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Show 44- 4-4444-44-4- 44-4-4-4-4-4- : the Clark I Investigation X 4-44-4-4-4 4- 4-4-44-444- j Washington, Jan. 30. J. H. Geiger, who succeeded Fred Whiteside as a state senator in the Montana legislature when the latter was unseated, was the first witness today before the senate committee on privileges and elections, in its investigation of the charges against Senator Clark of that state. Mr. Geiger said he had been the Republican Re-publican candidate for the senate from Flathead county. He Avas asked , whether he had not said in his speech accepting t-ie nomination that his vote could not be purchased for a Democrat for the senate. He replied that it was his intention to convey the idea that he could not be "handled." He had said that if he-sold out he hoped his constituents would take him out and hang him, "and I still feel that way." he said. He had not said that he would not vote for any Democrat, but it had been his intention to prevent a deadlock. He had also said that there were other matters more important to come before the legislature than the election of nome rich man for United States senator. Upon being questioned concerning his financial condition when he was nominated, nomi-nated, he said it was "just moderate." He had been in the hotel business and had sold out; he. could not remember Just how much he received, but after much questioning, said he thought the amount was about $2,500. He had also received $200 from his mother's estate, and had borrowed $i00 for the campaign. cam-paign. After he was given his seat he had voted twice for 'Leonardfor senator, and then for W. A. Clark. Mr. Geiger j hesitated considerably over a question as to what money lie had deposited in the First National bank at Kalispel daring -or-since the sitting of the legislature,: legis-lature,: but admitted .'hat in May last lhe..fcaJ.uisht-a J-if. f,.ir-.$2,t;00. pay-! pay-! ing currency for it. tre had afterwards, in August, opened, an account at that bank, depositing $800 in currency Ji the name of "John H. Geiger, agent." Since that time he had made other deposits, and had borrowed from the tank $2,-300. $2,-300. He had gotten the $2,500 first deposited de-posited from several sources, including $500 or $600 for his service and mileage in the legislature. "Some of it I got at poker and the faro bank," he said, and added: "I don't remember whether I won any at poker my experience was about even; but at faro I did." "Did you win $2,000 at faro?" 'kIt was some short of $2,000, but at Helena and Butte together I think I j quit about $1,500 or $l,S0O ahead." I "You were a state senator; did you not know it was a misdemeanor to play faro?" "Well, I was about as conscientious in that matter as some other Montana officials." J Continuing this explanation, he said I he had never made any great winning at one time, never more than $180, but that he had been uniformly lucky, and had played often. He had al3o gotten $100 in money for mining stock sold to Spokane parties. "How do you explain the fact that you had so much better luck at faro after you entered the legislature than before?" asked Senator Chandler of Mr. Gedger. "Why, senator." was the reply, "I did not have. I lived in Montana, twenty-two years and having fallen into the ways of the people soon after going there I had frequently in the early days won more than I did after my election to the state senate. But, Libby has no faro bank and I had not played for some time." In explanation where he had got he $800 deposited in August he said that while in Peoria, Ills., he had won $1,000 in a- day on a horse race. All told, Mr. Geiger said he had In his possession " $3,600 when he reached Libby after going home from the legislature at Helena. "When did you get the amount that you have not already accounted for?" - "I can't tell without uncovering my private affairs." "Do you decline to tell?" "I do." This caused the members of the committee com-mittee to put their heads together in consultation over the question as te w-hether the witness should be compelled com-pelled to answer. At the conclusion of this conference Mr. Chandler tnM ivfr i .Campbell to proceed with his oues-tions, oues-tions, and informed the witness that he must rerly. The question as to where the money came from was repeated. The witnern gazed at the ceiling for fully five minutes and at last said: "Where did I get it? . Why In Helena." "Where did you get it from?" The witness again took a long time for replying. "Well, sir," he said at last, "I can't answer." "Do you mean to say that you don't know?" - ' "I don't know. To be