The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-15
CHARGES ARE
 NOT PROVEN Investigation of Niedring-
 hauS'S Gift. RICH BREWERS TESTIFY Tell of Contributions to- Canl-
 paign Fund.
  Niedrinshaus Declines to Say Whether He Was Out sef Pocket the
 sa1,ooo He Says that 

St. Louis, Jan. 14.-The Senate and House Committees which are investi- gating campaign contributions, said to have been made by others reported in the name of Chairman Niedringhaus of the Republican State Committee and caucus nominee for United States sena- tor. resumed their hearings today. Sep- arate sessions were held. as on yester- day. Among the witnesses summoned for today were Brewers Busch and Stifel. MT. Busch and Mt Stifel told the House committee practically the same story as that heard last night from Mir. done. their contribution was a guaran- tee to meet deficit and entailed no promise of favors for their business in- terests.
 After they had finished, MT. Niedrlng- haus made a voluntary statement. He said Col. R. c. Kerens, after the elec- ton, promised to pay one-third or the committees deficit Before the eIec tion he said. Colonel Kerens and Will liam Thompson had expressed a. readi- ness to stand their share of the ex- pense MT Nledringhaus said he made thIs statement in justice to Colonel Kerens and friends. The committee then took a recess.
 MT. Niedringhaus was the nrst wlt- ness today before the Senate Commit tee. His direct testimony was on the svh,1a tbA same as he gave before the House Committee last night Most or inc questioning was made by Senator McDavfd
 "Did you make an affidavit that you had made contribution of S2l,OOVF he was asked.
 'Yes, sir" he was answered.
 He said that Otto Stifel had not paid his share of the guarantee yet as tnere had been no settlement. when MT. NiedFinghaus was asked if hc had in fact contributed anything kfo the campaign fund, he said he had tcontrtbuted four months of hts~t4 time and was the only one around headauar- ters who had not received q salary. Adolphua Busch Testifies.
 Adolphus Busch later took the stand. He said the fund was guarantee ana 1t was expected that half of it would be paid back if the state was lost to the Republicans. and. all of it if the national committed had money left over.
 Thomas Atkins, national committee man. denied that he had promised fed eraI jobs in return for votes for Med ringhaus for United States Senator, A recess was then taken. Otto Stlfel was the first witness at inc afternoon session of the senate committee. He corroborated what MT. Niedringhaus had told about tho meet | ing at the Busch residence. Mr. Niedringhaus was recalled and was asked who his campaign managers were He said they were c. D. Morris. of St. Joseph. Harry Mitchell. of Me- vada. J. C. Mccoy and Jeptha Howe IIl oh, of the funds and P M. Hanson had charge of tho expenditures at Jefferson City. He was asked if 1t is true that $500 had been expended for railroad 1 tickets to Jefferson City. He said some tickets were bought, but he did not know how much he spent for them. He was asked how many meal tickets were bought and he said he did not know.
 Parted With the Money.
 Did you fin fact contribute that amount or part with that much money?"
 q consider that have parted with that money of my own account"
 He explained he kept all campaign funds credited to his personal account at the National Bank of Commerce, and that he kept no separate account as acting treasurer of the State Commit tee. Whatever was paid came from ! Busch gave, he said. 1t was deposited in that way. Questioned about the S2,500 which he admitted was given by Mr. Busch before the meeting at the Busch residence, he said 1t was not originally given as guarantee but was afterward applied on the guaran- tee fund. He admitted that the check for s2,500 was not entered on the | books.
 | "a n ems had written him after the election making inquiry about the deficit but he had not answered the letter.
 He was asked why he preferred the contribution of Busch to that of Ker- ems, and said he did not consider 1t l contribution.
 The witness explained he did not re- ply to the letter of Kerens because he thought the National Committee would reimburse Busch. Stifel and himself and it would not be necessary. He suggest ed that what was meant by the credit of a contribution of $21.000 to himself 1 in the report was that the contribution was made by him as trustee.
 "Why did you credit that $21.000 the way you did?" Senator McDavid asked him.
 Tt had to be credited some way" he answered.
 "W1II you answer yes OI no to tnlS question: Were you out of pocket $21,- 1 900 which you credited yourself with having contributed 1t to the Republican campaign fund.-"
 "Is it fair to ask me to answer yes or no to that question?' "Then you decline to answer it?'
 Yes, I suppose I dO.' The Investigating committee of the Missouri House of Representatives sent to St. Louis to determine the source and nature of the $21,OOO con- tributed to the Republican State cam paign fund officially credited to Thomas K Niedringhaus, who was chairman of the Republican State Central Commit tee and is now caucus nominee for United States Senator according to the Republican members who constitute a majority will report that its investiga- tion has disclosed nothing to substan- tiate Representative Grace's charges l that brewers contributed money dur l ing the campaign to influence its Iegis- lation. The Senate committee did not finish today and the House committee