Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-03
STEPHENSON INQUIRY BEGINS
enator Testifies that He Spent
$107,793 in Campaign.
AVE MONEY TO MANAGERS
'e says They Used ~ In Paying
fer Advertising, GettinE Names
of voters aBd GettinE
Out Vote.

MILWAUKEE,. wis, Oct. 1--United
tates Senator Isaac Stephenson OF wis
1nsin took the witness stand today 70
)nsWer charges that bribery and other
1rrupt use Of monsy contributed 70 hls
ection on March 4. 1900 He appeared
witness at the opening Of the In
eatigation begun by a subcommittee Of
q COMMITTEES on privileges and cleo
5ns OF the United States senate.
In answer to questions Senator Ste
Ienson declared no was legally elected
the senate on January %. 1909, by a
sparate vote OF the two houses OF the
Hsconsin Legislature.
In his campaign be said be spent sl07.-
., giving II to Y. A. Edmund0, his
lmpaign manager. In various sums in
3; to J. A. Van Cieve, a banker of
arinette, to conduct the campaign
ere; to newspapers; to J. H Pulicher,
Milwaukee banker, and 10 others. all
= carrying on the campaign for the
Jmination In the primaries.
Manager spent Money.
referring specifically to what he spent
q money for the witness said the
loney given to Edmunds went for
lrrying on the campaign, for getting
ames Of voters and paying expenses In
citing Stephenson followers active.
Charles e. Littlefield, Stephenson's
counsel. objected on the ground that the
questions related to the primaries and
II to the election.
TO consider the objection the commit
e. took a recess.
The formal charges against Senator
cphenson were presented in a declara-
IN by John j. Blain Of Boscobel Wis,
no, as state senator, made the original
argos.
Mr.. Littlefield, stephenson's counsel.
Lid at the beginning Of tn hearing:
Mr.. Stephenson was elected January
, which is some weeks before his cleo
on by the joint legislature on March
1903. The charges on which TINS in
estigation IL based refer to the election
{ March e. whereas, we contend that
enator Stephenson legally was 2 senator
efore that Joint session election"
List of Charges Filled.
The charges preferred by senate COM
nittee OF the Wisconsin legislature are:
That Senator Stephenson kept secret
many OF his disbursements in the pri-
nary campaign for nomination in 1905
hat, whereas he admitted having ex-
Iended Sl11, 2s5 his campaign managers
accounted for only $107,7sS ana that
arge part OF his fund was improperly
Used.
That fraud connected with his pri-
nary campaign contributed directly to
lis election.
That he distributed money to state
officials TO further his campaign. That
re spent the money in legislative dis !
riots to strengthen his support In the
legislature
That he was elected only after a two
months deadlock and then only after
three democratic assemblymen-Thomas
F. RAMSEY, now dead; John T. Farrell
and Silas A. Tone--absented themselves
and so insured his election"
senator Hepburn Presides,
Senator W. b. Hepburn (rep,) OF Idaho
$ chairman OF the present investigation.
Charles f. Littlefield OF Maine with w
2. Black OF Milwaukee win act as coun-
iel for the defense" The other mam-
oers OF the committee here are Senators
5eorg SUTHERLAND (rep) OF Utah and At
ee Pomerene (dem.l OF Ohio. About five
are to be examined daily and
ls some OF the men who have been
subpoenaed have announced they would
20 unable to come 20 Milwaukee, Chair !
nan Hepburn said the committee prob
ably would hold sessions in other parts
u the state.
Senator Stephenson. q republican. 50
years old, banker, lumberman and
capitalist. is the Junior senator from
and although OF the same
party, is regarded in this state as SEN
ator Robert NJ. La Folletts's political OPP
ponent.