The Sentinel=record., 1911-10-11
STEPHENSON
 HAS INNING
STATE SENATOR BLAINE WHO BROUGHT CHARGES IS PLACED
 ON THE GRILL TO TESTIFY.
Acknowledges That Reports of Cor ruption Were Merely Newspaper
 Stories and General Talk.
in Wisconsin,.

Milwaukee, Wis, Oct. 1U.--Cnars- es that United States Senator Ste phenson secured his election through bribery and that he spent $l07 ,739 corruptly to influence voters, were today put by the United States Sen ate investigating committee squarey up to John J Blaine, a state senator. who brought the charges. Blaine ad- mitted he had no facts or informa- lion personally known to him to be true upon which to substantiate his charges. He admitted the charges were based largely on newspaper ed itorlals, political speeches and hear say.
 And upon such information you were wiling to make allegations, which might send United States senator to the penitentiary, is that truep? asked Senator w. B. Hey burn, the chairman.
 Blaine made no answer other than he thought he was performing 2 public duty by haIng such an investi- gation of what he said was curreat report. Hs slsE
 Do you think that a public dutg is to bring charges against United States senator without facts to sub stantlate them?o asked Chairman Hepburn.
 T bought SO, the witness re- plied
 So when the investigation is be gun you have to give to this com mittee no facts whatever which could be admitted in court of law as proper and pertinent to challenge fhe validity either of Senator Stephen sons nomination or his election"2
 vNone of my own knowledge"
 It was Blaine who originally brought the charges in the Wisconsin legislature, where two investigations 
 were held, enc resulting fayorahly tc the senator and one adyersedly. Blaine charged Senator Stephenson, who was a candidate to succeed him. self, corruptly spent slO7.79S to en- compass his election. The first three of the sixteen charges pertained to the giving by Senator Stephenson to F. A Edmonds. his campaign man. ager "a sum in excess of $1O6,000 and approximating $25O,o0o"
 How do you know that this money was given to Edmonds to commit bribery and to accommplish other corrupt ends? Blaine was asked.
 T had Edmonds' wond that he received certain sums for campaign purposes. The words 'corrupting and bribing electors were put in to meet inc requirements of the law in mak- ing specific charges in such in- stances" @
 oYou had no facts of your per sonal knowledge upon which to base them?v 4ffnI
 None" EE
 Why were you trying to work up specific charge against senator Stephenson? Chairman Heyburn asked.
 Tt was necessary under the law to get an investigation
 Why did you want an investiga- ton? Merely in answer to clamor?'
 The bribery was everywhere talk ed about and deemed it my duty 10 cause an investigation.
 In the primaries who were you supporting for the senate? W. H.. Hatton.
 For his charge that s1,OOO was paid to Roy Morse of Fond Du Lac, to be used unlawfully, Blaine said he read ar editorial published in a newspaper at Appleton Wis.
 That's pretty severe charge to bring against a senator, merely bas- ing it on an editorial you have read Chairman Hepburn said.
 Do you think any occasion IS serious enough to justify you in mak ing charges that you might put any man in the penitentary without mak' ing an investigation
 Yes, I think sometime would be justified ?
 Ton say in your charges that money was paid to buy the votes of democrats. Upon what facts did You make that charge"?