The Elk Mountain pilot., 1901-03-12

was in the chair, L made statements to
which l understand exception is taken.
/ deny the right of the House or any
body else to call me in question for
what l said on the moor OF the House;
but. waiving that, L made the state
ment that Miraculous change mad
come over the minds of members. l
had been advised tliat undue infiu-
ences. uotent in their character, had
been used: that these influences We're
attributable to am eN-speaker of the
House and part of Ills lieutenants.
Il did not say that any member of
the House had received money. l
stated that the minds,of some members
had been changed. and that l. believed
those influences, whatever they may
have been, had been brought about by
the lobby, anu l. regretted that on II
matter of such vital Importance to the
state these Influences had worhed in
this way.
1.-The basis of what Il said Vas that
/ had been informed that money hau
been used An-, by other members, that
they had been offered money. 1t was
not stated to me that il concerned this
bill. but this being the only one under
consideration. thought it applied to
that. l was informed that money had
changed hands in the south cloak
room, and 1t was on lis Information
that made the remarks L did
My remarks We're not correctly
stated by the press. did not state
that any member hud received any
money, and statements tnat 1t grew
out of an animosit- between eN-Speak-
er Smith and myself are not true.
have seen Mr.. Smith on the floor of the
House during sessions and recesses
to a
that he was managing the loy.y eff
forts to secure reconsideration of see
tion Al. According to my observation.
nothing would have been sa.. .sout
my remarks except for the feenng
aroused over the speakership contest
and the desire of certain persons to
take advantage of every occasion to
oppose the speaker. | Deheve if it had
not been for the eNtravagant state
menrs of the press no notice would
have been. ta]Seu of It."
Asked IL he would give the names
of his informauts, he replied: such
as We're given me in confidence, no; as
TO others, yes. Mr.. Neeley informed
me that he had been offered money nj
his room in the Broadway hotel, but
did not say it was in reference to this
bill, although at the time l thought so
AS to the matters in the cloak room,
prefer to have the persons who saw II
testify if they will, rather than u
state it secondhand"
Mr.. O'Connell demanded that -Ir
Montgomery give the names.
'Such things as l have received III
confidence | shall not give without con
sent" he replied
Mr.. Schweigert: "How many per.
sons have spoken to you about itf'
"A half dozen, perhaps" replied the
speaker.
Asked if he would suggest witnesses
for the next meeting, lie said Yes"
The committee extended an invita-
ton to any person to testify. Ex
Speaker Smith was sworn, and said
Il took no interest in the speakershiI
contest in favor of Mr.. Briscoe. Ii
1892 l tried to build an electric lin,
from Denver to Lookout resort ant
went broke Since then l have re
ceived pledges of enough money tC
build it. Some parts of this bill antag
onized my scheme, and L was agains
it. l talked to members about it.
have never used any undue influenc,
and l have not headed any lobby ol
used any money!
| Mr.. Mcclure testified that the speak
er had not mentioned names or none,
i'm his remarks.