The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-04-08
Game Warden Keist Claims That
He Is Not Mixed in the
Political Sensation
WAS UNDER CIVIL SERVICE
Intimated to Him That Contribution
Would be Appreciated but he
Failed to Take the Hint and
Put in His Share

Michael. Kleist, deputy game warden
from this county declares that he has
no personal interest in the investigation
that is now being made at Madison of
the statements that the game wardens
Of the state raised large campaign
fund which was used by some of the
state officers, @or at any rate turned over
to Governor Davidson for this purpose.
State Game Warden Stone was before
the Investigating committee on Friday
conscience stricken and contrite and he
told a lot Of stuff which made the Com
mission sit up and take notice. Among
others things the state warden declared
that during the last campaign he had
handed to Governor Davidson the sum
of 81 200, which had been raised among
the game wardens Of the state. It
looked at the time the evidence was
given that Stone was attempting to in
a measure at least, discredit Davidson,
but the governor who was at Soldiers
Grove at the time, promptly telegraphed
to Madison that the money which had
been urned over to him by Stone was
untouched il the bank awaiting the call
Of ths state game warden for it. Stone
has not in any way completed his evil
dence and he expects to bring in lot
OF game wardens before he gets through.
Game Warden Kleist was found this
morning carefully surveying a lot Of
bills before the legislature relating to
the protection of game and the civil
service and he was in no way adverse
to talking on the question: ct am not
worrying bit about the revelations
of Game Warden Stone at Madison. !,
ne sad, ''and / am not expecting to be
bron2At into the thing in any way. I
did not pay a cent into the fund said
TO be turned over to the governor. [
got mild hint that contribution would
be acceptable to the department, but I
immediately told them that [ am under
the CIVIL service and that it was against
the rules to make any contributions for
political purposes. At this Kleist cot
meditative and ne concluded his inter
view with the statement, 81 guess that
this is where l got in wrong"
1t is just possible that the statements
OF the Kenosha warden are aiding ma
terially in bringing out the facts at
Madison as he admitted this morning
that he had turned over to the members
Of the investigating committee lot of
facts in regard to the department that
were worthy Of careful scrutiny. Kleist
is back at work, but he is still adverse
to discussing just how he happened to
be returned to his job as a. warden af-
ter being removed by the state game
warden.
Game Warden Stone, testifying be-
fore the senatorial investigation com
mittee Of the legislature Friday swore
that part Of his testimony, given at an
arlier hearing, was false, and that three
Of his deputies had agreed to go on the
stand and perjure themselves by swear
ing they each had received 5000 of
Stephenson money when, in fact, they
did not get any Of it. He also swore
his deputies voluntarily raised a fund
of 81 200 last summer, which they sent
to him for delivery to Gov. Davidson
for campaign purposes. The governor
accepted the contribution, Stone de
clared.
Stone said meeting was held at his
home in Madison a short time ago when
Deputy Wardens Nels Johnson George
L. Kingsley, and S. P. Hichtman agreed
to testify that they each received 5000
of the $4,000 Of Stephenson money
which he got from E. A. Edmonds, Step
henson's campaign manager, and distri-
buted. Stone wanted to correct his
testimony given earlier, he said, because
the three deputies in question had gone
back on their agreement and refused to
perjure themselves.
At the conference when the agree
ment was made Assemblyman J. E.
Thomas, Waukesha, strong Stephenson
supporter, was present, Stone said.
Thomas, however, took no part in the
conversation or proceedings of the con-
ference.
Gov. Davidson Friday night explained
the 81, 200 incident testified to by Game
Warden J. W. Stone, saying that he had
never been able to get an explanation
from Mr.. Stone and that the money is
still in the bank at Mr.. Stone s order.
He said Mr.. Stone laid the money in
an envelope on his desk, saying: TASK
me no questions and I'll tell you no
lies. = The envelope was put away and
all efforts to get an explanation
failed.