Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-02-21
BAILEY CONTINUES.
Senator Resumes His Testimony Be.
fore ths irN estisstion Committees


fore ths i'N estisasion Committees
Austin. b. Ex-senator Bailey re
sumed hi testimony Wednesday be-
fore the Investigation committees. He
was questpne by Mr.. odell.
AT my first interview with Mr..
Pierce he laid he had never owned q
Standard oil company certificate. I"
said Mr.. Baiey. Il have recently been
criticised 70, not relating this first In.
teryiew with Pierce in a public speech.
I have spokei OF Il TO my friends. but
did not like'o be put In the position
Of telling things that occurred In a
private Office TO allay criticism. I
have always kept within the facts.
During the cmpaign wrote let
ter TO Attorney General Bell. I read
the report In a PIPER that the attorney
general was 10 bgin suit against the
Waters-Pierce on company. I imme-
diately wrote a later 10 General Bell
offering TO help hiS. and at the time
said that there mig>t be some mistake
or misunderstandirt. This letter was
written either In t03 or 1904. My
recollection is. General Bell made re-
ply 20 my letter. IN which he ex.
planned how the sut was dismissed
and my services wte not required.
After returned to texas the latter
Part of September I vrote a letter to
Davidson. did not wRnt to be asso
ciated with him In the Euit. but ! was
willing 20 give my testimony. I did
not tender my legal sAvices To the
present attorney general because had
already had talk with him and he
had brought suit"
Senator Bailey showed n copy OF
letter OF June 81. 1906. A. Assistant
Attorney General Lighuoot from
Washington. The letter was To the ef.
fdt that the statement that Bailey
hid given his notes to the Waters
Fierce oil company was absolutely
else. He said he senat q cory OF the
ame letter TO Attorney General Da
ddson. Il never received nsply to
either OF these letters" said Bailey.
Il did not notice that they had not re-
piled until this attack on me, when my
secretary examined his files dis
missed this a. have many other mat.
ters like H." said Bailey.
Here Senator Belle lid ~ his trip
60 Abilene and saii "a nothing was
said about these matters until I had
made ea trip east a. campaign In
North Carolina and visit other points.
I had a dozen men TO tell me that 9th.
ers had heard rumors and reports
about the documents In the attorney
generals ONCE. had a letter from
Captain Flateau which told me that
the Gruets had certain papers. think
this letter was written June 26. u
have made an exhaustive search for
the Plateau letter and have been un.
able to find Il. The substance OF the
letter was that the Grnets had some
letters which might be all right. but
which might cause trouble. Captain
Flateau thought that Il might be
good idea that the bringing OF those
documents 60 Texas be prevented. I
now think that Captain Plateau was
not himself trying 10 work any black.
mail. did not answer the Plateau let. |
ter at the time because | suspected
the letter az that time, out now be
iIeve I would have replied TO him in
view OF my opinion that he was try.
ing TO prevent a political scandal and
feud. I doubt n mentioned the let.
ter 20 Mr. Pierce or even my private
secretary. but n I had met Pierce
might have told him about Il.
Il had q letter from Governor Fran !
CTS saying that representative of
Hearst at Chicago was trying TO buy
come documents that 0ruet had In his !