Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-26
MEMBERS
STICK CLOSELY
TO STORY OF
COERCION
Insist Mounted Policeman
Held Pistol when They
Signed designations Which
Had Not Been Read to Them
ACQU1TTAL FOR FOUR
AMONG POSSIBILITIES


Especial TeisgFasi 20 Rveng-g ReraiaD
Santa 70, n. NJ. March 2g.--The
house bribery investigation commit
tee expects 70 complete the taking OF
testimony today. thf NfHHinfrfs 10 tho
attorneys Tomorrow 2ua ilF report ou
Thursday. II is now believed possible
that the committee VIII report IN
favor ~ an acQuittel OF the Gcfcnd-
ants. The testimony OF the latter
agreea In the minuiest particular and
cannot be recOnoiied with the testi-
mony given BY the witnesses for the
prosecutions, although running parallel
with Il ana IN many Instances relat-
ing the same incidents only throwing
a different light and explanation on
them.
This afternoon :. r. fsucero. the
last and keenest OF the defendants
viii 60 on the stand. II was on him
that the missing twenty-doliar gold
piece was found after the arrest and
after all the other money had been
reooveredi and Il WIS he who said:
~ would rather have you take of
all my clothes and throw me out In
the cold. or cut out my heart through
my back. than compel me to go
back 10 my people with this stigma
on me-"
Representative L. r. Montoya Will
be cross-eSamined before Lpcero
takes the stand
Manuel Cordovu. who was "a Wit
ness In his own behalf yesterday after
noon. In response so questions de-
clared that when he signed the resis-
nation handed him by Jaramillo he
did not know what was written on
the paper. az he simply was told it
was his resignation and he signed II
without having Il read 60 him in
Spanish
The four men have now told sub
stantially the same story. and they
have denied absolutely that shey So
llcited or accepted bribeg In return
for their votes.
Cordova testified that he intended
TO vote for Judge Fall and Malaauias
Marines because he believed that 10
be the choice OF his county rs sena-
lorlal ticket
The hearings have developed into
lopg draNn.out sessions ana a long
array OF questions By the attorneys
engaged, SO that much OF tho exam
lnatioh " a repetition OF what already
has been told and few new statements
have come 20 light.
Charles A. Spless was recalled 20
the stand yesterday 60 explain what
he meant BY the term, poor ignor-
ant devils" in referring 20 the &C.
cused members last week. He ex-
planned that he meant the words as
an expression OF pity for the men, ex-
pressive OF the predicament In which
they had been placed by their ignor-
ance of the law.
District Attorney Reed explained
that he had filed his charges mainly
on information given him By Malas
quias Martinez. and that evep 60 this
day. he had received no official COM
munlcatl0n from the mounted police
nor from anyone else. and that he
had made charges on what inforsna-
ton he had secured.
The hearing yesterday dragged and
the attorneys asked the usual long
array OF questions based on the In
formation ELECTED from the previous
witnesses. AZ S:3o O'Clock the hear
ing was continued until this after
noon. without exception the accused
members stuck 20 their story that
they had not solicited hrihes and that
they ind noe ,aken iho money whion
Elt9o Hoonat ounted pgt on tbe table
IN room a az the Palace hotel
They also asserted that A. A. Senn,
the arres.ing officer, held a dark
eolored pistol in his hand when he
came into the room. Trujillo said no
did not see the officer point Il at any
one IN particular, however.
Likewise the men all inserted that
when asked n w. n. Andrews, a sem
atoriai candidate. had paid them
money for their votes they had an
sweqod that Mr.. Andrews had never
paid them q cent Luis r. MontOyn.
whom C. A. spless OF the Republican
executive committee testified he had
taken into the bath room and ques-
toned, was emphatic IN his testimony
concerning MIR. Andrews. lie de-
clared that while he had visited Ar.
Andrews at his house here and had
eaten breakfast with him one morn
Ing. Mr.. Andrews never had asked
him for his vote nor offered him
money
Following Trujillo on tho stand
Manuel Cordova was sworn. iie re-
peated virtually the same story that
was told by Trujillo. speaking an
Spanish. Cordova. Ia response 20
questions asserted that A. A. Hena,
after the arrest, had told him that
he would turn the four members
loose. Il Mr. Jaramllio would consent
To Il but that when they spoke Ia Mr.
saramilio he replied that he was sorry
bus that he could not consent 20 such
thing.
Montoya wac on tho stand when tho
committee adjourned the hearing for
the day. Hts testimony. 80 far az 4
had been given. cnrrOborated his iei+
low members accused of bribery. lie
declared that no and Cordova, after
tnlksng with trends from Taos he'd
agreed to vote for Judge Fan for one
OF the senators but that he had made
up his mind not 20 vote for Eifes0
nacn "Ali the money lea the world
( would not have changed my roHolu-
I ton nlf "a vote for Elfeeo baon,
/ he mid. The examination Of Montoye
brought out little FROM what already
had been sworn 20 BY his compae-
ions.
The hearing was resumed this ara