Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-29
STORY TOLD BY LEE
Ex-Lieutenant Governor of Mis-.
souri Tells How He Came
to Get Trust Money.
IT WAS EARNED IN BIS BUSINESS
Had Nothing to Do with the BoOdIery
of the Legislators of
Missouri.

st. Louis, June 29.-"Injustice has
been done me by the publication of
the reports about my having received
$1,000 from Havemeyer, of the sugar
trust, and $3.50 from the American To
bacco company. 1t is also falsely
stated that John H. Carroll offered me
$4,000 to keep out of the county un-
til after Folk has left the circuit at
torney's Office. 1 am trying to make
an honest living, and while these stories
cannot make matters much worse it
is neither right nor fair that they
should be published" Sitting in his
office in the Century building, eX-Lieu-
tenant Governor John A. Lee made the
aforesaid statement Geferring to Mis-
souri, boOdlery matters) TO The Re
public and asked that his side of these
stories be printed.
Shows His Banker's Statement.
For half an hour he explained the
transactions, showing the records,
character, books and other evidence of
his veracity. He also told of his rela
tiOns with Carroll in Chicago and the
circumstances of his trip to California.
1T has been stated that l received the
thousand dollars from the sugar in the
middle of the last session. Look at
this" Lee then showed a statement
from his banker. showing that Aug. 10.
1902. he had deposited a check re-
ceifed from the American Sugar Re
fining company, of New York. He also
showed a small pamphlet made up of
letters from grocers throughout the
country relative to the proposition in
congress to remove the tariff from raw
Cuban sugar.
Gave Service for the Cash.
The letters had been first printed in
the st. Louis Grocer and in The Inter
state Grocer. Not only were the COM
munications printed in both of my pa
pers, which was worth something, but
l spent S240 in sending 1900 copies
of them to the newspapers of the coun-
try. l had no understanding with Mr..
Havemeper about the amount which
was to receive. but he voluntarily sent
me a check for $1,000 on the date
you see in this statement. 1t was for
services rendered, and had absolutely
nothing to do with candy legislation,
as has been asserted.
HimsC: 4 Had the Bill Killed.
1.-TWO years ago the bill passed the
senate, and upon my sole solicitation
was killed in the house committee, as
l told the chairman it was a sand
bagging measure. This year. when they
came to me for assistance l told them
to watch out for themselves, and took
no further interest in the matter.
Jewell was not my representative on
the committee, and that bill was his
own business. Years ago l was on
friendly terms with members of the
Liggett & Myers Tobacco company. l
wrote the obituaries of some of them,
and boosted others when they got pro-
motions. l did every one Of them a
good turn that l could.
Only Friendship, Nothing More.
''I was nominated for lieutenant gov
ernor on June ,. 1900. 1 received a
chec'; for $3.50 from Attorney Fulton.
of Chicago, representing the Ameri-
can Tobacco company. This money
was for campaign expenses, and l took
it simply as an act of friendship from
the dozen or so former st. Louis to-
bacco men who are now at work in
New York Another tobacco man gave
Mr.. Wickard, one of my managers,
check for $3.50 for the same purpose.
1t was simply friendship on their part
and nothing more"