Albuquerque morning journal., 1907-02-21
TELLS
THESTORYOF
HIS LIFE
DENIES CHARGES FILED
AGAINST HIM BY COOKE
Tells Texas Legislative InveS-
tigating Committee He Has
Always Been Square and
Honorable Man,
IBy Morning Journal Special Leased Wire. I


Austin, Texas, Feb. 19.-Senator
oseph w. Bailey, testifying today be-
fore the legislative investigating COM
mittee. denied he truth of the
charges preferred against him by
Representative Cooke regarding his
alleged relations with the Waters
Pierce oil company.
Mr.. Bailey reviewed his life's his
tory until his election to the United
states senate i'm 1903
He said he met David r. Francis.
of Missouri, in 1891, when r. @. Mills
was a candidate for the speakership
of the house. He cultivated the ac-
quaintauce of Governor Francis and
his associates, among them members
Of the Missouri delegation, hoping
thereby To advance Mr. Mills inter-
estS. He had formed a close friend
ship for Governor Francis and never
passed through St Louis without stop
ping over to see him.
In reply to the charge that he
(Railey) had been In deal with
brother of Governor Francis and 9TH
err Missourians, Joseph Sibley among
them, in the Gibbs ranch transaction,
senator Bailey said that he had first
known Mr. Sibley in 1892, ana that
he was then, as he Is now, a delight
ful, clean and honorable man
Mr.. Bailey said he had no intention
at first of purchasing the ranch, but
that Mr., Gibbs had told him about
the land and said he wanted to sell
quarter each to Governor Bob Taylor,
of Tennessee; Senator Charles A. Gull
( bersOn, of Texas and to himself (Bai-
lew, and keep a quarter He told
Mr.. Gibbs that only Senator Culber-
son was financially able to purchase
the land, but at Mr.. Gibbs solicitation
he went to look at the land and was
greatly pleased with it. lie later had
several conversations with Governor
| Francis about going into a deal for
its purchase, learned about Mr.
! Francis lands in, Texas and told him
| that he might be able to turn this
( land for him in the deal.
Senator Bailey said that he secured
an option on the property which he
later closed, with the understanding
that the deal would not he consum-
mated until after his campaign for
senator had closed
Later Governor Francis transferred
his Pecos county lands to Mr.. Gibbs
and the Gibbs property was trans
ferred to Governor Francis who had
chase price by putting in these lands,
There was due to Mr. Gibbs above
his mortgages and the Pecos county
lands about $5,620, OF which he paid
$4,000 obtained from the Red River
National bank of Gainesville,an and the
remainder was paid to Mr.. Gibbs out
of the sale Of the Crops,
There was also a debt of 10000
on the cattle, and later he negotiated,
with the help Of Governor Francis, a
loan of $4,000 from st. Louis bank,
with which he paid debts of 10000
and $4,000 owed to Texas banks.
MIR. Bailey explained that after he
had been charged with receiving the
Pecos county lands as a fee from the
Waters Pierce Oil company he had
determined to relieve Governor Fran
els of any further embarrassment.
and persuaded Gibbs to deed the land
back to Francis.
Mr.. Bailey said that he made about
100000 on the deal and would have
made more could be have held the
land, but not having the money and
the political differences arising he
proposed to sell. Governor Francis,
he added, never discussed any legisla-
ton with him or sought his aid for
amy measure except the Worlds Fair
appropriation. He had never known
of any legislation before congress in
which Francis was interested, except
as a good citizen or as democrat
nor was he connected or interested in
any Texas legislation. He said Fran
els had never mentioned II, C. Pierce
except through the letter of introduce
ton.
Francis and a man named Cobbs,
said Mr.. Bailey, had asked his sup
port for the Worlds Fair appropria
ton. and he told them they were
wasting breath, as he was unalter-
ably opposed to approprlating public
money for such purposes.
money for such purposes.
paired when the proposition for the
$4,000 600 appropriation came up.
When the matter was considered n
second time he was in the senae and
he had opposed II and almost de-
feated IT, offending his ST. Louis
friends, who had thought he would
support II because a provision rela-
tive to shipment of cattle from below
the line had been made a part Of the
bill.