Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-06-06
STATEMENT MADE TODAY BY
THOMAS II. TIBBLEs SAYS ONLY
MONEY SPENT in NEBRASKA
WAS FOR BERG CANDIDACY
NEBRASKAN WANTS
ASSERTIONS PROVED
BRYAN SAYS If 1T is SHOWN
THAT RYAN CONTRIBUTED TO
CAMPAIGN FUND HE WILL SEE
MONEY is RETURNED

Omaha, June s. - Some Light
thrown on the disposition of the now
famous $4,000 campaign fund raised
in New York in 1904 and spent In the
Nebraska campaign by statement
given out today by Thomas H. Tib.
bles, PopuliSt nominee for vice presi,
dent in 1904.
At that time Tibbles was editor Of
the Independent at Lincoln, Bryan's
Commoner was printed at the Inde,
pendent plant. Tibbles says:
Give thousand of the fund went
into special edition of $4,000 copies
of the Independent, which was gotten
out for the purpose of electing Berg
for governor. The entire paper was
given up to his candidacy in that ed,-
tion. The Independent was a Populist
paper. Berg was the fusion candidate
for governor.
This amount was handed UP by
Tom Allen, James G, Dahlmann and
Col. John G. Maher. They secured the
funds from the Democratic national
committee on a trip which they made
to New York. / do not know what be-
came Of the other 100000
/ Bryan Not Bought.
II also know something about the
charge that $4,000 was sent to Ne.
braska to get Bryan to support Par.
/ ker. The day after Bran returned
from the st. Louis convention he
dropped into, the Independent Office
sat down at his desk and began writ.
ing an editorial. The first words were,
7 shall support Parker We put that
editorial in type and ran it in the
Commoner the following week. All
that was done long before there was
any talk of needing money In Nebras.
ka election and should dispose Of the
ridiculous talk about Bryan being
paid to support Parker"
Bryan Also Denies.
/ Lincoln, Neb., June 5. - IN state
ment given last night William ],
Bryan replies to an article appearing
q week ago to the effect that Mr.. Bry
an had been the beneficiary of cam
paign contribution made by Thomas
F. Ryan.
Mr.. BRYAN declares II Mr.. Ryan
made the contribution it was without
his knowledge and consent and he re.
peats his former statement that VIXEN
4 1t is proved to him that Mr.. Ryan did
make the contribution, he will see
that the money is returned to the
donor
Mr. Bryan says:
Il have just read the story charging
first, that my brother-in-law, Mr.. Allen,
chairman Of the Democratic state
committee, had a conference with Mr..
Sheehan in 1904 in regard to cam
paign funds.
Second, that Mr. Sheehan, as Mr..
| Ryan's attorney, secured from Mr..
Ryan 100000 for the Nebraska cam
paign.
Third, that Mr.. Ryan made the
contribution to secure my open and
unqualified support of Judge Parker.
Money From National Committee
Fourth, that to disguise the source
OF the contribution Mr. Ryan gave the
check to Mr.. Sheehan, and that Mr..
Sheehah gave his checks to Mr.. AL
| Ien."
Chairman Allen and Mr. Dahlman,
l the Nebraska member of the national
\ Democratic committee, have already
denied the charges, and stated that
| the only money received came from
the national committee, but l desire to
add the following statement:
| Mr.. Allen says that he never saw
either Mr.. Sheehan or Mr. Ryan, and
4 have no reason to doubt his word
If Mr.. Ryan contributed to the Neb-
raska campaign it was not with my
knowledge or consent While ! had
but remote personal interest in tho
Nebraska campaign that year I am
interested in Nebraska politics, and I
am not willing to be, in the slightest
degree Obligated to any favor seeking
corporation.
4 Wants No Corporation Money.
IF, therefore, the World Will secure
from either Mr.. Sheehan or Mr.. Ryan
a statement or prove, in any other way
that Mr.. Ryan gave to Mr. Sheehan,
to any one else, or to the nationsi
committee, any sum whatever, with
the understanding that the sum would
be used in the Nebraska campaign,
shall see that the amount is returned
4 to Mr.. Ryan.
AS to the charge that my support
OF Judge Parker was purchased,
need only say that announced my
support of Judge Parker Immediately
after the st. Louis convention and
that support was open and unqualified
lclosed-