Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-07-20
JACKPOT DONORS
Barred BY DENEEN
Governor Gives Alleged List OF
Fund Contributors.
YATES CHARGE IS DENIED
Declares He Never Promised to SUD-
port His Predecessor for Senator
Tells of Hines TeIe-
phone Talk.

Washington.-Gov Charles S. De
neen OF Illinois, who appeared be-
fore the senate Lorimer committee
as witness, told how "jack-pots" had
fourished IN the state since 1897, and
gave out a purported list of corpora
ton contributors to the funds.
He also told how he had suggested
to Senator Lorimer that he Oorfmer)
become a candidate when the latter
wanted to elect Shurtleff senator. A
mild sensation was caused when the
governor pulled from his pocket the
notes of speech delivered at Taylor
vile, August. 1910, which he said
charged the former speaker with be-
ing responsible for the Jackpot"
The jackpot fund has been in ex-
istence since 1897" said Governor De-
neen
He sketched how the legislature is
organized. the committees named and
how things dragged slowly until the
rush of the final few days when every
thing went through or was killed in a
rush.
The regulator bills are disposed
of them" he said. Some are killed
outright Others are sent again to
committees on the theory that they
cannot stand an extended coroner's
inquest. The theory Is that the money
is paid, accumuIates In the hands of
several men and finally distributed"
Who contributes? asked Senator
Jones
Il don't know"
Have you ever heard?"
oh, yes; the railroads to protect
themselves, the gas companies of
Chicago, the electric light companies,
the liquor interests, the Union Stock
yards company, the grain elevator
companies, the Pullman company and
possibly others"
Governor Deneen told of a meeting
of railroad presidents he had been
asked to attend in Chicago during the
Forty general assembly He
mentione1 Messrs. Harahan, Earring,
Miller, Hughitt, WinchelI and FELTON,
as being there.
Governor Deneen denied the charge
made by former Governor Yates that
he had "double-crossed" him. He
said that he had not promised Yates
he would support him for United
States senator.
Concerning the famous Hines~De-
neen long-distance telephone CONVEX
sation, the morning of Lorimer's cleo
ton. Governor Deneen said:
Mr.. Hines called me up and asked
me if I had received message from
President Taft, to support Lorimer.
said | had not received it. Hines
said his train was late, and he had
missed connections or he would have
come down to Springfield.
81 said, that's rather a remarkable
message for the president to send
Wines said that President Taft was
to send the message through Senator
Aldrich and that George Reynolds of
the Continental Commercial National
bank was to call me up and tell me
about it"
Governor Deneen said he never
heard from Reynolds, he did not tell
Hines he would support Lorimer, and
there was no discussion about recog-
nizing Hines voice, as Hines had
previously testified
II doubted if it was Hines. I just
accepted it as one of those anonymous
communications" The governor said
he could recall meeting Hines but
once, three years ago.
Deneen said that he did not know
Senator Aldrich, and had never had
a communication from him.