The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-11
THE STEPHENSON
CASE IS FL|MSY
Nothing in the Charges Elk.
cept Oratory, Hearsay
and Editorials

Milwaukee, Wis, Oct. 1.-THE
charges that United States Senator
Isaac Stephenson of Wisconsin Sc
cured his election through bribery and
that he spent $l07,793 corruptly to in
nuence voters were put by the Unit
ed States senate investigating commit
tee squarely up to John ]. Blaine, a
AS result, Blaine admitted he had
no facts or information personally
known to him to be true upon which
to substantiate his charges. He ad-
mttted the charges were based large
ly on newspaper editorials, political
speeches and hearsay.
And upon such information you
We're willing to make allegations
which might jeopardize United
true might send him to the peniten-
tiary-is that true?" asked Senator w.
B. Hepburn. the chairman.
To this question Blaine made no
answer other that he thought he was
performing public duty by having an
investigation of what he said was cur
rent report.
do you think it a public duty to
bring charges against a United States
them?" asked Chairman Hepburn.
S@OooAS ooS tACPiCu Tic WllucSS
so when the investigation is begun
facts whatever that could be admitted
IN court of law as proper and per-
tinent to challenge the validity either
of Senator Stephenson's nomination
or of his election?"
None, of my own knowledge"
Blaine was on the witness stand prac.
tically all day. IT. was he who orig.
inally brought the charges in the Wis.
consin legislature where two investi.
vorably to the senator and one ad.
versely. In consequence of an ad.
verse legislative report. the governor
| of Wisconsin submitted the question tc
| the United States senate with a re.
quest for federal investigation
Blatne's charges purporting to give
sixteen specific instances wherein the
law had been violated, were in brie1
that prior to his nomination at the
son. who was a candidate to succeed
himself. corruptly spent $107.793 tc
encompass his election. The first
three of the charges pertained to the
giving by Senator Stephenson to E. A
Edmonds. his campaign manager. "a
sum in excess Of s106,000 and approXi.
mating $250,00O." 1t was developed
that $107,793 was the correct amount
How do you know that this money
bribery and to accomplish other cor
rupt ends?" Blaine was asked.
Il had Edmonds' word that he re-
ceived certain sums for campaign
purposes. The word 'corrupting and
bribing electors we're put to meet the
requirements of the law in making
specific charges in such instances"
You had no facts of your personal
knowledge upon which to base
them?"
None"
The charge that "in pursuance of
his purposes and designs Senator
Stephenson gave to U. c. Keller of
Sauk county $500 corruptly and un-
lawfully to be used in Stephens be-
half. Blaine declared, were based on
a letter he had received. and that was
all he knew of it.
AS basis for the charge that Large
bright of Racine. Wis.," Blaine cited
information given him by an editor of
a newspaper opposed to Senator Ste
phenson.
"That was all the information you
had?"
Eyes: that was ALL"
''Why were you trying to work up
Spec1hc charges against Senator Ste
phenson?" asked Chairman Hepburn.
1T was necessary under the law in
order to get an Investigation
why did you want an investiga-
tion?" merely n answer to clamor."
1.-THE bribery was everywhere talked
about and I deemed it my duty to
cause an investigate tion."
I'm the primaries who were you
supporting for the senate?"
wv. H. Hatton."
$50 you really have no knowledge.
even second-handed knowledge. that
money was paid to Hambright
None"
For his charge that $1,000 was paid
to Roy Morse OF Fond Du Lac. Wis,
to be used pnlawfully, Blaine said he
read an editorial published in news
paper In Appleton.
That's a pretty severe charge to
bring against senator merely bas-
ing 1t on an editorial you had
read" said Chairman Hepburn. do
you think any occasion is serious
enough to justify you in making
charges that might put a man in the
penitentiary without asking an inves-
tigation.'
Eyes. I think sometimes 1 would be
justified"
"You didn't even telephone to that
editor to find out whether his infor-
nation was correct? You preferred