The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-02-12
Sensational Affidavit Read in
the House.
CHARGES ARE DENIED
The Proposition Was to Defeat the Milk
and Meat Inspection
Bill.

I1Clcud nSCOlu.
State of Montana, county of Lewis and
Clarke, S.
Harry c. Burgess being first duly
sworn, says he is 40 years of age
ana resident of Lewis and Clarke
county, state of Montana, and resides
about two miles east of the city OF
Helena, and is engaged in the dairy
business, selling milk and cream in
the said city of Helena.
And aftiant says that on the 9Th
day of February, A. D., 1901, at about
II o'clock a. M, of said cay, one Os-
car l.. Scheewe, one of the proprie-
tors of the Union Market at the corn
er of Sixth avenue and Jackson street,
in the said city of Helena, met aft
ant in front of the said market at the
corner of said Sixth avenue and Jack
son street and said to the aftiant in
substance that you da1rymen want
to get together and get up purse to
give the committee that is consider
ing the meat and milk bill Oh. B.
No. g.. They want money and the
butchers are raising a purse. Frank
Mares is going to give $50. We give
$40. All the other butchers in town
are going to chip In and the Butte
butchers also are going to contribute"
And further affiant sayeth not.
HARRY c. BURGESS.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 18th day of February, A D., 1901.
JAMES U. SANDERS.
Notary Public in ana for the county
of Lewis and Clarke, State of Mon
tana.
The foregoing is the text of
an affidavit that was read 10
the members of the house of
representatives Friday afternoon by
Representative Wyllis Hedges, Of
Fergus county, during the considera-
ton of the meat and milk inspection
bill in the committee OF the whole OF
the house.
The meat and milk inspection bill,
of which Representative Hedges is
the author, was under consideration
in the committee of the whole and
the reading had progressed to the
end of the numerous amendments
was made to recommit the bill. The
friends of the measure had anticipat-
ed such an attempt and believing it
was designed to kill the bill We're pre-
pared.
Mr.. Hedges rose and advanced down
the center aisle to a commanding po-
sition, after having secured recogni-
ton. He first made a brief argu-
ment in favor of the measure, which
he characterized as progressive step
in legislation, and said that the law
is in force in all of the eastern states
Then came the charge
Mr. Hedges charged that illegiti
mate means were being used by the
butchers and dairymen to defeat tn,
bill and expressed the conviction thai
they wanted to get it recommittei
that they might attempt to tampel
with the committee, having exhauste,
every legitimate argument.
An intimation of what was comm;
was only given when Mr.. Hedges he'll
to view document which he sal
would go to show that unlawfu
methods were about to be attempte
to encompass the defeat of his mea.
ure.
He then read the affidavit. Their
had been SO much confusion all durin
the consideration of the bill that
had been almost impossible to hes
member who spoke, but as the rea
ing progressed hush came over tt
assembly. Apparently the readir
took the breath completely away fro
the members and it was a second
two after Mr.. Hedges had finished b
fore the silence was again broken.
Then a scene of noisy confusion e
cognition to demand an Investigate,
of the charges contained in the afid
Wit. The result was the authoriz
ton of committee to be appoint
by the speaker to sift the charges al
bring indictments against any p,
sons found guilty or believed to
guilty of the illegal acts charged.
For several days it had been CO
mon report that money was being ra
ed to defeat the meat and milk
spection bill. but nothing tangil
was unearthed by the friends of t
measure who had Aeard the stori
OF bribery contemplated until with
the last few days. The rumor t
friends of the bill were trying to ,
earth was that the Butte butch<