The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-03
Investigation of Wisconsin Senator Begins At
 Milwaukee
MUCH MONEY WENT
 FOR ADVERTISING
COunel for Defense Claims Committo Q Has No Authority To Investigate Money Spent in Primary.
 Sensations Promised

Milwaukee, October 2.--On the witness stand before the senatorial Investigating committee for three hours to answer charges that bribery and corrupt use of money had contributed to his election, United States Senator Isaac Stephenson today testified that although he spent Sl0I,793 in his campaign. he had little knowledge as to just how it was spent, except that it was not used in violation of the law. The details, he said, he had left to his campaign managers.
 As an instance of his ignorance of just where the money went, he cited an item of s11,Oo0 for postage.
 No declared Senator Stephenson, "I am president of more than dozen active industries in this state, and I have in my employ more than 3000 men. some of whom have been with me for 50 years. In them I have every confidence. I do not pay any attention to the details of these industries. Just as when my campaign nomination in the primaries of 1908 came up, I could not lay awake nights trying to figure how the postage was used. I gave sums of money to my managers and told them to carry on a vigorous campaign and do everything to elect me, except that they must keep within the
 law. I cautioned them not to violate the law in any particular. So far as l know, they obeyed me"
 Citing proportonately large expendi- lures for advertising. coat lapel buttons, lthograph advertising in newspapers and travelling expenses, witness testified he frequently asked where so much money was going, but on being told it was a close fight and. the state had to be S ss .ematically canvassed to elect nini he questioned the matter no further.
 Two points as being the pivot of de- fense in the inquiry which is being con- ducted by subcommittee of the senate committee on privileges and elections were made known by Charles E. Little field, counsel for MT. Stephenson. One was that the committee had no authority to investigate the primary campaign Of 1908, at which MT. Stephenson was nom irated but must confine itself to ques- tioning whether the senator actually eX- pended money for his election by the state legislature in 1909.
 He asserted that all the money vas spent in the nomination and not dollar went to the election. Another deciafa- tion was that MT. Stephenson was elected bv the legislature when both houses voted separately dn January 26, 1909, and that the subsequent election by the legislature jointly on March 1. 1909, when three dem ocratc members absented themselves and gave MT. Stephenson a majority
 The committee announced at present the committee would not confne itself 10 any of the Limitations set forth,
 Continuing his testimony. MT. Steph" enson declared he had given large sums for campaign purposes to men who afterward became candidates Tor the legislature and several or these were elected He was not aware or their candidacy when he gave them money.
 short time afterward gave them SIT. 900 more" said Senator W. B. Hey burn, chairman.
 "Did you ask them what they were doing with all that money?'
 No: only in general way.
 "In october, 1908, more than a month after the primaries, you gave Puelicher, one of your managers, several thous- and dollars, did you not? Did you not inquire what it was for"
 ''I supposed it was for some bill. They did not always present bills promptly. Likewise, I gave J. Ear! Morgan. my son-in-law, $2500 for cam- paign expenses
 Did you pay three democratic mem- bers or anyone for absenting them selves from the legislature on March IA, 1907. so that you could have a majority?"
 No. I never knew of any member having absented himself. except as read in the newspapers"
 D. A. Ediuonds. another election man. ager, testified he knew of no money having been illegally used in MT. Stephcnson's election. The bill for ad- vertising amounted to $40,000. State Game Warden J. w. stone was paid s2500 on M- Stephenson's instructions. but he did not know to what use the money was put. In previous legis- lative investigations it was brought out that MT. Stone distributed money to deputy wardens.
 The committee will resume it's hear- ings tomorrow when some of Senator Stephenson's campaign workers will be examined.