Secon'
ward in which they claimed they wcr
unable 10 vote because the election OIL
GERS delayed the election and that hal
they been able 10 vote they would hnv
voted for Howard 40. Ross for senator
Mr. Hillcs asked that the other side b.
requested 20 file It's afiidayits
Mr.. Whiieman objected 20 this pro
ccdure. "rhe iuca." he said. "of counting
ballots three months after the election /
; n rather peculiar one. As to the right O
the committee TO proceed with this cas-
p and the law on the subject, / desire 1
, address the committee. The voters VIII
failed 20 vote on the sixth day Of No
( yember had the remedy in their owl
: hands and by tneir failure TO avail them
selves Of it are estopped from any com