Show LAW BRIBERY CASE investigation committee of legislature listens to a statement of laws charges as given by his lawyer tu 0 standard salt ike I ke feb 20 the on bribery investigation met in the capitol building promptly at 10 to hear the testimony ot A A law the accuser and A W mccune the accused after organizing the committee by the selection of a chairman and a secretary rules of procedure were decided apon and the hearing was opened by the attorneys for law and mccune presenting brief written statements of their cases david evans of ogden represented law and ex senator brown dickinson van cott and critchlow defended mccune the public was excluded but each newspaper was allowed three representatives avans opened for law by regretting the inability of his client to present the brilliant array of counsel that supported the opposition dickinson asked that law be required to make charges of bribery against others referred to as divers others in his sworn statement evans recognized the justice of the demand made by dickinson and asked till tomorrow to produce the same he was given until this evening evans said he only got into the case saturday night and did not come fully prepared stewart of the investigation committee moved that law be required to make specific charges of bribery the motion was carried the secretary then read laws charges also mcclunes Mc Cunes answer as follows salt lake city utah feb 18 whitney chairman pro acm of investigating committee on the evening of february 18 1899 I 1 received from you the following communication here follows the official no tice ervid on mr law by the committee which was published yesterday in compliance with your request I 1 hereby charge that on the day of 1899 in the city and county of salt lake state of utah A W mccune a senatorial candidate before the utah legislature committed the crime of bribery to wit at the time and place aforesaid at about the hour of 1030 a m in the morning of said day the said A W mccune gave the sum 0 eighty SO dollars in legal currency of the united states for the purpose of unlawfully influencing my vote as a member of he state legislature in his behalf and then and there promised that between 3 and 4 of tho same day ho would give me the further eum of fourteen hundred and twenty 1420 dollars as a consideration for vote tor him for united stales senator I 1 further charge on information and belief that the said mccune and others acting in his behalf have bribed or attempted to bribe divers others of tho lc during the senatorial contest I 1 respectfully subscribe myself ALBERT A LAW Mc CUNES ANSWER in the matter of alie charges preferred by albert A law against alfred W mccune alfred W mccugo denies that on the isali day of february 1899 or at any other time at the city and county of salt lake state of utah or at any other place ho committed the crime of bribery as alleged in said charge or in any other manner denies that at the time or place mentioned in said charges or any other time or place bo gave to alfred A law 80 or any sum of money whatever or any consideration whatever for the purpose of unlawfully or otherwise influencing the vote of said law as a member of the state legislature of utah in behalf of him the said mccune or any other gereon denies that at the time or place mentioned in said charges or at any other time or place whatever lie promised that be would give to the aalde baw the further sum of 1420 or any other sum of money whatever or any consideration whatever as a consideration for tio said laws vote tor him said mccune tor united states senator denies that the eald mccune at any time or place ever bribed or attempted to bribe divers or any members or member oi the legislature during the senatorial contest mentioned in said charges or at any time prior to eald contest or at all denies that any person acting on behalf of him the said mccune to the knowledge of the said mccune or with his cence or consent ever bribed or attempted to bribe by any means whatever diver members or any member of the legislature of utah in any manner pertaining to said senatorial con test or otherwise or at all and upon information and belief denies that anybody acting on hie behalf ever did bribe or attempt to bribe divers members or any member ot the legislature 0 utah in any manner pertaining to said senatorial contest or prior thereto has he the baId McCune ever resorted to any other than honorable and means to influence any member of tho ag her of the legislature of utah to vote tor him the said mccune tor united senator and also alleges upon information and belief that no person acting in behalf of him the said mccune has at any time during said senatorial contest or prior thereto ever resorted to or employed any other than the most upright and honorable means to influence any member of tho legislature of utah to vote for him the said mccune tor said office of united states senator W mccune evana had started on the recital of the alleged facts in support of laws charges when mansfield made a motion that all witnesses be excluded from the room except while being examined carried erans made the following statement of his side law met mccune at bogles saloon and was invited by the latter to take a drink and afterward to go to dinner at a restaurant this was last tuesday after ordering dinner they talked of tho and mccune broached law about voting lor him for senator they were at the vienna restaurant tau rant when they parted law met representative johnson of ogden and confided to him what had taken place arid on