The Mena weekly star., 1907-02-28
SENATOR BAILEY DENIES
Went on the Stand in His Own De- half Before Texas Probing
 Committee.
THE wATERs.pItacE CHARGE FALSE
Made a General Denial of the Nles"' lions of Representative Cooke Told of Various Land Deals WIT D. R. Francis, of St. Lou's--No o'' Loans Mentioned.

Anet,n Tex. Feb. 2i.--Sendtor Railev went on the stand in ms own behalf before the legislative inyesti- gating committee and made a geiei- al denial of the allegations oy nep'e- sentative Cooke that Bailey was in the employ of the Waters-Pierce VI comnanv The senator refertee especially to his connection With b R. Francis of Missouri
 He said that he met MT. franeis ~ se, when Roger Q. Mills was can didate for the speakership or the l gouse He cultivated the acquaih,- anee of Mir. Francis snd his ;tssoci- ates, among them members or tue Missouri delegation, hoping therSns fo advance Mir Mills's interests. ne had forced close friendship Tor MT. Francis and never passed through st Louis without stopping 10 sse him II, reply to the charge that he ] tBailey) had been in a deal Wi'h brother of Nil. Francis and other per sons in the Gibbs ranch transactioh' 1 Senator Bailey said he had no lh- 1 tention at first Of purchasing ihe ranch but that Mr. Gibbs had ioid aim about the land and said Le 1 wanted to sell quarter each to GOV ernor Taylor of Tennessee, senator 1 Calberson of Texas and to hinlseh l eBailey). and keep quarter
 He told Mr. Gibbs that only Seha- tor Culberson was financially able 10 l purchase the land, but at MT. GipDs so icitation he went to look at ne and and was greatly pleased with IL. He later had several conversations l with MT Francis about going into q deal for it's purchase, learned aeou. Mr. Francis's lands in Texas, ana | told him that he might be able 10 turn this land for him in the deal senator Bailey said that he secured ,n option on the property, which te ater closed with the understanding
 Lat the deal would not be consulr- mated until after his campaign for acaatof had closed.
 ator Mr. Francis transferred his t'caos rouniy lands to Mir. Gibbs ano
 he Gibbs property was transferred 1 10 Mr. Francis. There was ine |,
 ;r. Gibbs ahove his mortgages and
 he pecos county lands about S3,62o 1 If which he paid sf,000 obtained
 rom the Red River National bank o
 ta. nesviiie, and the balance was pait
 Mr. Gibbs out of the sale of inc cross. There was also debt of sl0,' 100 on the cattle and later he neeo1-
 ted. with the help of Mir. Francis, :oan of sl5,09o from a St. Louis banA with which he paid debts of slo,Oct and si,o0o owed to Texas banks.
 sena or Bailey explained that af Ter le h Id heen charged with Ieceiv ing tho Pecos county lands as a ic' from the Waters-Pierce Oii conpan, he had determined to relieve MT Francis of any further embarrass ment and persuaded Gibbs to dee' the land back to Francis. Senate Bailey said that he made about $50. l00 on the deal and would have mad more could he have held the land, bu ke did not have the money and poll tical differences arose, so he prefer red to sell Mir Francis, he added never discussed any legislation witl him or sought his aid for any meas ure except the Worlds fair appropri ation. He had never known of an, legislation before Congress in whicl MT. Francis was iateTested direct, or indirectly. except as a good citizel or Democrat. nor was he connects with or interested in any Texas legis lation. He said Francis had neye mentioned H. c. Pierce, excep through the letter of introduction.