The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-05-27
THURSTORS UNKNOWN
COMES FORWARD.
Direct Sworn Proof That Brides Were
Solicited by Legislators-Some Testi-
mony Offered to the Grand Jury.

l., "A. Thurston's unknown client, who
was asked by legislators Tor brlpeS, ana
whose name Inurston refused 10 reveal
TO the grand jury, mas come forward.
he is JACOB COerper OF hawai-. COef-
per mas made an a1idavit tnat at once
reveals the tacts OF the perjury charge
against waiter q. Smith, and locates
the bribery charges INTO when Une
granu jury is making an investigation.
Coerper tells pIalnly how he was ap-
prOacned by members OF the legislature
VINO wanted brlDes to assist him in Get
ting a IrancnlSe Ior hOna-hau rail-
way. 1t is sald that Editor Smith was
aware that Coerper had been 50 ap-
preached and that as Coerper has not
incorporated, smith was telling the
truth when he stated he did not know
the name of any corporation that mad
been asked for bribes.
Following are Coerper's affidavit and
a letter from L. A. Thurston, explain
ing his position in the matter of the
refusal to answer questions before the
grand jury:
honolulu,s Oahu, Territory of Ha-
wall, SIS.
JACOB Coerper, being first duly sworn,
on oath deposes and says:
Having ascerLained that the matters
hereunder stated nave become subjects
of inquiry by the Grand Jury ana that
my attorney Mr.. Thurston has had his
personal liberty put into jeopardy by
preserving the confidence 1 reposed IN
MN as my attorney, l feel that it is
my duty to now make the following
disclosures:
During the late session of the legis
lature 1 secured the introduction into
the Senate of a bill granting to Jacob
Coerper and his associates and assigns
franchise to build a railroad through
kona and Kau on the Island of Hawaii.
The bill passed the Senate and in
due course was sent to the House of
Representatives.
Shortly after the bill was sent to the
House of Representatives l called upon
six or seven members of the House to
explain the objects of the bill. My in
| terView with each member was separ-
ate from the others. One of the repre-
sentatives that L saw said to me,
What is there in it?' 1 said "Well,
what do you expect?' He replied 1T
| ought to be worth to you $1,000. L
understood by this that he meant that
| 1 should pay him $1,5O0. l replied mo,
L will not pay anything" He there
upon walked off and nothing more was
said.
A second member of the House to
whom L spoke, used almost the same
what there was in it for him, and l
replied There is nothing in it for you"
and walked off disgusted.
A third member of the House to
whom l spoke said to me, IF you want
me to vote for this bill it ought to be
worth at least a thousand dollars to
you" l said, II haven't got the mo-
ney." He then said, UNLESS you pay
me the thousand dollars your bill will
not go through" l said, well then,
1 can't help it " and left him.
| This action of the representatives
discouraged me so that felt that it
was probably an impossibility to get
my bill through the house. 1 according
| ly consulted Mr.. l.. A. Thurston, who
has been my attorney for many years,
stating to him what had happened and
the demands that were made upon me
| by the members of the House ofsRepre-
sentatives l stated to him practically
| what l have above stated and also
some additional matters in connection
with the same question. 1 asked his
advices as TO whether it would be pos
sible for me to proceed in any other
way than by a franchise from the legis-
| lature. He said that he thought 1t
would be lePal If l could secure pri-
vately rights of way for my railroad
without franchise from the legisla-
ture, as the principal object of the
franchise was to give the power to
condemn rights of way which could
not be obtained by private agreement.
had several interviews with Mr..
Thurston upon this subject and finally
decided to adopt this method and at
my request Mr.. Thurston drew up for
me foms of ageement for securing
| rights OF way for railroad through
Kona and Kau.
When L first told Mr.. Thurston of the
actions of the representatives above re-
ferred to he asked my permission to
make the matter public. l said l should
be very glad to make it public, but as
certain members of the legislature have
influence in Kona and have influential
friends here, they have it in their pow
er to prevent me getting a right of
way, and as l have already spent a
| large amount of money in having sur
| Veys OF the line of railroad made and
am not rich man, they are in a posi-
| tion to ruin me as they will not let
me have franchise from the legisla-
ture without paying for it and can
prevent my getting private rights of
way If l offend them; that if L found
that l could not get my rights of way,
or If l secured them so that they could
not injure me, / would be very glad to
make the matter public, for l felt that
| 1t was an outrage.
l accordingly made my preparations
to go to Kona to secure the said rights
of way and left here on the Mauna
Loa, May 14th, last.
on the morning that I went away Mr.
ThurstOn again asked me if | didn't
think 1t possible to make public the
demands which had been made upon
me by the members of the Legislature,
as he thought that it was fair to the
lpublic and Governor Dole that any evil
dence bearing on this point should be
given. l think he stated that he want
ed 1t to go to the Grand Jury.
| again stated to him that my finan-
cial interests were so great i'm the mat
er that l did not feel that at the pres
ent time l could afford to offend the
persons who had made the propositions
to me and who had influence in Kona,