The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-04-16
The FINAL
CHAPTER
THE BRIBERY INVESTIGATION
VERY FEW NEW FACTS ARE
BROUGHT OUT
ALL COMPLETELY EyONERATEO
After Full Investigation Many
Witnesses are Examined

The hydrant deal canls up for
thorough investigation at the coun-
Gil meeting Saturday afternoon,
with all the aldermen present. 1t
is the purpose of the EXPRESS to
give the testimony complete as
soon as it is transcribed, but it will
probably be week or more before
it is prepared and a summary Of the
proceedings is therefore given to-
day.
On taking up the case, the Mayor
asked if any charges had been filed
ald the clerk replied mo- The
city attorney stated as far as his
Office was concerned, there was
nothing before the council. Burton
and Coffman both spoke advocating
investigation. Scott Jones was
presented as a citizen and made a
pointed statement, saying among
other things: | don't believe and
/ don't think any other man in
this room, believes Early is guilty.
The way to proceed is go after the
hydrant agent.
After some discussion. it was
voted that the council go into COM
mittee OF the whole and proceed at
once with investigation Of the
whole matter. The chief Of police
was sent to summon witnesses who
were sworn and placed under rule,
and the taking of testimony began,
the city attorney conducting the
examination on the part Of the city
Iand Mr.. Hayes for Mr.. Early. Or.
Riddle, Emmett Goodwin, Mart
Louthan, Scott Jones were examin-
led and each testified that he had no
original information, but tracked it
back to others, and it was develop
ed that all the information was at
tributed originally to Mr.. Colby
and Mr.. Peyton.
Mr.. Colby told the story as he
had previously to the council. He
did not charge that Early had Of
fered bribe but stated that the
latter had merely told him of his
conversation with Ellis, the Corey
hydrant agent. He understood
that Ellis had offered money but
he didn't understand thae Early
looked with favor onthe proposition
or that the latter had presented it to
him as proposition. Mr.. Colby
went into the entire hydrant deal,
a giving plain, detailed account.
He was very emphatic in denying
that he had attributed any wrong
doing to Early, but confined
his criticism to the action
Of the council in adopting the
Corey hydrant. His objection to
the hydrant was that it was hard to
open on account of the absence of
bronze bushing and if this objec-
tion was removed as was promised,
he would just as soon have it as
any other.
Mr.. Peyton repeated his former
statement to the council, going
more into detail. From the CON
versation he had with Early he had
understood him to say that the
Corey mar said there was $50
apiece in it fors Early, Peyton and
Colby if this hydrant was adopted
he didn't undertake to quote the
exact language used. AS to wheth-
er Early did or did not look with
favor on the proposition, he could
say nothing one way or the other.
Mr. Colby also told the story Of
the adoption of the hydrant-he
had met with the committee when
the hydrants we're examined and
and had favored the BurDon hy-
drant. He had never seen this hy-
drant in use, but from his general
kowledge Of such machinery, ne
liked it best.
Mr.. Ellis, the Corey agent. was
examined. He had known Mr.. Ear
" a number Of years and when b E