The sun., 1910-01-08
LA TOILETTE ASKED S8SO,OOO
SENATOR STEPHENSON TELLS
or "PROGRESSIVE" DEMAND.

UT EHOUAEOSAbE - DEh hNOs
Insurwent Leader wanted Money TO Help
Hls Campaign for the Presidency, and
when Refused withdrew support
From StephensOn's senate Candidacy
MILwAUKEE. Jan. THE suit OF ex-
Assemblyman Herman L. Ekern against
Assemblyman Albert T. Twesms on ac-
count Of matters growing out OF the cam
paign OF 1908 brought out some startling
statements to-day when the deposition
Of Senator Isaac Stephenson was taken.
The reason Senator La Toilette and
Senator Isaac Stephenson came to a part
ing OF the ways was that tho latter refused
to pony up a quarter OF a million dollars
for Presidential campaign for Senator
La Follette. Such was the statement Of
Senator Stephenson this afternoon.
The examination took place In the
Offices OF Frost 4 Frost. Edward Lees
OF winona appeared for Mr.. Twesms and
former Attorney General James L. 0'Con-
nor for Mr.. Ekern. Senator Stephenson
was in the city on his way to Warrington.
and arrangements had been mad~ for
his examination. "a
Il In possible Senator Stephenson would
not have said 40 much. but the per-
sistency and tnsinuaticns with which the
attorney for the plaintiff stirred him
finally brought from him the real reason
Why Senator La Toilette and his pro-
gressive' supporters switched away from
him.
From Senator Stsphenson's testimony.
given at times with evident reluctance.
IL appeared that after he had been asked
to sweeten the campaign pot with s2so. 900
the demand was lowered tn s25 900. and
finally the La Toilette men were glad
to take two checks for 81. 900 each.
These checks figured in the iDvestigs-
ton in Madison last winter. but as 70 the
other financial transactions Senator
Stephenson succeeded at that time In
evading direct replies. In his examinR-
ton to-day he testified that Mr.. EksTn
and Mr.. Dahl came to Marinette and asked
him to contribute 81. 600 TO the La Toilette
Presidential campaign fund.
The Senator refused to invest so heavily
and after lengthy discussion. in which
he said his visitors did most OF the talking.
he gave them a check for 81 900.
When he was in WashinRt Mr.. Ekeru,
he said came to the Shorsham Hotel.
where he was staying. and opened another
line Of argument. the burden Of which
was that Senator Stephenson ought to
help along the -progressive' cause. Of
which Senator La Toilette was the loader.
by a contribution OF $4,000.
Mr.. Ekern argued persistently. but
Senator Stephenson proved obdurats
All that he would agree to do was to pay
the expenses OF headquarters when the
La Toilette men came to Chicago to the
national convention.
On this Mr.. Ekern. 1t was said. engaged
thirty rooms in tho Stafford Hotel The
hotel people. however. insisted on a bond
| for q, 500. and the bond was forwarded
TO Washington for Senator Stephenson's
signature.
Senator Stephenson said he refused
to sign it. but later sent the La Toilette
COMMITTEES a check for 200. This com
pleted his contributions TO the Presidential
campaign OF the senior Senator.
Mr.. O'Connor IN his cross-examfna-
tion stirred the ire Of Mr.. Stephenson by
his line Of questions. and he said that tho
first signs OF GOODNESS came when he sug-
gested that instead Of trying TO pass more
laws they see that those already on the
statute books were enforced.
1t was suggested by Mr.. O'Connor that
this was the cause OF the break. when
Senator Stephenson said that the real
cause of the break was his refusal to oon-
tribute a quarter million 70 La Follettsis
Presidential campaign fund.
He said further. when the suggestion
was made that his memory might be bad.
that in support OF what he might say no
had a stack OF letters from Senator La
Follettee and his followers which would
in time be published and would show up
some people in a far different light from
that in which they had posed. They
will make interesting reading said Mr..
Stephenson.
At the conclusion OF the examination
Mr.. Ekern. white with rage. turned to
CO. and as he did said: ~You arc an old
man. Senator. but you have done great
injustice TO Senator La Toilette this after
noon.'
Il may be an old man." replied Ste
phenson, ~but am not so old that do
not know what am sayin nR."
IL was intimated by those In attend
anoe. though not brought out in the
examination, that the chief argument
used in tho attempt to raise the $3.50 900
for the campa ign fund was a hint that
Stephenson might be the Mark Hanna
OF the La Toilette admin istration in case
the latter was elected, but Mr.. Stephenson
had been measuring men as we'll as logs
for too many years to be taken In by this
argument.
MlNCHURIA n. n. PROBLEM.