The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1909-05-14


three members of the assembly handed
money in the Plankington house, Mil
waukee, by NJ. j. Regain, acting as go
between for j. H. Puelicher, one of
Senator Stephenson's campaign man
ayers.
Although the story was exploded by
the committee after visit to Milwau-
kee and an examination of the rooms
mentioned by Wagner, it has not yet
ceased to be the topic of discussion in
legislative circles
The three assemblymen named by
Wagner are Messrs. Farrell and Ram
sey of Milwaukee and Towne of Sank
county Wagner said while engaged in
watching a man and a woman in room
154 Occupying No. 153 himself), he
heard familiar voices in room 152. Pill
ing up the furniture in the room he
looked through the transom and saw
Puelicher, who is cashier of the Mar,
shall & Ilsley bank of Milwaukee,
hand large bundle of currency to
Regan, who in turn distributed it
among the three solons
No Transom Above Door.
The legislators, who are all Demo-
Gratis, will be remembered as the ones
who remained away from the joint
convention when the final ballot was
taken for senator and Isaac Stephen
son was elected, and the investigating
committee has been busily engaged in
an endeavor to find out their motives
ever since.
The committee on Thursday night
went to Milwaukee, together with
Wagner and Attorney w. e. Black for
Stephenson and found there had been
no transom above the door as indicated
by Wagner for over year Other de-
tails of the room differed from Wag-
ner's description and the committee
finally issued a statement declaring the
belief that Wagner's story was made
of whole cloth. That Wagner is in
sane is the belief of many who profess
to know him.
All of the men accused, with the ex-
ception of Puelicher, who is in Europe,
issued sweeping denia1s of Wagner's
story, all declaring they were not in
the hotel on February 20, the date
named by Wagner The three legisla-
tors asserted they were not even in
Milwaukee on that date.
Edmonds Before Committee.
After being adjudged in contempt by
the senate, State Chairman E. A. Ed
monds appeared before the committee
-, T,,ocd0v ord r,oo,,n;o1 +l,o -+o,d I'll
day On Friday, after Wagner had
been disposed of, he resumed his tes-
timony The committee quizzed him
principally regarding his alleged pay
ment of Stephenson money to candi-
dates for the legislature during the
campaign Particular stress was laid
on the charge that Edmonds had paid
ssas much as 500" to the candidate
for senator in his home county-Sen-
ator Lehr.A On this point Edmonds
testified tt was not true ito the best
of his recollection, but the committee
would not be satisfied and pressed him
for an unequivocal answer Finally he
said he did not believe" that over
$3.50 was paid to any candidate for the
legislature during the general cam
paign, and he was "quite sure" that
the charge as to Senator Lehr was not
true. He also was quite positive that
money was not paid to candidates for
the legislature during the primary
campaign.
Edmond refused to admit that he
had deliberately destroyed" the rec
ords in his state central committee
headquarters by which the committee
could be enlightened regarding his dis
posa1 of money. He said they were
no longer Gin existence and pre- /
sumed" that if they were destroyed he