Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-02-20

Senator Was Examined BY the les's'
IatIve Investigating Committee.

tativc INsestf8@t'0
Austin. Feb. 19.-senator Bailey
testified before the investigating com
mi,tee Tuesday. After telling OF his
becoming a citizen OF Texas In 1888
and his political career up TO TINS
time. the senator stated that while .
member of the lower house OF con
sress he met Hon. ID. II. Francis ID
December. 1891. while en- route TO
Washington A party OF 81. Louis
men were Ia the same car. Talked
with them .n the interest OF Hon. Rog'
er q. Mills' candidacy for the speaker
ship OF the national house. That ne
and Frapris became warm friends ana
he never went through 81. Louis with
out stopping to see him.
Bailey stated he knew Tom Fran
els. brother OF David r.. but never had
a business deal with him In his life.
Il met Joseph Sibley when he first
came to congress In 1892" said Bal
ley. "sIbiey was elected two terms.
think he was first elected as Dem.
ocrat and as Republican afterward.
Sibley's standing as Democrat was
20 high that Governor Hogg wanted
him elected vice president. am
proud to call sibley my friend. as Is
Bryan and every other man who
knows him.
Originally I did not begin nego-
tiations for the Gibbs ranch for my
self. Gibbs was friend OF mine
Gibbs told me that his plan was 10
sell one-fourth TO Ex-Governor Bob
Taylor. a fourth to CuIberson and a
fourth 10 him (Bailey). told him
thought that not practicable. went
mp with him 10 look at the land and
thought Il was a fine tract. Suggest.
ed that Guntcr might buy the land.
and think talked TO him about II
twice. After ] was unable 10 sell Il
for him told Gibbs would buy it-if
] could make small payments. Gun.
ter advised me against H. took the
matter up with Dave Francis and he
told me he had all the land In Texas
he wanted TO carry. He said he had
fecos and Clay county lands. He was
willing TO let me use these lands to
trade for Dallas county lands. I told
hlm did not want 10 use both tracts.
lie offered 10 put In the Pecos tract
st $4,000 and I told him that might
be able 10 make n trade with him"
Bailey. in answer TO a question.
said. Il was not acquainted with
Fierce at the time OF the Gibbs trans.
action. When came TO Texas TO
open my campaign for the senate I
went TO the Gibbs land and looked
over the place. Caught a train for
Dallas and closed the trade with
Gibbs then. ! went on into the cam.
paigp and remained active until Chill.
tons withdrawal. and then went hack
TO Washington. Gibbs took the Pecos
county land at the value OF 500 900
l had Gibbs to convey the land to
Governor Francis because he had fur.
nished an important consideration for
the land and ] thought IL only proper
he should have the title In his name
! paid $4,000 and gave Gibbs a check
for II on the Red River National bank
OF Gainesville. Gshhs sold the wheat
and oats crop as part OF his pay.
ment The $4,000 which I paid In
cash to the Red River National bank
! returned to the bank In this way: I
took up $4,000 mortgage on stock
and ararnSed for $4,000. The loan
on the cattle was from the Merchants
Laclede National bank OF ST. Louis
! paid two items and made one mort.
gage for the de5t incurred by me-"
Bailey read from his testimony Civ.
en- six years ago before the legisla-
tive committee as regarded mort.
cages on livestock In the Gibbs ranch
deal and other details Of the transac.
tion. He read the items and explain.
ed them as he went along.