frank, there were other ways of getting money in Helena during the session of the legislature. legis-lature. I was approached at different times to vote for different bills." "Did you make any money in that way?" "I don't know. I never sold my vote, but I got money." Senator Chandler Now Mr; Geiger the committee requires you to state from whom you got money. Go ahead and tell what you know. To thi3 the response came quickly. ! The witness said: "I found a package in my room containing $l,ioo and I. have since used the money, it was the time that the corporation bill 132 was up. I took the money, put it In my pocket and used it, and from that time to the present have never said a word about it." In reply to other questions he said that he had an 'idea who left the envelope en-velope in hi3 room, but that he did not know. He had, he said, Intended to vote for the bill anyway. : "At this point Mr. Faulkner, repre- i senting the Clark interest, obtained permission to ask a question. "Will you state," he asked, "whether any part of that money was given you by any one connected with Mr. Clark or by Mr. Clark himself to influence your vote for him for United States senator?" . But while he had permitted the question, ques-tion, Senator Chandler, as chairman of the committee instructed the witness that he need not answer it at this juncture junc-ture and the examination proceeded on the original lines. In reply to questions, witness said ha had been, told that he could get $1,000 or $1,200 for his vote in opposition to the bill but he dec-lined to tell who had made the suggestion on the ground that it would incriminate himself. At this point the committee took - a recess until 2:15 p. m. When the committee reassembled Mr. Chamberlain took up the line of inquiry where it had been left off. "Who was it," he asked, "that made the proposition to you that you could receive $1,500 for your vote against bill 1S2 or bill 131?" "It was common talk all over town that money could be had for votes," replied Mr. Geiger, "but I can't explain further without incriminating myself." Senator Chandler insisted upon an explanation as to how he could be incriminated in-criminated unless he had agreed to accept ac-cept money for his vote, but the witness wit-ness insisted that a further explanation explana-tion would certainly be self-incriminating and declined to answer. He would go no farther than to say that he had told the Dartv aDDroachine him that "he would see about it." Asked concerning the purchases of property in Kalispell, Mr. Geiger at first said that he had not bought any but his brother had. "Whose money paid for it?" asked Mr. Campbell. "I refuse to disclose my private affairs," af-fairs," he responded. Senator Chandler urged response to the question, and after meditating for some time the witness said that $1,500 of the money that he had originally deposited in the First National bank of Kalispell had been used to pay for that property. He also admitted the purchase pur-chase of lots and the construction of buildings dn them at Libby. No Conversations With. Clark. Mr. Geiger said he- had not had any conversations concerning the' senatorial senator-ial contest with Senator Clark prior to the latter's election to the senate. He had visited the senator's room once on the day of the senator's election, but he said "Neither W. A.- Clark, Mr. Wellcome. C. W. Clai'k nor any of them so far as I can remember, ever approached ap-proached me in regard to my vote. But b3fore I was seated I was frequently frequent-ly asked how I would vote if I should get my seat and uniformly replied that rr.y actions would be controlled entirely by the action of the Republican -cau cus. I voted for Mr. Clark when the decision of the caucus was in his favor." fa-vor." ' He had, he said, advised the Republicans Repub-licans against voting for any Democrat. Demo-crat. . . In reply to the questions from Senator Sen-ator Hoar,' Mr. Geiger said that before voting for Mr. Clark he had convinced himself that the charges of bribery against Mr. Clark were untrue. Further Fur-ther responding to Mr. Hoar, he emphasized em-phasized his allegiance to the Republican Repub-lican party, saying that he was a Mc-Kinley Mc-Kinley Republican, that while he w5uld have preferred a gold man, he thought it best to accept the next best thing, which he considered Mr. Clark to be. Mr. Faulkner asked only one question ques-tion in cross-examination, and in reply to this-.question, Mr. Geiger repeated I that he had received no money or any i promises of any from either Senator Clark or anyone else for him for his vote for Mr. Clark for the United States senate. J |