Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-18
KELLY TELLS OF
THE $50 BILL
CONTRADICTS TESTIMONY OF
SENATOR BELSHAW
Surprise Is Sprung in the Bribery In
vestigation in state Senate by
stand Taken by San Franz
cisco Boss
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Feb. 17.-UneXpect-
ed and sensational were the develop
ments in the bribery scandal this
afternoon. Although it was supposed
that the testimony was all in and that
the committee was ready to present its
report, an executive session was held
this afternoon at which some of the
most startling testimony yet presented
developed. Martin Kelly, a one-time
political boss, took the stand and was
expected to tell of receiving one of the
marked $50 bills from Senator French
on the night, of the day on which the
Corbin affidavit was read in the senate.
Kelly, however, contradicted Senator
Belshaw of the investigating commit
tee and told a different story of the
bill episode.
Notwithstanding all the meetings of
the committee to this time have been
held in the senate chamber and the
public has been permitted to hear all
the testimony, the committee met be-
hind closed doors in the capitol with
out any previous announcement, and
Martin Kelly and Gavin McNab ap-
peared before them. In explanation of
this action it is said that Kelly refused
to give his testimony unless it should
be in executive session.
Senator Belshaw Testifies
Senator Belshaw, who is chairman
of the investigating committee, testified
this afternoon. He said that Gavin
McNab had told him that Martin
Kelly had received one of the marked
bills from Senator French and that he
could probably be induced to tell what
he knew. With this information Bel
shaw went to Kelly and questioned
him. Kelly then told him that on
Monday night of the expose French
came running to him while he stood
in the Capitol hotel and said Were
going to be searched, Kelly. For Gods
sake take this bill and send it down to
San Francisco for me, so it will be
safe"
Gavin McNab testified that Kelly had
told him substantially the same thing
and that the former political boss had
prefaced his story with a long explana-
tion of ancient political fights in San
Francisco to justify his "squealing" on
French. Kelly's story was that French
had once been .unfaithful to him in
political deal, and now he had chance
to get even with him. and was going
to do it.
Kelly Is Disappointing
Kelly himself was a most disappont-
ing witness. For two hours he was on
the stand and went back on his orig
inal story in many particulars. He de-
MED that French had told him that he
feared he was going to be searched.
He said that the money was, given him
in payment for debt and that he so
understood it at the time. Kelly's
story, as told on the stand, was:
II have known French for many
years. On the night of Monday, Feb
ruary 6, French came to me at the
Capital hotel and gave me $50 bill,
which l understood was in payment of
a debt. l took the bill and placed it in
special delivery envelope and ad
dressed it to myself and mailed 1t to
my San Francisco address. A few
days later I went down to San Fran
cisco and in looking over my mail at
the table / came across the letter con-
tanning the bill. | did not look at the
number of the bill, but gave it to my
daughter and told her to take it up
stairs and look at the number ami
compare it with the number of the
marked bills which were, printed in the
Bulletin of February 6. She went up
stairs and after a time came down
with a number written on sheet of
paper, which corresponded to the num-
Der of the first bill in the Bulletins
list. A few days later | looked at the
not the same as the number of the first
bill in the Bulletins list, and that it
did not correspond with any of the
printed numbers. / then asked my
daughter about the matter, and she said
that she did not understand that she
was to look at the bill but that she
had looked at the Bulletin instead, and
wrote down the first number on the
list
Kelly Cross Examined
After Mr.. Belshaw had recovered
from his surprise, Kelly was cross
examined. He admitted that he had a
Bulletin in his hand when French met
him Monday night, but he said he did
not look at the numbers in the paper
to compare them with the number on
the $50 bill that French had passed on
him. He also admitted that he had
the Bulletin at his home in the city
when he opened the letter containing
the bill which he had mailed to him
self. He said he did not compare the