The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-06
GREAT SENSATION
. EXPLODED BY FUNK
He Tells Of 500, 900
"Slush" Fund Raised
to Elect Lorimer.
HIS STORY COMES
UNEXPECTEDLY.
Goes Before Probing Committee
and Tells What He Knows Of
Election Corruption in Order
to Save Editor Kohl
saat From Going
to Jail

Springfield. ILL.,, April 5-Clarenca
Funk, general manager of ~ O.
national Harvester Comnany 49,
me state Senate bribery inyestigatins
committee to-day exploded the bipgast
sen nS'on Of the Lormer bribery case
LIT, Mr. sunk testified that Edward III
aaa,. OF chicago. millionaire lumber
dealer. asked him. as a manara,. - IN
the Harvester Company. to contrihrta 4
Slo,ooo to reimburse certain men who
nad put up 100000 "slush', fund 10 4.
elect William Lorimer to the tinted
states Senate.
further testified that MIR. Hines named d;
reward Tiiden. wealthy Chicago pa
Ell as the collector or this fund to
reimburse the men who, as Mr.. Hines
was quoted as having said, had ''un-
uerWrltten the election of Lorimer
To Snvc I<ohlSnnt. 8
Mr.. Funk declared that his ohtect X
In giving this testimony was to save
II. ~ kohlsaat. published Of the Chi N
cago Record Herald, from a possible
jail sentence as result OF Mr. Kohl Y
saats refusal to give certain infor-ff 4,
nation demanded by the committee
last week -gs
The witness said he had given Mr..
kohlsaat information in confidence
upon which the Chicago publisher had
osioSu al euitoIldl. lie puDltCa ton In sE
FEBRUARY. last OF this editorial which
charged the use of a. 100000 fund to
elect Lorimer, resulted in tho calling
OF Mr.. Nohlsaat as a witness before the 8i
committee. Flo refused to make known
the name of Mr. Funk and was given \
one weeks time to dtvulge this name
or stand In contempt of the Senate
committed. 81
Funk testified to-day that he yolun-
tarily released Mr.. Kohlsaat from the
pledge of confidence when he felt that
the publisher would DO sent to fall
unless the information We're given. M
The disclosures made by Funk oc-
CURED unexpectedly at a Specially
foalled meeting Of the Senate commit
| tee members. The committee was not
scheduled to resume It's inquiry until
tomorrow, at which time Mr. Kohl
saat had been ordered to reappear. But \
Mr.. Kohlsaat and Mr.. Funk arriced in
Springfield this morning from Chicago,
and Chairman Helm. OF the investiga-
ton committee. at once called its mem
tership In special session
News Reaches State House.
News OF the disclosures before the
committee reached tho State House,
nearby, within a few moments The y
House was still in session. while the
Senate had Just adjourned for the day.
The reports caused excitement. much
discussion and hurried consultations
of the Legislature.
A number OF the House members
left their seats in the midst of the
debate OF the civil service bills to
learn more OF the disclosures made by
Funk.
Mr. Kohlsaat preceded MT. F'ul.lz on
the witness stand. He briefly stated
that he was ready to give the name
Of the man who had furnished him with
the report OF the alleged 100000 slush
fund.
In explanation OF the appearance OF &
Mr.. Funk, he said:
when I arrived at my office Thurs-
day morning the first call over the
telephone was from Clarence S. t.un6,
general manager of the 1nternationai
Harvester Company. MI. Funk asked iL
he could see me at once. and told
him yes to come over and, as near
as I can remember. he said:
..I see by the papers last night ana
this morning that YOU have heen SUD
noenacd TO appear In Springfield and
had decided to give up my name 70 tne
committed The senate committee. -
wo,,la he little less than man II !
held you under any further confidence
as TO giving my name or idenuty. saEAs
wish to say now that I release you from
all obligation to maintain secrecy ana
that feel also have duty 10 per-
form thatsuntil this time I did not feel
free to. and If the committee wishes
10 subpoena me, Will go to Spring III
field and tell the whole story Ss4
His Duty to Tell All.
''He further said:
/" When reached his office thla
morning I met Mr.. Cyrus II. McCor-
mick, the president OF the international
Harvester Company, and he asked me-
ii I had seen the morning papers as 10
what had taken place at Sprinsneio.
said I had. lie remarked: How do
you feel about it," said MI Nc
Cormick, think that It is my duty not
only to release Mr.. kohlsaat from all
obligations of silence, but 1t Is also
my duty to go and tell everything I
know. in regard to it" Mr.. Mccormick
answered. "Goot. That is exactly z
what I wanted to say. and want you
to tell that committee everything you
know, no matter what the consequences
NAV be 10 the International Harvester
Company
In further detailing his conversation
with Mr. Funk concerning the alleged
hribery Mr.. Kohlsaat said:
.:AIr. Funk told ME that the gentle-%5
man who came 10 him said that they
had had an opportunity to elect Senator
I.oriner by raising fund OF Sloo,Ooo.
4 few OF them had nuderwritten It Il
and we're now around asking some pes
Pile to reimburse them partially for tho +
money that was spent
Asked to Contribute.
Clarence S, Funk. general manager
called and told OF a conversation with s
Edward Hines. which he said took
place in the Union League Club a bout
the first part Of June, 1909 Mr.. Funk Il
..tTe said was lust tho fellow no &
had been LOOKING tor, n ,r trying ton
see and 81 said hs wanted Ito salk s e
down, and without any prelimtnarte1,B s