Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-11


court house was Il place of unusual ac-
tiVitV today when members of the leg
islatrrr appeared in answer t" sum
mons".' by District Attorney John T..
Moran, calling upon them To testify be
fore tie grand jury on the subject of
bribery charges Tho unprecedented
spectacle Of the entire membership Of
the general court hcin;; directed Ia an
pear before The grand jury in this state
attracted 4 large number Of people t.
til" corridors Of tn" court building.
These included, besides the legislators,
l,olttns of Boston. friends Of the mem
bcrS and many others attracted to The
place by curiosity.
SeTcnty-fiVe members of the House,
the names being selected alphabctically
had been summoned to appear today.
As the legislators were making their
way to the court house process servers
armed with sumElnnScs for the remain
ing members Of the Legislature had
started for the House and other places
to deliver papers to the remaining
members Of the House ana Senate.
Speaker John \. Cclr Of the House
WAS one of the early callers ut the
county court house. Thomas W. Law
sou. who made general charges against
tn. legislature and who suggested that
tn" district attorney summon that
body before him. was also. on hand
early in the day and he was in confer
eacc with Mr.. Moran for II minutes.
After his talk with Mr.. Lawson. Dis
tdict Attorney Moran had Il conference
with Speaker Cole as Il result Of which
ii WAS decided not 10 call the represent
tntiNcs to the district attorneys office
until noon.
II was decided to have the rcprrscn-
to the district attorneys office in groups
Of ten. this method of examination he
ing decided upon in order that the
business of the Legislature. might not
be interrupted as would he tho case il
the :, representatives, left the House AT
one time.
All the representatives. who had bcCu
summoned this morning responded ami
wcr" present when the difficulty was
reached To postpone tho investigation
until noon. Many Of the members
| ee"mcd To take til" matter humorouSly
ana assembling in groups chattcd and
laughed while waiting the call to tho
grand jury room. several newspaper
photographers were on hand and the
| legislators :ubnttcd To picture taking
amid ConSidcrah bic joking and ncrri-
mcnt.
Shortly after the opening; of the Ircis'-
ittiyc session. Spca kcr cole requested
| the privilege Of making Il statement. lie
said
| In connection with the action Of the
| district attorney for Suffolk colnty. in
Summonsing members Of the general
| court before the grand jury. arrange
| IncntS have been made by Which mcm-
bcrs Will be called in alphabetical order
| ana notice VIII be given to them by the
| ScrGcant-at-aIinS to 60 To the court
| house in groups of ten. Whatever
question there may be as to the propri-
ETY. or necessity of this action on the
part Of the Suffolk county district at
| tornc:. it is tho desire Of the Speaker
| that every member will assist in every
| way {" make the investigation thor
| oUGh ANA complete"
| Chairman Cole also said that the d1i-
| ~ of the Legislature to investigate on
its own part any and all charges was
| not I"sscncd by the court proceedings
The first batch of legislators to ar-
pear under the arrangements for the
| "a afternoon hearing did not go to the
court house until after l O'Clock.
Later the grand jury asked permits
sion to SEE Judge Bond Of the superior
court ana were admitted to his presence
| in one Of the court rooms. The ques-
ton which the grand jury sought in
| structions upon is not known but Judge
Bond was observed to examine SeN err
| al newspapers which contained. among
| other things, an account of an inveSti-
CATION by the grand jury of the alleg-
| ed bribery in the Legislature. The con-
| ference lasted over an hour and then
| the jurors resumed their deliberations.
Several members Of the House de-
| clincd this afternoon to pass into the
4 corridors so that they could be served
| with summonses. Among these We're
| Representative Tarbell of Brookfield
| and Representative Phillips of Salem
| II atm q member of the Grand Court =
said Mr. Tarbell. land I will not re-
spond to any summons served upon me
here While the House is in session.
! Mr.. Phillips spoke in a similar vein.