Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-23
Tells Bribe Probe Committee
Men Caught ia Bath Room
Trap Are Little More Than
Children.
SAYS FRAME UP" CHARGE
is FALSE AS HELL"
Interesting Details Of Sensa-
tiOnal Arrests Coming to
Light as Prominent Men
Are Called to the Stand.

kHANetah NefEhfAM =" NtfNNaA8 NfFhAA}
santa re, n. a., March 2a.-oChar-
acserizing as false as helr' the lnsin-
uatlon that the Republican state ex-
ecutive committees had laid 4 plot 90
secure the resignatlons OF Representa-
tives Trujilio, Lucero. Montoya ana
Cerdova, because those four men
were ia favor Of some candidate for
United States senator, who was Op-
posed by the Republican state organ
ization, Chas. A. Spiess told before the
house investigating committee late
yesterday afternoon his story OF the
plan whereby the four members were
arrested In a room IN the Palace hotel
last Monday night.
Mr. Spiess IN hia testimony said
that he advised the committee simply
90 ask tho men TO resign and that SO
far as the committee was concerned.
that II dropped the afair, He said
ae considered the men under arrest
as little more than children and he
said he favored running down the
men higher up, IL possible, who made
practice OF eorrupting such men,
and OF prosecuting this higher ups 70
the limit ~ lre laae He admitted
that he had taken one Of the accused
members into she fatal bath room
after their arrest and asked that man
10 tell him who, II any one. had paid
him money for his vote.
when asked IL he had any sena-
torial candidate IN mind Mr.. spiess
replied: Yes did, but I will mem
tion no names. I might be doing
that candidate an injustice"
He denied that he recalled having
named any seuatoriai candidate In
conversation with the accused mem-
bers after their arrest.
'fhe defense Is keeping It's plans
secret but Il is believed that IN ad-
dtion 60 the four men Sho may take
the stand IN their own defense. at
least two other witnesses will be
called The committee has sub
poenaed several other witnesses and
Il Is still said, one or two men prom
inent In connection with the senator
iai fight may yet De asked to appear.
The hearing yesterday lasted until
six o'clock and la That time but two
witnesses had been examined, name-
" Mr. spless and Jose y. Sena. Both
were put through severe cross exam-
lnation oy Colonel Prichard and Il
WAS plain from the questions that the
defense was endeavorinR ia show that
a deliberate plot existed 20 remove
those four men srom the house Ia an
effort to lniure the chances OF some
candidate for United States senate
suspected Of having the men pledged
To vote for him.
MIR. Spiess Ia his testimony said he
advised against placing the men IN
jail on the night OF their arrest and
that he tried to arrange 10 have cots
placed IN the room and an officer
10 conflne them In the hotel. He said
In his estimation. "that they could be
turned loose Ia the street on their
own recognizance and that they would
~ their own accord appear Ia any
court la tho state when wanted"
lie declared that when lie took
Luis Montoya. whom he knew better
than the others. Into the bathroom
after the arrest, that he said 10 him:
We're After Men iiighCr Up.
~ do noI consider Il Fight for you
men 20 sufter for what some one else
may have done. II any one else paid
YOU money for your votes, l wish you
would tell me. consider you ignor-
ant men. and that you do not fully
realize what you have been doing"
Mr. spiess said that MOntoya ans
wcred him saying.
''No one has over offered me money
for my vote; 1 never before have Of
fcrod to sell my vote to anyone"
Il told him." continued MIR. Sipess
that Il was the man higher up J was
after and not the poor devil who did
not realize the 8ravity Of his acts"
Then you admit" asked Colonel
Prichard. THAT you were after some
one
SIR. spless replied that ne was only
doing what any man should do Ia try
ing 20 prevent breach OF the law. MIR
Spless' testimony corr0nOrated the
evidence OF the previous witnessed
Chairman Jaramlllo and Onlcer A. A.
sena fle said that he dfd not doubt
the word OF Elfego Baca when the
latter first reported 90 the committee
that the men wanted 10 sell tneiI
votes; but he hoped until the last
that some new explanation might be
secured ex0nerating them and thai
such action as was inaliy adopted bs
the committee might not be- necos.
aary. Both MIR. anioss and Jose ID
sena described how the 1900 hae
been secured for che use Of the com.
mlltee from the Bank saloon. and %
Mr. Jaramiilo.
Mr eana lntor afsfal thnt ha hat