United labor bulletin., 1911-11-30
ASSEMBLY ELECTS
TRIAL COMMITTEE
Investigation Committee Recon-
mends the Unseating of Mum,
But He Is Sent to Trial.

The Trades and Labor Assembly, SUM-
day, devoted the greater part OF the ses-
sion to hearing the report Of the special
committee elected to investigate certain
charges made in the daily press in ref
erence to alleged graft in the assembly.
The resolution calling for the investiga-
ton was introduced by Delegate Howard
of the Painters, and the committee found
that the resolution was introduced al
the behest Of one faction In the labor
movement to put another faction out OF
their way, and that Delegate Howard
was used as their tool. The committee
ccnsured Delegate Howard for not ap-
pearinq before the committee when re-
quested.
The comnittet also found that certain
acts Of Delegate Mum, also Of the Paint
ers, should not be condoned by the as
sembiy, and although no direct evidence
had been eorroborsted, the committee
believed that he had convicted himself
out Of his own mouth and therefore rec
commended that the assembly ask for his
resignation.
The report. In full, follows:
To the Officers and Members of the
Denver Trades and Labor Assembly;
We. your committee elected to inyesti-
gate the truth of articles appearing in
the daily press. accusing certain dele
gates of the Trades Assembly of ALLEGED
graft in connection with the circulating
and filing of ptitlons by the Labors' Eco
nomlc League, referring the lighting con-
tract between the Denver Gas & Elec-
tric Co and the city OF Denver, TO the
people. report as follows:
Ffrst-In regard to the gas petition.
We investigated the same to the best OF
our ability and found there was re
port which came from Mr.. Barker. super
intendent of the Gas and Electric com.
many. that he had been approached ana
the party who approached him seemed
TO be prominent in the labor movement,
and stated for a consideration he cuuld
suppress the petitions. but the party was
not member OF the Trades Assembly,
the above WAS told the committee by
Supervisor McGauran. q man whose word
is not to be doubted.
Tho committee called up Mr. Barker
for a meeting TO suhstantiate the report
but Mr.. Barker refused to meet the com
mittoe. and as he was the only party
who could substantiate the statements
Of MI Gauran. consequently the com
. mittse we're unable TO get any direct eFi
denoc along that line
The committee, after investigating the
reports OF the remarks of different dele
gates in regard TO the alleged shake down
OF the gas company and other ALLEGED
deals. were not able TO determine
whethor the remarks were made as facts
or were made in n jesting manner
second-In regard to the endorse
men,s on the petitions from other bodies.
we hnd, upon investigating, that tne
method in securing endorsements was
very loose as they did not secure one
endorsement in writing. but took the
VOID Of Delegate Mum. who stated he
had secured the proper endorsements.
Whon the committee investigated the
source OF the endorsements they were
told that the endorsements were not
given. namely. the Direct Legislation
league. Progressive Republicans and the
Citizens party
70 get out the petitions originated in the
advisory board of the Economic League,
the details of getting out the petitions
was left to a committee, who, In turn,
left the financing and circulating OF the
petitions in the hands OF Delegate
Mum.
NE further found that the approximate
cost OF getting out the petitions was one
hundred and twenty-five dollars ,sl-ol,
which was advanced by Delegates
Conkle. Mum, Bryan, Fallon, Means,
Hines and Common. who testihed that
they would be reimbursed by the Labor s
Economic League.
Fourth-The committee believes that
the resolution introduced by DeIesate
Howard, who failed to appear before tne
committee when requested to do SO oy
member of the committee, was intro
duced through u desire of one faeuoh
in the assembly to get revenge upon an,
other faction, and the committee is OF
the opinion that when reflections are
cast upon members OF the Assembly
through resolutions or charges, that the
party introducing same be prepared ano
compelled to produce evidence supstah
tinting the charges or reflections.
In conclusion, the committee VIII state
that we heard plenty OF hearsay evidence
in regard to graft in the assembly, ou'
we were unable to substantiate any par
ticular charge. but we have found tnat
Delegate Mum has admitted to the In
vestigation committee OF the Direct Leg,
islation league that he would deal ana
had dealt in the past. and 1t was nol
necessary to get a go-between between
him and the parties he was dealing Win
we, therefore. recommend, for the
good of the Trades Assembly and the
labor movement OF Denver. that the as
sembly ask for the resignation OF Eeie'
gate Mum from the assembly.
F. w. HAMILTON.
CHAS HORNBURG,