Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1911-04-13
GAVE THE NAME
Greatest Sensation Yet in the Famous
Lorimer Bribery Case.
TELLS OF SLUSH FUND

The General Manager of the Interna-
tional Harvester Company Says
Men Who Put Up Corruption Fund
to Elect Lorimer Asked Subscrip-
tions for reimbursement.
At Springfield, ILL.,, Clarence S.
Funk, general manager Of the Inter
national Harvester Company, We'd
nesday exploded the biggest sensation
of the Lorlmer bribery case. Mr..
Funk testified, before the investiga-
ton committee. that Edward Hines
asked him as manager OF the Har-
vester Company to contribute $10,-
600 to reimburse certain men who
had put up a 100000 "slush fund"
to elect VIM. Lorimer to the United
States Senate.
The Harvester Company's manager
further testified that Hines named
Edward Tilden, a wealthy Chicago
packer, as the collector Of this fund
to reimburse the men who, as Mr..
Hines was quoted as having said, had
underwater" the election OF Lori
mer.
Mr.. Funk declared that his object
in giving this testimony was to save
H. H. Kohlsaat, publisher Of the Chi
cago Record Herald, from a possible
Jail sentence as a result OF Mr.. Kohl
saat's refusal to give certain infor-
nation demanded by the committee
last week.
The witness said he had given Mr..
Kohlsaat information In confidence
upon which the Chicago publisher
had based an editorial. The publica-
ton, in February last Of this edi-
torial, which charged the use OF a
100000 fund to elect Lorimer, re-
suited in the calling OF Mr.. Kohl
sat as a witness before the commit
tee. He refused to make known the
name of Mr.. Funk and was given
one weeks time to divulge this name
or stand in contempt Of the Senate
committee.
News of the disclosures before the
committee reached the State House
nearby within few moments. The
House was still in session. while the
Senate had just adjourned. The re-
ports caused excitement, much discus
sion and hurried consultations among
the members of the Legislature.
Mr.. Kohlsaat preceded Mr.. Funk
on, the witness stand. He brlehy
stated that he was ready to give the
name of the man who had furnished
him with the report of the alleged
100000 "slush fund"
In explanation of the appearance
of Mr.. Funk he said:
when I arrived at my office
Thursday, the first call over the tel
ephone was from Clarence S. Funk,
general manager of the international
Harvester Company. Mr.. Funk asked
| If he could see me at once and told
him yes to come over, and as near as
| can remember he said:
"I see by the papers last night and
this morning that you have been sub
poenaed to appear in Springfield and
! had declined to give up my name to
the committee, the Senate committee.
| would be a little less than a man
/ II | held you under confidence as to
my name or identity. ! wish to say
now that l release you from all obli-
CATION TO maintain secrecy and that
feel also have duty to perform
that until this time do not feel free
to. but now will go to Springfield
and tell the whole story"
In detailing his conversation with
Mr. Funk concerning the alleged
bribery, Mr. Kohlsaat said:
"Mr. Funk told me that the gem
tlemen who came to him said that
they had had no opportunity to elect
Mr.. Lorimer. A few of them hau
unwritten 1t and were around ask
ing subscriptions to reimburse them
patially, for the money that was
spent"
Clarence Funk, general manager OF
the Harvester Company then was
called and told OF conversation with
Edward Hines. which he said took
place in the Union League Club,
about the first part of June, 1909,
Mr.. Funk testified:
"He said | was just the fellow he
had been looking for, or trying to
see. and said he wanted to talk to
me a minute. SO we went and sat
down and without any preliminarles
and quiet as a matter of course, he
said:
"Well, We put Lorimer over down
at Springfield, but it cost us about
100000 to do 1t"
Then he went on to say they had
to act quickly when the time came;
that they had had no chance to con
suit any one before hand.
"Then he said, we -- now We
are seeing some of our friends so as
to get It fixed up
II asked him why he came to us
meaning the Harvester Company. He
said, "well, you people are just as
much interested as any Of us In hav'
ing the right kind of man at Wash
ington.'
81 think I replied, we won't have
ANYTHING to do with that matter al
ALL He said, why not" said
simply because we are not In that
sort OF business, and we had some
discussion, back and forth AMI
asked how much he was getting from
his friends. He said, of course we
can only go to a few big people, and
if ten of us put $4,000 apiece, that
will clean 1t up AS I left he asked
me to think it over. I just walked
rap1yipo -