Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-10-11
WARDEN FRAMES UP STORY
Wisconsin Official says He Paid
Stephenson Money to Deputies.
REPORT IS FLATLY DENIED
Deputy Game warden Kingsley Tes-
titles Cash was sent 60 Governor
DavidsOn-RecOrd shows that
Executive Found ~ on Desk.

MILWAUKEE,. oct. 1O.-How $500 was
paid to state Game Warden j. w. stone
out OF the campaign fund Of United
States Senator Isaac Stephenson and
how stone TO cover" what was done
with the money got his deputies to pre-
tend" to having received portions Of IT,
whereas in fact the money was paid to
others, was told today before the United
states senate committee which is inves-
tlgating charges that bribery and cor
ruptlon contributed to Senator Stephen
sons election.
G.. L. Kingsley, who was a deputy
game warden during the Wisconsin pri-
maries in 1905 when Senator Stephenson
sought nomination, testified that In
March 1900, when the investigation by
the state legislature was under way he
was called to stones home at Madison.
The meeting was called at midnight and
among those present besides stone were
Deputy Game Wardens Kingsley, john
son and Richtmann, Assemblymen
Thomas and Stone.
"Stone said he had to account for s., 500
and he wanted us to pretend that we
had received part Of it," said Kingsley.
tive committee what was done with the
money and instead Of telling what really
was done with II he wanted to say we
got It. l was to pretend to having re-
ceived $3.50. johnson 1850 and Richtmann
$50. We agreed to do this on condition
that we would not be called to testify
at the legislative Inquiry.
Money Paid to Davidson.
Senator Hepburn, the chairman then
read the proceedings of the legislative in
vestigation at which Stone had testified
that he actually did give money to
Kingsley. Kingsley repudiated Stones
testimony a. read in another part of
the legislative proceedings, II was
brought out that 81, 200 Of the $500 which
Stone received was paid to James o.
Davidson, then governor of Wisconsin, as
"a campaign fund" Davidson's testi-
mony at the legislative inquiry was that
the money was put on his desk in en-
velopes and not knowing what II was
for he put II aside for some months
until finally It found its way into his
bank account.
When you agreed to help Stone cover
up what he did with the money, didn't
1t occur to you that you were conspir-
ing with him to commit perjury" asked
Charles e, LIttlefeld, counsel for Sem
ator Stephenson.
1T did not so occur to me then, but
It does now"
The $500 given to Stone out of the
Stephenson campaign fund of S1O7,7ss, 1t
was testified, was to be used by stone
to promote the senator's interests. Stone
gave various sums of money to David
son. then governor, and TO others before
the charges were made and later on
being called to explain, Stone called a
meeting of his deputies TO frame up
a story of what he wanted the public to
believe was, the disposal of the money,
Kingsley testified. At the legislative IN
vestigation Davidson admitted having
had the money laid on his desk.
Blaine Repeats Charges.
state Senator John ]. Blaine OF Bos-
cobel, Wis. admitted that practically all
Of the six charges made by him against
Senator Stephenson were based on hear
say information. He said he practically
had received no information first hand
and he had brought the charges without
a thorough investigation on his part.
Mr.. Blaine, who originally made the
charges against Senator Stephenson. was
called to repeat in detail his charges as
presented to the United States senate
First of the Blaine charges was that
Stephenson gave to e. A. Edmonds "a
sum exceeding 100000 and approximating
$3.50. OOo." to be used in the campaign in
violation OF the Wisconsin statutes. Ed
monds was Stephenson campaign man
ager.
Mr. Littlefield here entered objection
to certain features OF the present investi-
cation. He thought certain lines of tes-
tlmony ought TO be obtained by the COM
mittee in executive session as It might,
when spread broadcast. niislead. the pub
lie concerning Senator Stephenson.
Trials by newspapers and magazines are
something not exactly desirable" said
Mr. Littlefield
The committee ordered Blaine to pro-
coed with his testimony.
First Evidence Hearaay.
80 you were willing to make these
charges which II proven true might put
Senator Stephenson in the penitentiary
without a thorough investigation You
were willing to Jeopardlze Senator steph-
enson on secondhand information" asked
Senator Hepburn.
That's true" replied Blaine. IT had
not time to investigate. From what /
had heard the presumption was that
Senator Stephenson was using his cam
paign funds wrongfully."
Blaine said part OF his charges were
based on an editorial In q paper opposed
to Senator Stephenson and he had used
the Information in this editorial without
investigating the source OF II.
A Viner An 1ha Stou.a,h