Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-19
TRAIN CHAT PRObED|
Lorimer Committee Seeks
Truth About Conversation.
BURGESS IS CONTRADICTED
Two Witnesses Say They Didn't
Hear Wiehe Talk About the
Illinois Senatorship Election.

Repeated efforts were maue today by
the Senate Lorimer committee to ascer-
tain the truth about the much-disputed
conversation on the Winnipeg flyer
running out of Duluth, Mimi. last
March. when c. F. Wiehe, secretary of
the Edward Hines Lumber Company. is
said to have remarked that he subscribed
$4,000 to Lorimer election fund.
B. A. johnson. until recently general
staff representative Of the American
Lumberman, was cross-examined as to
his testimony yesterday. in which he de-
MED that Wiehe made such statement
In so doing he disagreed with the test-
mony Of William Burgess, Duluth bust
ness man.
Senator Fletcher called attention to
testimony by Burgess that he. Wiehe and
1.-The young Canadian were in the
smoker where Wiehe made the remark.
johnson had said he was in the smoker
practically all the time Wiehe was there.
johnson said he could not altogether rec
oncile his testimony W tn that OF Burgess.
Couldn't wiehe have returned to the
smo ker after you followed him QUIZ
asked Senator Kenyon.
"He might have. / was watching for
him, and it is peculiar that ! didn't see
him until we reached the end Of the trip
Wiehe and the rest were making"
Didn't Hear Election Discussed.
John B. Price, lum herman of Seattle.
Wash. son of j. II. Price, former secre-
tary of state of Washington, testified he
was in the smoker during that now ia
nous alleged conversation He said he
did not hear Wiehe or any one else say
anything about the Lorimer election He
declared that he was in the smoker all
the time Wiehe was there except tor
minute or SO he was occupied in seeing
that his grip was all right in the body Ct
the car, and that the conversation about
Lorimer could not have taken place
while he, Price, was looking after his
grip.
Price. on cross-examination, told how
he became acquainted with the names
of the men in the smoker.
From his photographs he said. Il
recognized johnson as the founder of the
Concentrated Order OF Hoo-Hoos," So
cial organization of lumbermen.
Recognized Wiehe Despite Beard.
Price said that somewhere he was given
description which enabled him to iden-
tify Wiehe. Wiehe was director Of the
Virginia and Rainy Lake Company, and
Price said he knew that the directors
were on the train that day. Wiehe wore
mustache, according to. the description
given Price, and Attorney Marble cited
the discrepancy between the description
and the fact that Wiehe wore black
beard the day he was on the smoker.
''Yet you recognized Wiehe with that
beard?" asked Marble.
Yes, SIR
Testimony of Burgess Contradicted.
Flat contradictions of previous testi-
mony presented to the commit e marked
yesterday afternoons session of the COM
mittee. Charles MCGOWAN, young con-
tractor Of Saskatchewan, Canada. who
had been referred to as "a young
Canadian" and B. A. johnson Of Chi
cago, until recently general staff repre-
sentative of the American Lumberman,
both contradicted the testimony of Will
liam II. Burgess. given Monday, that Z.
F. Wiehe, secretary of the Edward Hines
Lumber Company, said on the winnipeg
flyer in March. 1911, that jackpot
was raised to elect Lorimer. and that
he subscribed $4,000 to it. Both were
positive that no such statement was
made.
Mr. MCGOWAN told the committee that
nothing was said about the election OF
Senator Lorimer during the trip. He
also denied the Father Green incident
which Burgess had testified was discussed
in the train conversation.
Mr. Johnson was asked many questions
about the trip and about his ability to
hear all that was said In tne smoking
car when Mr.. Wiehe was there.
Where did you sit?' he was asked.
"Oh, / sat in two or three seats" he
replied. Johnson has no shrinking form
that wouldn't cast shadow, and the
remark caused an uproar of laughter.