Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-10-09
CHAS. TAFT GAVE
s215,000.00 To
1872 FIGHT
Tells CIapp Committee He Gave
$685. 900 in 1908, Though
$4,000 Was Refunded.


Taft. brother of President Taft, took
the stand before the Clapp committee
this afternoon and testified that he
contributed $23S.00 to the Republican
campaign fund in 1908 when his broth
er was the nominee; $150000 of this
being returned to him. His contribu-
ton, therefore, was actually $4,000.
He then testified that he gave s215,-
900 to the pre- convention campaign of
his brother in Ohio this year.
Ex-senator Nathan B. Scott, of West
Virginia, admitted this morning that he
had asked his representative to appeal
TO the Standard Oil in 1904 for money.
He told about this as follows:
In October, 1904. ! asked Mr.. Finn.
when we were short of funds if he
could not go to No. &c Broadway the
Standard Oil office) and get contribu-
tlon. He said that he could not, be-
cause he already had a liberal contri-
button from those people. and he did
not believe in riding a willing horse
too often. | asked him what he had
obtained and he said 100000"
Senator Clapp questioned the wit
ness
=. DO you recall how much YOU re-
celVed from the NATIONAL committee
for West Virginia last year?
A. AS near as | can recall it. it was
$685.
Q. What do you know of the Har-
riman fund in 1904?
A. l must tell this as l recall it. |
was in the national headquarters in
New York one day when | was told by
the woman on the telephone switch
board that the white house wanted to
speak to MIR. Bliss, or Mr. Cortelyou.
They were both out and she put me on
the wire.
Q. First tell the committee who was
on the wire at the white house.
A. l must repeat the conversation
as it occurred and the committee must
then judge. for itself The voice at the
other end inquired: Who is this?" |
said: Scott"
Wanted to Know about Higgins.
What seems to be the trouble
about Higgins-I hear that he is liable
to be beaten" said the white house. |
replied that if the election was now [
feared he would be defeated There
| seemed to b emo responsiveness among
the people. The voice asked me what
the trouble was. | replied that the
committee was without funds to con-
tinue the fight
Can't Bliss remedy that" was
asked.
Il explained that he had no extra
funds
Cant the state committee do any
thing%
Il replied that the understanding was
that the national committee would con-
tribute to the state fund, but it was
unable to do So"
Here Mr.. Scott, who had evidently
resolved to Identify MI Roosevelt
without mentioning his name, mad
vertently said
The president said 7 would rather
lose the election at large than to be
defeated in my own state. said:
There is no danger of your being de-
feated in your own state: but there
is danger Of Higgins being defeated If
the fund is furnished the state COM
mittee to carry out its plans, I have no
doubt that we can elect Higgins
The president replied: I will send
for Hartman or Hartman is coming
down here / don't remember which
he said. He added:
Would See About Fund
81 will see if we can raise fund
for the election of Higgins -
L.,
weeks before the election that Roose-
welt wanted no contribution from "26
Broadway"
Mr.. Scott said that the conversation
over the telephone at the white house
was about October or 6.
Senator Paynter:
@. Do you know with whom you
talked at the white house?
A. | believe it was President Roose-
welt
@. Did you know that H c. Frick
had contributed to the fund?
A. l did not. ! had no knowledge of
the contributors or their gifts.
when Mr.. Perkins was sued, or in
dicted. or something, | went to the
white house and told the president that
we ought to reimburse Perkins, and
that I was willing to come in on
fund But the president said no; that
if Perkins was to be reimbursed the
party. not individuals should do it.
Lovett on Hartman Fund.
Judge Robert S. Lovett, chairman Of
the executive committees of the Union
Pacific and Suothern Pacific railroads,
with offices at 165 Broadway, New
York city, told the committee that dur
ing the late years Of Harriman's life
he UovetD was general counsel for
the Union Pacific and for a year before
the railroad kings death he was his
personal attorney
When asked by Senator Clapp what
he knew about the Hartman fund, he
replied:
Il knew of Mr. Harriman's visit to
Washington late In October Upon his
return he said that the national COM
mittee was very short OF funds and
owed the state committee $20e, 900 He
said: We are in hole. The president
wants me to help them out and | have