Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-04-08
Stenographic Report of Evl- dence Submitted by the Jefferson Senator at Gov ington Trial.
BEFORE GRAND JURY
He Says He Was Joking When He Said He Was Drunk-liis Ac- auaintance With Ritchie Explained Alleged Conversations.

The testimony given by Senator ]. K Tcncy of this c'.y. at the trial of Senator Webb CovinGton, charged wi:l bribery, is of more than passing interest to Pine Bluff ians. The Graphic today publishes a stenographie report of Senator Toney's evidence, as submitted at the trial Saturday. It follows:
 The direct examination was con- ducted by Col. Murphy.
 Q. MT. Toney, where do you re- side? A. Pine Bluff.
 Q. Are you a member of the present state senate, this state? A. I am. v 2'
 Q. And were you a member Of the senate of 1905? A. I was.
 Q. You know the defendant, A.. w. Covington, do you? A. l do.
 Q. And Ben McFerrin, J. H.. Holland and F. o. Butt? A. l know all the parties you mention.
 Q. They were all members of the last senate, were they? A.. They were.
 Q. Now, MT. Toney, there has been some testimony to the effect that Covington, shortly after the senate was organized in 1905, in his room, made proposition or suggestion in the presence of your self. J. A. Hinkle. ]. H. Holland, F. o. Butt and probably Ben Me Perrin, which was to the effect that you, or all of you, or some of you, went into combine to take the af- fairs and business out of the hands of Cook and Cox and take the legis- lation outside of them, and that by so doing you could make lot of money and control any legislation or all legislation which might con cern the capitol bill then pending before the legislature. Is it true. Or is it not true? A. never heard of it.
 Q. Was any suggestion or prop osition made to you or to any party of which you was member from or anyone else? A. Mr. Covington nor anyone else never made such a proposition as you mention in my presence.
 Q, Was any money even given to you or to anybody else, to your knowledge, in an envelope fin Gov ington's room or i'll any other room? A. There was not.
 Q. Was any money on the Ar genta bill paid to you by Coving- ton or paid to you by anybody else? A. There was not.
 Q. You say no money was paid to you by Covington on the Ar genta bill. A. No, sir.
 Q. Any money paid you on the Cache river levee bill? A. No. sir.
 q. Were you in any arrange ment or combination to control legislation for the purpose of get ting money or through the medium to get money? A. I was not.
 c. Did Covington or Holland or McFerrin or any other member of the legislature, make or not. any request of, or request to yon, that you support or oppose any of the bills that I have mentioned, or any other bill? A. If they did I do not remember, colonel. I will say this is very common in matters of legislation over there. for one sen ator to take another senator to one side and ask him to vote for bill that he is interested in.
 Q. Where is that list, please. l see the name of Toney here on the fist next to seven names-Holland, Butt. McFerrin, Toney, Thompson. Covington and Logan. (Shows him paper.) Did you ever. see that paper before? A, Not that I know of-no, sir. I will say, though, colonel, l saw a paper with some names on it. I don't know that these are the names. At one time l saw a list.
 Q. Who presented it to you, or un der what circumstances did you se' it? A. I think MT. Rhoton showed i to me, as we'll as I can recollect.
 c. Where. in his office? A. Yes