johnsons advice he sought chief of police pratt and told him a dishonorable proposition had been made him by mccune law johnson and pratt held conference and as a result law rented rooms athe jenkens hotel ana it was planned that pratt and members of the salt lake detec live force were to occupy one room and be witnesses to the attempted bribery of law in the adjoining room mr mccune became suspicious and refused to go to the room law on saturday morning telephoned him saying you remember that matter you spoke about to me mccune said for gods eake dont say any more about it over the phone mccune said be would meet him at the drug store they met according to tho agreement by telephone and took a bench in the corner of the drug store law then said 1 I am ready for business come to my room mccune said no I 1 am ready for business but will not go to your room what do you want law said name the price mc cuno replying no you namo alie price law then said 1 I want mccune stating 1 I will alyo you 1000 then they failed to agree law demanding then 2000 and at last mccune agreeing to give 1500 to ba paid in cash and the balance between 3 and 4 in the afternoon ter noon mccune said start out the door and when I 1 leave you I 1 will shake hands with you and leave law went outside and mccune delayed for a little while law met a friend named friar to whom he said watch and mccune when he comes out and see what he does friar said ho would mccune came out walked to where I 1 stood and left money in my hand four twenty dollar greenbacks green backs mccune went one way and I 1 went tho other then friar stepped up and law eaid you seo what mccune left in my hand and friar answered 1 I see it there ended E vans opening statement law in said 1 I was ex cirod in ray speech before th legislature on saturday when I 1 said I 1 did not sec friar for two years previous to the meeting on tho sidewalk he also erred in saying ho had worked tor friar he should have said they worked together on contract law stated bo auld the proposal made to him by mccune on tuesday first to johnson and smith both of ogden and afterward mentioned alie matter to senator II owell representative johnson recommended that he ee chief pratt bob sloan and joa monson did at different times approach sloan said mr law you are a young man the chances are you will make a failure of your future and it is a duty you owe to yourself and family to embrace the chance we offer you with mccune it la a chance of a lifetime tho committee at 12 adjourned to 2 SO p in the cifone examination by judge dickson law kid law waa not his truo name but an adopted one he had mined in bingham and in colorado pad 14 eusea lo 10 cacao county afterward that the taxes were for his mother ho had paid 1 he believed tor himself upon some personal property dickinson when did it first occur to you to enter into this scheme to debauch mccugo evans objected but law replied last friday I 1 may have said to turner that it it was ma de an object to me I 1 might vote or mccune that is if a good reason could be given I 1 never said to turner that I 1 was ready to do business I 1 did not meet major stanton at the arlington salomon salo oon I 1 did not tell major stanton that I 1 had a scheme by which mccune could never become a senator I 1 do net know the barkeeper at the saloon I 1 have not been perfectly sober since 1 I came to the legislature I 1 have been under the influence of liquor but not drunk dickson did you say to parties three or tour weeks ago that mccune would never be elected that you were going to spring the montana sensation on him 1 I do not know do you say you never said it 1 I do not wish to perjure myself I 1 may have said something like it the springing of the montana sen bation did not occur to you until fri day you say mr law yes sir that Is the time it occurred to me I 1 was somewhat under the influence of liquor when 1 went to MC cunes last thursday I 1 do not know mr moran who was with us at the restaurant I 1 have no recollection of any improper suggestions being made at the restaurant up to the time we left the restaurant there was nothing up to that time there was nothing improper up tol that time I 1 have a delicate bense oti honor and it anything improper had been said up to that time I 1 would know it yes mccune said in the presence of representatives bywater and critchlow and bob sloan alson here at the restaurant 1 I am going to be elected and law you had better get into the band wagon with us I 1 remember bywater said it any money was usel by mccune improper ly he would leave him mr jos son sloan went timith mccune and I 1 into mcclunes Mc Cunes headquarters and mccune and I 1 went into his private room mccune shocked me 1 I became indignant I 1 cant remember all that was said but he wanted my vote said he was in the fight to win and that he had lost too much money to lose the fight now tor a paltry consideration then he said law it you will vote tor me you carf name your own terms did you become angry no I 1 did not become angry I 1 do not know what I 1 said no I 1 did not denounce him there or the next morning in the house because I 1 was afraid the people would not believe me my presence in mcclunes Mc Cunes headquarters and private office I 1 believed was sufficient to lay myself open to be bribed by mr mccune I 1 had been consort drinking and taking dinners with him and naturally laid myself open to improper propositions laws story was told on the witness stand in a straightforward open manner but the cross examination was shaking his testimony |