The Caucasian., 1907-02-21
BAILEY CONTINUES.
Senator Resumes His Testimony Be-
fore the investigation Committees.

fore the investigation Committees.
Austin, Feb. Ex-senator Bailey re
sumed his testimony Wednesday be
fore the investigation committees. He
was questioned by Mr.. Odell.
AT my first interview with Mr.
Pierce he said he had never owned a
Standard Oil company certificate,' =
said Mr. Bailey. Il have recently been
criticised for not relating this first in
terview with Pierce in public speech
| have spoken of it to my friends. but
| did not like to be put in the position
of telling things that occurred in a
private Office to allay criticism. ]
have always kept within the facts.
During the campaign [ wrote a let
ter to Attorney General Bell | read
the report in paper that the attorney
general was to begin suit against the
Waters-Pierce Oil company. | imme-
diately wrote a letter to General Bell
offering to help him, and at the time
said that there might be some mistake
or misunderstanding. This letter was
written either in 1903 or 1904. My
recollection is. General Bell made Pc
ply to my letter. IN which he ex-
planned how the suit was dismissed
and my services were not required
After | returned to Texas the latter
part of September | wrote letter to
Davidson. | did not want to be asso
ctated with him in the suit, but | was
willing to give my testimony. | did
not tender my legal services to the
present attorney general because had
already had a talk with him and he
had brought suit
Senator Bailey showed a copy of a
letter of June q, 1906, to Assistant
Attorney General Lightfoot from
Washington. The letter was to the eff
feet that the statement that Bailey
had given his notes to the Waters
Pierce Oil company was absolutely
false. He said he senat copy of the
same letter to Attorney General Da
wilson Il never received a reply to
either of these letters" said Bailey
81 did not notice that they had not re
piled until this attack on me, when my
secretary examined his files. | dis
missed this as have many other mat
ters like it, said Bailey
Here Senator Bailey told Of his trip
to Abilene and said that nothing was
said about these matters until | had
made ca trip east to campaign in
North Carolina and visit other points.
I had dozen men to tell me that 9th
ers had heard rumors and reports
about the documents in the attorney
generals office. / had letter from
Captain Plateau which told me that
the Gruets had certain papers. | think
this letter was written June 26.
have made an exhaustive search for
the Plateau letter and have been I'M
able to find it. The substance of the
letter was that the Gruets had some
letters which might be all right, but
which might cause trouble. Captain
Plateau thought that it might be a
good idea that the bringing of those
documents to Texas be prevented. |
now think that Captain Flateau was
not himself trying to work any black
mail. ] did not answer the Plateau let
ter at the time because | suspected
the letter at that time, put now | be
lieve | would have replied to him in
view of my opinion that he was try.
ing to prevent a political scandal and
feud. | doubt if | mentioned the let
ter to Mr.. Pierce or even my private
secretary but ii | had met Pierce /
might have told him about it.
Il had d letter from Governor Fran
els saying that representative OF
Hearst at Chicago was trying to buy
some documents that Gruet had in his
possession took no steps to prevent
the purchase of the documents. |
wrote Francis that had no fear of any
Of the papers they may have had. This
was in july 1906. | don't think there
is an honest man in the world who
would countenance the buying of pa.
pers of this kind from anyone" said
Bailey.
Going back to the first investiga-
ton, Senator Bailey said: It was be.
ing charged that | had induced the at
torney general to allow the Waters