Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-13
KULPON THESTAND.
Davenport Militia Captain Tes-
titles on Own Defense at
Des Moines.
TELLS HIS STORY OF EVENING
Evidence of Effect of State Politics
Grows More Strong as the Case
- Approaches an End.

Des Moines, Iowa Dec. 13.-Captain
%. w. Kulp of Davenport took the
stand in his own defense this morning
in the court martial proceedings in
which he is accused of violation of
orders of his superior officers in fail
ing to prevent a prize fight. The cap
tain was led by his attorneys to relate
in detail the incidents of the evening
on which the offense is alleged to
have taken place. He, materially
strengthened the position of the de-
Tense in maintaining that the boxing
contest was not in reality prize fight
and therefore was not in violation of
law.
Did Duty He Saw II.
81 was ordered to stop a prize fight
declared the witness, land | did as
was ordered to do. | did not stop n
boxing exhibition and was not ordered
to do So | merely did what l thought
it my duty to do
Lieutenant James G. Mason Co.
Kulp's company tainted on the witness
stand today.
That the Kulp court martial is mix
ed with Iowa politics and that the
Davenport captain may be a scapegOat
of politicians was plainly shown by
the developments yesterday when John
B. Hammond, superintendent of law
enforcement for the Iowa Law and
Order league, who had described the
HermanMcFarland match, and was
turned over TO the defense for cross
examination Hammond had sworn
! that he was employed to attend the
| fight, and that he witnessed a 15-rOund
battle in which two men fought until
one was defeated.
who paid your expenses for your
trip to Davenport, Mr.. Hammond?"
asked Attorney Chamberlin. The wit
ness redeemed, hesitaIeG, and then
said:
Il decline TO answer that question:
| Attorney Chamberlin insisted upon
an answer, and Colonel Lincoln for
the trial board ruled that the question
must be answered. &
Were After Cummins.
These conversant with the situation
say no doubt the political opponents
of Governor Cummins sent an agent
of the Law and Order league to Dav-
! export TO witness the boxing bouts,
The new turn taken by the eXamina-
ton shows the far-reaching political eff
feet the Davenport exhibition and Kulp
trial may have.
Finally, after a consultation with the
states counsel Hammond said:
MY expenses were paid by c. A.
Baker of Centervine" rss ha.
c. A. Baker is a son of former Attor-
ney General Baker, with whom Ham.
the mulct law
Hammond has said that he was sent
by parties in Des Moines. This after.
ward he said was only his understand
ing of the matter. from hearSay. He
said he didn't know who the parties
Were
. Where We're you in the afternoon
before you went to Davenport in
l quired Attorney Chamberlin.
The witness was nOn-committal.
: Hints at Letter.
Didn't you help draw up letter Il
Governor Cummins that afternoon pur
porting to come from Davenport, say
ing that if the governor ordered the
" fight stopped, the sheriff had said h,
would tell the governor to go TO hell?'
: INC, sir
Wasn't that letter a part of the sam,
transaction that sent you to Daven
!. port?'
81 don't know anything ABOUT LET
ter to the governor"
OOtrl1A nv