The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-19
LOR|MER PROBE
 BEMUDDLED BY CONTRADICTIONS Today's Witnesses Impugn Important Previous
 Testimony
WINNIPEG FLYER"
 TALE IS DENIED
B. A. Johnson Also Denies Alleged Admission of Bribery By Wiehe., Frame Corroborates Hettler
 Story of Hines Remark

Washington, July 1s.-More contra dlciions in testimony before the Sen alor Lorimer committee today bemud- dled the Lorimer investigation far worse than at any time since the new Inquiry began. Each of the four wit nesees today contradicted important testimony previously given to the com rittee.
 Charles MeGowan, a young Canadian contractor, testified that c. F. Wiehe, secretary of the Edward Hines Lum- | ;. Der company, did not remark on the "INinnipeg Flyer on the way from Du- II th to Virginia. Mnn., in March, 1911, that there was q jackpot raised to elect Lorimer and that he subscribed Sto.oo0 to 1t. William H. Burgess tes- tifled yesterday that Wiehe did make tlis remark in the presence of himself and a "ynlng Canadian' which de- scription applies to McGowan.
 E. A Johnson of Chicago, unts ' 1911, general staff representa-
 the American Lumbermen, testifie. , Niene made no such statement. Isaac Baker. buyer for the Ed II ward Hines Lumber company, denied ' that Edward Hines, president of this company, said over long distance telephone to Springfield from w. H. Cooks room in a Chicago hotel on May 26, 1909, that he would come to { Springfield with all the money neces- sar, for I.orimers election. Cook testi lied Hines did so state.
 Bakers testimony regarding the tes- t!rony agreed almost verbatim with that given by Hines Baker agreed of Hines I1aatipU Clal ence $. Funk, general manager of the International Harvester company, who claims Hines asked him for a $l0,- oe0 Dorimer election contributions Jiines says Funk asked to be intro- s.u ed to Lorimer for the privilege of contributing to his campaign expenses. . Baker told about the introduction re- quest just as Hines had testified.
 Frame Testifies
 Donald M Frame. cigar stand em- psoye in the Union League club, testi- fled that Hines once remarked to H. H. st4sttler that he tHires) elected Lori : mer. thus, corroborating Hettler's tes- fniony and contradicting Hines
 McGowan was subjected to rigid cross examination. He asserted that all the men in the smoking car when Burgess said the Wiehe conversation took place were Strangers to him at that time, but that he remembered where each sat and tne Ordef III Wnlcn lneN left ble smoker. Instead of Wiehe remaining in the smoker until all the party of eight or ten men left, except Burgess and McGowan. the witness said Wiehe was the first to leave. Later McGowan declared to be correct an affidavit he had made few weeks ago in which he said Wiehe was continuously in the presence of some of his party all of the way from Duluth to Virginia, Minn. Attorney John H. Marble for the committee pointed out that the witness could not know with whom Wiehe was after he left the smoker.
 T must have misunderstood the aff- davit,p McGowan said.
 The witness was positive he heard everything said during the trip and he was sure nothing said about Lorimer.. The tariff and reciprocity were discussed, but he was unable to tell what anyone said about either.
 Johnson disagreed with Burgess about Wiehe remaining in the smoker after the 'efitness had left it.
 Where did you sit?" one of the attor- neys inquired. Oh, l sat in two or three seats.,' the witness began, but he was not able to finish the sentence. Johnson is large man and his remark caused an uproar Of laughter.
 1 meant at different times, Johnson explained, laughing. Johnson will be CIoSS-cAdlillilcu toiHciiOW
 Discussed Hines Remark
 Frame said he had been asked by Het- tier if he remembered the ''peculiar re- mark Hines made on the day of Lori mer's election, but neither had repeated the remark to the other. The witness said he and Hettler had frequently "joked about, Hines remark"
 Tho Ipart of the conversation which Hines said took place near MT. Baker was repeated as Hines told it to the com mittee. A
 Don't you regard it as remarkable for you to make precisely the same report of those conversations that Hines does?'' in- Quired Senator Kern.
 "No sir, J do not was the reply.
 A grueling cross-examination was given Baker.
 The witness declared 1t was not un- usual for him to repeat precisely Hines words, and insisted that he had never read Hines testimony nor heard Hines ac- count for the conversations which took place more than two years ago.
 MT McGowan of Regina Saskatsche- wan, Canada, took the stand as the hith- orto unidentified young Canadian who was on the Winnipeg flyer in March. 1911, during the alleged conversation between c. F. Wiehe and William Burgess about the Lorimer election jackpot" Burgess testified Wiehe remarked to him in the presence Of the Canadian tnat Ja;k- pot wasraised to elect Lorimer and that he subscribed $10,O00 to it.
 ''Did MT. Wiehe at any time during the conversation say anything about there having been jackpot raised to elect Lorimer or about MT. Wiehe having con- tributed to it?' Attorney Hynes inquired.
 "No sir" said MT. McGowan. there was nothing said about the election of Senator Lorimer.'
 The witness denied the Father Green incident which Burgess had testified was discussed in the train conversation.