The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-02
ATTORNEY
GENERAL
CALLED IN
Legislative Committee InvsSti.
eating Election Frauds Seek
His Assistance.

Boston, April 2-The assistance OF At
torney General Parker has been asked by
the legislative committee on election laws
In connection with the investigation into
the alleged fraudulent voting practiced in
ward eight In the last state election. The
legal question which has been raised as
the sensational testimony or the past rev
days has been given, and as fraudulent
alterations between lawyers or between
witnesses and examiners have developed,
have made Il necessary for the COM
mittee to have such help as the attorney
general can give.
The connection between today's pro-
ceedings and those of yesterday, which
were marked by the placing under arrest
OF Joseph II. Minkle, recalcitrant Wit
ness, the withdrawal from the case or
Nathan Barnett at whose instigation the
inv est igation was begun. and the intro
duction OF an affidavit that Barnett had
hired a witness to testify that Represen-
tative Kiley had paid him for repeating
on election Day was established at once
when Hon. Jesse Cove, prominent law
yer and Republican politician was called
as a witness. 1t was said yesterday that
Mr. Cove was counsel for Mr.. Kiley.
Mr.. Cove was requested by the com,
mittee today to state who he represented
brown the affidavit In which Maloy re-
| tracted his previous testimony, and con-
fessed that the charges were false.
Mr. Cove refused to reveal the name
| of his client. -,
Representative Luce started a wave OF
| excitement by offering motion That MI
Cove be brought before the par or th'
| house Of representatives for contempt
| Another member moved to lay the matter
! on the table and the committee went intt
executive session to consider the situa
| tion.
| At the executive session Attorne!
General Parker appeared and the com
nnittee laid before him the circumstance
| In connection with Mr.. Gove's refusal, II
| the open session TO reveal the name o
the person who requested him TO Obtain
the affidavit from Brown. The attorne'
general went over the evidence with tn
committee and gave 1t as his opinion tha
Mr. Cove might protect his client so IA
as refusing to tell what took place II
the conversation between them but tha
he had no right to withhold from TN
| committee the name OF his client.
Mr. Cove was then called into IN
| executive session and requested 10
| present before the committee on Monday
| which ne will do. In the meantime Tn
| attorney general has been requested |
look up the law I'm the matter and WI
give to the committee a further opinio
| In the matter,
The committee also asked the attorne
general whether tho affldavlts OF Malo
would be considered competent evidenc
In law. Mr. Parker replied that expart
were not 30 considered. tho adverse par
ty not having been present, either ]
person or by attorney, 20 question IN
person making the statement lie qua
ified this by saying that legislativ
committee is not bound by rules 10 law.
The hearing was then resumed and tw
pollce OFFICERS testified that they had al
rested n man named Brown in 1899 an
1900 each time for larceny and recogn
ned brown" az the man whose pictui
accompanied tho affidavit sent from ;
Albens.
Israel Pinoiski was then recalled Al
stated that he met the witness Mink
I'm n restaurant about three weeks ag
In the course OF n conversation. Nil
kle mentioned the ward investigate
and M-nkie said that he heard Barne
tell Maloy, alas Brown TO appear befol
, the committee and he would prote'
|. him. Pinoisk told Minkle that he ougl
. to appear at the hearing and clear Re-
resentative Kiey. lie met him asai
subsequently and finally induced Mink
: TO meet Kiley.