The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-06-18

opened and read before Judge Gear
II yesterday. After quoting the
charges of Judge Humphreys, the
report reads as follows:
The 18th and 14th of May were Civ
en- to the consideration Of bills pre-
sented to the Grand Jury by the Attor
ney Generals Department. and on the
18th the accusations of bribery and
corruption of the members OF the Ter
ritorial Legislature were taken up and
examined. 1t has been under continu-
Gus consideration to the present time.
Every person who, it was thought.
would throw any light upon the sub
ject has been before the Grand Jury.
and carefully interrogated. Over one
hundred witnesses have been exaTnin-
ed, and the testimony of many OF
them has been very contradictory and
unsatisfactory. Every rumor was ae-
cepted and traced without result as TO
the charges of bribery and corruption.
Among the witnesses examined were
the Governor of the Territory. the AT
torney General, the Secretary. the Su-
perintendent of Public Works, the
Treasurer the Acting Governor. the
superintendent of Public Ipstracsion.
and the Commissioner Of Public Lands,
all of whom Were executive officers Of
the Territory on the S0th day of April.
and had attended the Governor as
councillors when requested.
The Governor testified that the in
formation he had received was 7fcm
second or third hands; that at the time
his reply was given to the Senate, in
which he stated that he had informa-
ton from a source which he could not
ignore that bribery or members was
going on in the Legislature, he had
no legal evidence of bribery or corrup-
ton of members of the Legislature.
The Attorney General said that he
declined to present the evidence IN his
possession; that he had no evidence in
his possession that wonld convict any
member of the Legislature of bribery
or corruption; that to divulge at that
| time any of the evidence ne had would
| close the chief sources Of information
and defeat the ends of justice. / am
not aware that anything has been
! done to bring charges of bribery ana
corruption home to members of the
| Legislature.
The Secretary said that he had no
| evidence of bribery: that he had in
| formation of contributions to cor
ruption fund; that the fund was
not raised to defeat a. bill, but that the
| fund was raised to get bill through
| the Legislature; that he believed suf-
| ficient evidence could be obtained to
warrant the Attorney General in pre-
senting a bill to the Grand Jury; that
he declined to give any information
to the Grand Jury as matter Of priv
ilege.
The Superintendent of Public Works
said that he had nothing but hearsay
on charges of bribery or corruption;
that he had confidential relations with
the heads of the other departments OF
the government on matters that he
was not at liberty to dfvulge, and re-
fused to do SO.
The Treasurer said that he had read
in the newspapers that there had been
bribery and corruption Of the mem
bers of the Legislature; that he at
tended the Governors Council, but
could not call to mind any discussion
about such bribery and corruption.
The High Sheriff also appeared be-
fore the Grand Jury and said that he
had heard the matter of bribery and
corruption discussed in a general way
only; that on the 18th or 18th day of
May he was instructed by the Attor
ney General to secure any evidence
he could as to these practices, but
prior to that ne had no instructions to
secure such evidence; that at the time
he was before the Grand Jury he had
no evidence of bribery or corruption Of
the members of the Legislature; the
Attorney General had not given him
any evidence, nor had he laid out any
LILIES 1OI lilHi tIIlSH ioucTlHt W act
upon; that he had made no inyestiga-
ton, but was revolving in his mind
how to get at the evidence.
AS 1t had been published in the news
papers that Mr.. Jacob Coerper, upon
approaching three members of the
House for their support OF his bill
for franchise for railway from Ko-
ma to Kau, was asked by the mem
bers What there was in the bill for
them," the Grand Jury had obtained
the names Of the three members, but
each and all Of them denied having
asked Mr.. Coerper such question.
J Mr.. Coerper having also stated that
: he had paid an officer Of the House.
not member, to secure his assistance
for the bill, Mr.. Coerper was asked
for the Eame and, for what seemed
good reasons, refused to divulge the
name of the officer. The reasons given
were That the testimony might be
inating-might and might not
, be-"
Effort was made through other
, sources to secure the name of the Off
, Ger, but without success. Every bill
introduced into the Legislature asking
for a franchise was investigated, where