The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-09-12
YOUNG MEMS BANNER IS
RAISED AMID ENTHUSIASM

Gehrs. Gehr went on to say that after
they had agreed on the many restric-
tions which had been imposed by the
Government there was then action at
Washington by McCrosson, to have the
Congress pass law giving to the Ha-
waii Ditch Company the rights asked,
without any restrictions. This he said
did not show clean hands and he asked
/ that the commission look into this, He
referred to the allegedly false state
ments of McCrosson before Congress
sional committees, and then continued:
Statements were made rejecting on
our attitude with Territorial officials.
Mr.. McCrosson made a statement to the
effect that we had improperly influence
ed the government officials. 1 challeng-
ed Mr.. McCrosson, who withdrew the
name of Governor Dole, but not the
others. Repeatedly similar impropri-
eties were charged.
Delegate Wilcox before the commit
tee on Pacific Islands and Porto Rico
charged Governor Dole with vacillation
and that if the name of Colonel Jones,
one of his political managers, was sub
stituted for that of the head of the
Hawaii Ditch Company all opposition
Bishop Estate
1T was charged that E. S. Boyd was
tied up with US. that Colonel Jones was
holding five government positions under
salary.
Il ask you gentlemen, now you have
the opportunity, to prove or disprove
these charges. make no apologies for
Governor Dole or the others, but II
these charges are not proven, 1 submit
that they have no right to come into
Congress and ask for these entire rights
and that your court should find that
the opposing parties have not come
before you with clean hands"
Mr.. Gehr answered some of McCros-
sons statements before the Congress
sional committee saying that he
thought it would be found that Col.
Parker was not rich enough to build
the ditch himself; that he was never
connected with the railroad matter;
that the Hawaii Ditch Company con-
trolled all the rights of way and that
there had never been attempts to in
fiuenee the government.
Gehr closed by asking that the COM
mission interrogate the Governor and
Land Commissioner Boyd, to show thai
there was no collusion.
GEHR OSS-EXAMINED.
When the commission resumed hear
ings after luncheon A. G. Gehr was on
the stand for cross-examination by Z.
B. McClanahan. The first point brought
out was as to the connection of Mr..
Gehr with the Hilo-Kohala railroad.
He denied that he had any connection
with the railroad except as he visited
certain cities last winter. He said he
; brought party of engineers from Chi
cago, cut $50 miles of trails and sur
. veyed the mountains. AS to Col. Jones
connection with the scheme, he said he
had associated the colonel with the plan
because of his influence. When he was
making the surveys he did not know of
anyone interested in the water scheme
other than himself, learning of Col.
= Parker's plan about the time of the fil-
ing of the first application for the Ii
cense.
Taking UP the agreement of coalition
, Mr. Gehr brought out the fact that the
, delay in signing the agreement was
:, because of the desire of the Jones par
ty to not be held by the Booth option.
Preliminary drafts of the agreement
between the parties were shown and
being admitted by Gehr to be of the
same verbiage were offered in evidence.
: Upon questions by Senator Mitchell
: McClauahan said he wanted to prove
, that there never was any agreement
only an abortive attempt to reach such
> an understanding. Gehr would not pos
itivaiy identify any of the contract
drafts as such, confining himself to
statements that they were similar
: Some drafts he said were drawn by
| Col. Jones assisted by persons inter
: ested. Gehr said that McClanahan, aft