Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-03-12
C0NTRAD|CT5
WHOLE BUNCH
Of WIT NESSES
Misquoted by Everyone
Says Formidable Oil
Lobby at Inquiry.
Alvord, Recalled, Says
One or Other Guilty
of Perjury; Asks Trial.
BY WARREN w, MOSES
Staff Correspondent,

TSIoHd, W4JCn tt.-COntr0otcStnQ all
| OF the witnesses who had essayed to
quote his remarks at the BiHlngs tee
room meeting Of last Saturday night
Republicans to whom he would not
dare to "tip his hand" not one Of
whom was his friend and with whom
he had about as much show a. the
proverbial snow ball In Hades. Tom
Arthur Of Billings, who took credit for
being the formidable "oii Iobby" re-
ferred to BY Governor Dixon, made 4
rather spectacular witness late Friday
afternoon before the senate committee
investigating the alleged tradinn Of
legislative votes on the tax commissfon
and oil tax bills.
Before taking the witness stand Mr..
Arthur made an elegantly phrased
apology to the senate for being the
innocent and unwilling cause subject
ing that body to such deplorable st
uation. He told Of the events leading
up to the tea party In Billings and said
it was brought about through 4 threat
made by F. Y. n. Collins that he would
cancel $4,000 in orders given by his oil
company to Billings dealers becauSe the
people Of that city and the Yellowstone
county legislative delegation had failed
to fight with the oil companies for an
oil tax not exceeding one per cent
Denies ouotsd Statemost.
Mr.. Arthur denied having made the
statement which was credited to him
in the message Of the governor and
like wise denied the statements made
along the same line by the witnesses
who had preceded him and whose testi-
mony he had listened to. He said he
had never said he could deliver five
votes of such distinguished body Of
men and that the only thing he had
said in the connection Of five votes was
after he had been approached some-
time ago by Senator 10y of Golden
Valley county who said he was in q
desperate situation over q bill in which
the Oil companies had no interests and
he, Arthur had said he wished to God
he could deliver five votes to help
10y out" but that he did not know
any members Of the house, his own
Yellowstone county delegation having
voted soidly against him. When
questioned as to this bill, Arthur said
1t was the Esp bill to cut several
from Golden Valley county
and attach them to Sweet Grass
county and that 10y had told him if
he could help defeat the bill he would
make friend OF 10y.
No Refereace To Trade.
When read the quotation of the
governor, Mr.. Arthur said he did not
make such statement either speci-
Hcally or in substance, that he had
never referred to trade in the senate,
that he had never referred to five
votes in the senate and nine in the
house and that he did not make the
statement which had been testified to
BY j. l.. Afford, who had preceded him.
He said he had never used his in
Fluence for Or against the tax COM
mission or any other measure except
The oil legislation in which he was
Interested.
"As to the formidable oil lobby. I
I'm the sole representative here of
'oreign oil companies he testified.
i am the whole oil lobby. 4 may have
'aid l was responsible for the passage
IT the one per cent tax, worked hard
'nough for it."
Arthur admitted having said wye
AVE Dixon where We can cruelty him
Ind BY God we will do it." as had been
estified to. but he amplified his testi-
nony by saying he thought he had
lsed it in the past and not in tho
ulure tense.
Oaly Democrat There.
Seeking to show that the other wit
,esses were prejudiced against him
e stated that at the meeting of which
II were members he was the only
Democrat, that he did not have a
riend in the room, that any Of the
thers would take his head off as
uick as they would look at him, that
e knew better than to tip his hand
0 them and that he had about "a much
how among them as the proverbial
nowball in hades.
H. A. Afford, real estate and in
estment dealer of Billings, who at
he conclusion of the afternoon hearing
the committee that either
Arthur or he had perjured themselves
nd asked that he be tried for per-
nry in that connection, testified as to
Arthur's statement at the Billings
1eeting as follows:
''Tom Arthur. said: i will ten you
ow it is. told them that / had five
otes in the senate that could de-
yer and they said il these five yotes
ere not men We already had with us
aey would do business. told them
would give them the names Of the five
nd il they did not vote as agreed they
ould not have to deliver the goods.' "
Ain a Dixon. Claim.
He said Art1ar also said something
bout nine votes in the house and