New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-03
STEPHENSON ON STAND
Wisconsin Senator Does Not
Know How His $107.793
Was Spent.
TRUSTED HIS MANAGERS
Directed Them to Keep Within
the Law, He Tells Investi-
eating Committee.

for three hours, to answer charges that
bribery and corrupt use Of money had con-
,ributed TO his election, United States Sena-
tor Isaac Stephenson testified to-day that
although he spent S107, 793 in his campaign
he had little knowledge as to Just how 1t
was spent, except that ii WAS not used in
violation OF the law. The details he Said.
he had left to his campaign managers. As
an instance Of his ignorance Of just where
the money went, he cited an item Of 81, 600
FOR postage
,Now," said Senator Stephenson, Il am
president Of more than dozen active in
dustries in this state, and l have in my
employ more than three thousand men.
some Of whom have been with me for fifty
wears In them / have every confidence 1
do not pay any attention to the details of
,hsse Industries. Just so, when my cam
nslsn for nomination by the primaries in
1915 came up. l could not lay awake nights
trying TO figure how the postage was used.
gave sums OF money to my managers
and told them TO carry on vigorous cam
paign. and do everything TO elect me, ex-
cept that they must keep within the law l
cautioned them not to violate the law in
any particular. So far as I know, they
Obeyed me.
-' Told 1t Was a Close Fight
citing proportionateIy large expenses for
advertising. buttons, Autographs, advertis-
ing IN newspapers and travelling expenses,
the witness testified that he frequently
asked where so much money was going, but
on being told it was close tight and that
the state had 20 be systematically can
vsssed to elect him, ne questioned the mat
ter 10 further
Two points as showing the position Of the
defence" in the inquiry, which is being
conducted by a sub-committo of the SEN
ate Committee on Privileges and Elections.
were made known by Charles T. Ltleheld,
counsel for Nj. Stephenson. one was that
the committee had no authority to invesu-
cate the primary campaign Of 1908, at which
Mr.. Stephenson was nominated, but must
condne itself 10 asking whether the Sena-
TOR actually expended money for his cleo
ton bv the state Legislature in 1902 He
asserted that all the money was spent in
. the nomination. and not a dollar went TO
the election. Another declaration was that
Mr.. Stephenson was elected by the /" '-
lature when both houses voted sepaf .ely
on January IS. 1909, and that the subse Mt
election by the Legislature joint on
March 4. 1909. when three Democrat MEN,
hers absented themselves and so gave Mr..
stephenson a majority was not necessary.
The committee announced that al present
3, would not confne itself 10 any g. ;he lin
itations thus set forth.
Continuing his testimony. Mr.. Stephenson
said he had given money for campaign pur-
roses 10 men who afterward became can
,idates for the Legislature and some Of
tber1 were elected. but ne was rot aware
Of their candidacy when ne gave them
money.
Money to Legislative Candidates.
Il paid $3.50 TO L. H. Bancroft for getting
names Of people TO whom to send campaign
literature" he said. "Ile afterward ran for
he LEGISLATURE and was elected, but ! did
not know Of his candidacy ] took little in
terest in the primaries, leaving 1t to my
managers. I understand sum Of money
vas paid to c. c. Wellensgard. who after
ward was elected to the Assembly, but this
money was paid him without my knowl-
,dge. Nv managers were l.. \. Edmonds,
Of Appleton. J. H. Puelicher, Of Milwaukee
and J. A. Van Cleve, Of Marinette.'
THE record shows that you paid out 10
,.our managers one day $4,000 and short
time afterward gave them $4,000 more
said Senator W. B. Hepburn, chairman.
Didn't you ever ask them what they were
doing with all that money!
NO. only in d general way"
I'm october, 1908. more than q month
after the primaries, you gave Puelicher
several thousand dollars. Didn't you IN
I. al
$40. ] suppose II was for some bill.
They did not always present bills promptly.
Ir the same way ! gave J. Earl Morgan,
my son-in-law, $500 for campaign eA-
puses."
Did YOU pay three Democratic members
or any one for absentng themselves from
the Legislature ON March !, 1909, so that
you could have a majority
30 7 never knew Of any member hav-
iue abseuted himself except as l read II
ir the newspapers
Cash for Game Wardens.
r A Edmonds testified he knew Of no
money having been Illegally used in Mr..
stsphenson's election. The bill for adver-
,lsne. he said amounted TO $4,000.
check for s.. 800 had been paid to the state
iteu-ou's instructions me declared, but he
l5 NOT know TO what use the money was
put
ln previous legislative Investigations IT
Was brought out that stone distributed
3 money to deputy wardens.
( The committee Will resume its hearings
; tomorrow. when more Of Senator stephen
{ s.n's campaign workers will be examined.
: The charges against Senator Stephenson
are.
That h. kept secret many Of bis dis
6uTscments iu the primary campaign LOT
nom nation IN. 1905. that whereas ne adj
nitted having expended all,5sJ, his cam
paign managers accounted for only SiVTtSo'
and that q large part Of his iunn was l'h-
properly used.
That fraud connected with his primary
campaign contributed directly 10 his cleo
ton
That le distributed money 20 state oill-
Gals ~ further his campaign. ., A..
That Doc spent money In leglSlatNe u4s
iricts ,o strengthen his support IN the Leg
Stature
That be was elected only after two
months deadlock. and then OhlEr I'LL
{ three Democratic Asscmblymen-Iho iha5 nd
3 Fs-Ramsey now dead. John 7. FarreI anu
! Nias 4. r Wue-absented thmeseNcs uiu
{ - Insured HIS election.
{ ESCAPED TRIAL FOR LYNCH1NG