Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-04

of campaign contributions. One was
a letter to Cornelius B. Bliss, in 1906,
which ! understand was recently
given 70 your committee: the other a
letter to George r. Sheldon, in 1905"
Colonel Roosevelt turned to his as
sistants to ask for his letter-book
The colonel finally found the letter
he sought and. stepping down from
the witness chair, handed it TO Sen
ator Clapp. who had it placed in the
record as an exhibit. At the chair
mans request Colonel Roosevelt read
the letter dated September 81. 1908,
and addressed to George r.. Sheldon,
treasurer of the Republican National
Committee. II was practically as fol-
lows:
Demands Trust Funds BE Refused.
u lam informed that you or some
one IN behalf of the national com
mittee has been soliciting contribu
tions from corporations. particularly
John d. Archibald and the STANDARD
Oil Company. If this is true | wish
to enter a vigorous protest, and say
that not only should such contribu-
ton be refused. but that IL made that
it should be Immediately returned"
The letter set forth hat -four
years ago Mr.. Cortelyou refused all
contributions from corporations
which were being prosecuted or were
likely to be prosecuted, M that
Colonel Roosevelt wished the same
course followed in the 1908 am
paiar.
Colonel Roosevelt read also the let
ter of October 26. 1904, to Chairman
George B.. Cortelyou, in which he
directed that if any money had been
contributed by the Standard Oil Com
pany or John d. Archbold, 1t should
be returned at once. This letter, he
said, had beer referred to and partly
quoted in his recent letter to Senator
Clapp 1t was an emphatic declara,
ton to Mr.. Cortelyou that I'VE cannot
under any circumstance afford to
take q contribution that might be
construed as placing us under an
obligation"
Colonel Roosevelt said he had also
found that on October q, 1904, he had
sent an extra telegram to Chair
man George b.. C%ortelyou, which he
had only recently found. IT was sent
from Oyster Bay, and referred to his
letter TO Mr.. Cortelyou, demanding
return of the Standard Oil contribu-
ton.
Colonel Roosevelt offered the com
mittee the originals of all the letters
he had sent to Chairman Clapp or
had read into the record
Take Word.
well take your word for that"
said Senator Oliver as the colonel
returned to the witness chair and
testified that he knew of no other
letters bearing on the subject, and
had practically forgotten the Sheldon
letter until he came across II search
ing his files.
Nov, in regard to the Hartman
fund" began Senator Clapp.
Colonel Roosevelt interrupted and
asked to explain the charges that
have been made in regular order,
and Senator Clapp acquiesced.
"There is no testimony against me,
except in the form of hearsay evil
dence.' the colonel said; "hearsay
statements of men that are dead"
Mr.. Archbold and Mr.. Penrose pur-
port to give statements of what MIR.
Bliss had to say: Mr.. Bliss is dead.
Mr.. Odell and the other gentlemen
refer to statements made by MIR,
Hartman, who Is dead
Colonel Roosevelt said he a no
intended to bring his former private
secretary into h controversy. but
that as the committee had already
determined to cal William Loeb. jr.,
he had asked him 10 bear out his
statements.
MAY | speak of a letter published
IN Hearst's magazine from Congress-
man Sibley," asked the colonel. and
hen went on:
ut is a letter which in substance
states that Sibley came to see ME
and speak to me about seeing Mr..