New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-18
JACKPOT" IN WISCONSIN,.
Edward Illness Name Brought
Into Stephenson Inquiry.
$4,000 IN ALLEGED POT
Witness Heard Hines and Ste
phenson Put Up $4,000 Each
to Keep Democrats Away.

Milwaukee. oct. 11.-Purported state
ments of others that Edward Hines. the
lumberman. and United States Senator
Isaac Stephenson each contributed $4,000
to pot of $4,000 to secure the absence
of Democratic members from the Wisconsin
Legislature on March 4, 1909 so that SEN
ator Stephenson might be elected, formed
the basis of testimony given by Thomas
Morris. Lieutenant Governor Of Wisconsin.
before the Senate investigating committee
this afternoon.
Morris declared that the information was
given to him chiefly by w II. Cook, Of
Duluth. who figured prominently in the first
investigation of Senator Lorimers election
and that Cook said that Robert J. Shields
of Superior. Wis. also mentioned in the
Lorimer case. received $500 for his ser
vices in putting the deal through. Before
testifying. Lieutenant Governor Morris stip-
ulated that his statements were to be taken
as second hand" as they were based on
what others had told him Under this con-
dition. Senator W. r. Hepburn, the chair
man instructed him to proceed
The substance Of what Morris testified
was told to him follows:
THAT after charges were made in a
legislative committee, concerning the man
ner of Senator Stephenson's nomination At
the primaries in 1903, and while his cleo
ton was still pending in the Legislature in
1909 Edward Hines went 10 Senator Steph-
enson at Washington and told him he
cause Of the charges the Senator could
not he reelected; that at Illness sueges-
ton il was then agreed they each would
raise $4,000 to put the election through; that
Shields went To Washington and secured
from Senator Stephenson "A check signed
i'm blank. that on March {. 1863. three
Democratic members absented themselves
from the Legislature. thus giving stephen
son a majority: that Shields hired spe-
ciaI train to take from Milwaukee 10 Madi-
son a legislator favorable to Stephenson,
and that Shields demanded $1,000 for what
he had done, bat Stephenson and Hines
after having a dispute over the amount,
gave him $500
Morris testified that Cooks statements
were made to him in a lawyers office in
the Rookery Building, in Chicago. last
summer in the presence of State Senator
Paul O. Husting and ex-Assistant Attorney
General A. &. Titus both of Wisconsin.
Morris said w. r. Kittle. of Madison
had given him the information about
Shieldss going to Washington and getting
the blank check Morris further said that
C.. II. Crownhart. chairman OF the state
Industrial Commission. had told him that
A detective named Saunderson in Milwau-
kee had secured much information about
Shields.
Chairman Hepburn Immediately issued
subpnnas for the appearance of all those
named The committee was informed That
Shields was in Chicago. waiting to be
heard as witness in the Lorimer case.
Mr.. Hepburn announced that the commit
tee would make every effort to secure
whatever evidence was back of Morriss
testimony If the committee failed 10 pro-
cure any primary evidence. he minated
all Of Morriss testimony might be disre-
garded.
Duluth, Mimi, oct. l7.-When seen mere
tonight Writ II. Cook said:
IF the report of the testimony Of Lieu
tenant Governor Morris at Milwaukee to-
day is correct he is in error. | made no
such statement to him