The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-10-04
BRIBERY DENIED BY
STEPHENSON AIDES

MILWAUKEE, Wis. Oct aside
from hearing testimony that followers OF
Senator Robert NJ La Toilette in Wis
consin are known as "half-breeds' and
that they are the political foes of Senator
Isaac Stephenson, the senatorial COM
mittec which is investigating charges
that senator Stephenson's election WAS
secured through bribery today devoted ITS
attention TO digging into campaign eX-
pense accounts.
Much of the necessity for eXpcndins an
amount as great as s1o5793 TO get the
nomination for Mr.. Stephenson al the
primaries In 1908 was declared by wit
nesses to he due 10 opposition cNericd
by Senator La Follettc's followers, To
organize each OF the ZOO precincts In the
| state 1t was necessary 10 spend money
literally. the Witnesses said,
All four OF thc Stephenson campaign
j. " II, f. Puelicher of Milwaukee j. <. Van
| Clcayo of Marnette and Rodney Sackctt
Of Berlin Wis.-tcstificd that the funds
were legtimatcly used. Senator Ste
phenson's slogan. often repeated 10 them
when he gave the money. according Ia
their testimony, wos. Keep within the
| law, whatever YOU do.
While the entire amount expended by
Senator stephenson in tho primary cam
! paIgn was declared to be SlOLsa@ nu
! one OF the witnesses admitted handling
! the entire amount.
E0munds. who WsS in charge or The
headqusrtcrS In Milwaukee. testified that
/ be personally handled not more than
S5ooo
Puclichcr said hc mcreiy was custodian
| of the fund and the extent Of his re-
reGusiions were made.
Van Cleayc testified he remained Al
| Marinctre senator Stephenson's hon,
| CullS MllWaNI- =
kec and other places for moro money
| he went 10 sec the s"ualnr. In this WAY,
he said, ho handled $4,000; hut he did
not know what was done with il beyond
that II MAS gent 10 the stephenson head
! quarters 20 be expended for campaign
| purposes.
! ters in Milwaukee for money YOU wen,
10 Senator Stnphcnson's office and told
| him about it-was ihst N2' asked Scna
tor Hcyhurn tho chairman.
"rid ,hc. senator readily give up The
| money!
Eyes" replied Van Clcave. "GIc al
WAYS gave it nr 1n spmetmss lIS he S asked 81
money, AS the campaign WAS costing him
two or three times Is much as he had
| thought IL would. HIS only comment MAS
! that lie wanted them 10 keep within tho
| law. Not n dollar WAS spent corrupily.
Rodney Hackctt. who is "a clerk In tho
| United states senate. testified that hc
worked In the Mliwnukce headquarters
and had tho handling Of aDou, SaS. 900
| He spent money In paying salaries and
| travelling expenses of workers who wore
| sent over tho state 10 boom Senator Stu-
nbcnson's candidacy, II" kept II card
index record OF the expenditures. but
! after tho campaign. finding the cards had
been badly worn. ho destroyed them
after making COPY Of the amounts
spent
| "How. when YOU destroyed those cards
did YOU expect Ia defend Yourself agains,
| n charge that the money might have
bepu uscd for bribery" You have moth =
ing 10 show now that the money was moi
spent for bribery have ycu?' asked
Senator Hepburn.
ono one ever thought there was soinI
10 he charge Of bribery and there is
no ground for amy now replied the wit
ness.