The Alaska citizen., 1912-07-22


 large audience in Gordon's rink. during which he went. at length. into the history of the Valdez con vention He was well received and heartily applauded at frequent inter. yals
 Mir. Ilarrais. who had been by MT Jennings denied the opportunity to thresh the matter out in joint de bate. brought up the matter of the ! Closterman affidavit which had som,. weeks previously been read by ! Charles Davidson before the Demo. that some of the Harrais proxies had been forged and was direct attack on the character of Mir. Harrais. and some of his support CTS. After describing in detail tue happenings at the convention MT Flarrais told of going to Tacoma after he had seen the Closterman affidavit charging the forgery. and obtaining the following affidavit which was read at the meeting. State of Washington Pierce
 County, ss.:
 Personally appeared before me the undersigned Notary Public for the State of Washington, residing at the City of Tacoma, R. A. Clos tcrman, who being duly sworn upon oath, deposed and said, my name is R. A Closterman, I am now residing in the City of Tacoma, in said State, that for two years prior to the first Of April, l resided at Valdez, Alas ka. l am acquainted with Robert w. Jennings and A J. Daly. I met them at the city of Valdez, during the week prior to the first of April. 1912.
 ! was a delegate to the Democrat ic convention, from the town of l Valdez, held in Valdez on March 29. 1912. Affiant said that after the convention was over, and about the second or third of April he met Robert w. Jennings and A. J. Daly.
 That in conversation with them he stated that he was in trouble and in strengthened financial condt tions, and wanted money to pay his fare to Seattle. That the result of that conversation was that the said Jennings and Daly agreed to give him sufficient money to get into Seattle if he would make an affida- vit as they would prepare. Affiant said that they prepared the affidavit and that he, while under the influ- ence of liquor. and without due eau tion signed and acknowledged same, and they paid him the money, that is to say, the said Robert w. Jen- nings and A. J. Daily
 Affant said that he left Valdez after he signed the affidavit and has since come to Tacoma. Affiant says that he has since been informed that Martin Harrais and William O'Connor and John w. Frame were charged in said affidavit with pre- pairing forged proxies to said Dem ocrtic convention in the Copper Block in said city.
 Aifiant says that any allegations in said affidavit, that the said Mar tin Harrais, William O'Connor, John Frame or any one else prepared and forged proxies, is false, at least he has no knowledge of such act, and that any charges made as emin- ating from him, that the said liar rais, O'Connor, Frame or anyone else prepared, or was present in the preparation or fixing up of any forged proxies is false, and without any foundation in truth
 Affiant says further, that his only reason for making said affidavit prepared by the said Jennings afore- said, in the office of Edmund Smith was the dire need of money paid him by the said Jennings, and the further fact that he was under the influence of intoxicating liquors
 Affiant says that he makes this affidavit of his own free will, with out any threat, consideration or in ducement, and merely to correct any inference that may be drawn from the affidavit that he made for R. w. Jennings, and to contradict any charge of the above-named Harrais, O'Connor and Frame. having any thing to do with the preparation of forged proxies or that this affiant knew Of any such things as there being forged proxies used at said convention.
 R. A. CLOSTERMAN Witness:
 CHARLES J. PETERSON. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 27th day of May, A. D.. 1912.
 CHARLES PETERSON. Notary Public, Residing at Tacoma, Wash.