The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-18
He BOILS over
MedilI Mccormick Creates a
Sensation While Testifying
Before Committee Investigate
ing Campaign Contributions.
CALLS CHAIRMAN HILLES LIAR
And Holds Him Responsible for
Shooting of Roosevelt.
Demands That Heads of Trusts
Be Made to Testify.
CALLS CHAIRMAN HILLES LIAR

washington, Oct. 18.-Medill McCor-
mick. of Chicago, stirred up sensa-
ton before the Clapp committee today
when. as the first witness at the day s
session he read prepared statement
touching upon the attempted assassl-
nation of Col. Roosevelt, declaring II
had been melted by "falsehoods OF
character assassins and liars IKE
Charles d. Hilles.
1T is difficult for an ordinary man
in the compass of ordinary language
to compete with the testimony OF
character assassins and liars like Mr.
Hilles-men Who because their false
hoods incite weak minded men 10
actual ASA ssinations, was the pas
sage which brought out a storm of
protest from the committee in which
Clapp joined. Mr. Mccormick argued
heatedly that his statement was ad-
missible as evidence while Senators
Oliver and Clapp declined to allow Mr.
Mccormick to proceed and demanded
that he withdraw his words. The
statement finally was admitted to the
record without being read from the
prepared copy. The reference to the
attempt upon Col. Roosevelts life was
incidental to Mr.. McCormick's general
statement of campaign expenses of the
Progressive party in Illinois. Sub
Money Spent in Illinois.
so far as 1 know the cost of the
campaign in Illinois was betrayed by
Col. Chauncey Dewey and myself.
gave Col. Dewey $16, 900. In addition
gave not to exceed 5000 toward the
maintenance of the Chicago general
headquarters, inclusive of everything
of which 1 kept no record.
In the Ninth congressional district
in which 1 live 1 spent about $500
in addition to the amount 1 gave Col.
Dewey Throughout the campaign L
was not actively concerned with the
collection or expenditure of money.
During the whole campaign the Taft
people aSsiduOuSly circulated the lie
that 1 am connected with the Harves-
ter trust. I have never owned and do
not own share of Harvester stock
and do not expect to own a share
MI McCombs has testified that Cy- |
rus Mccormick contributed to the Will |
son campaign fund. Cyrus and Har- |
Old Mccormick and the two Deering
brothers represent overwhelmingly the |
largest stock interest in the harvester |
Both these McCormicks, |
one of whom is at the head of the |
trust, are for Wilson. Both the Deer |
ings are against Col. Roosevelt and !
believe one of them is for Taft /
and yet Mr. Hilles and his associates !
persistently circulate the lie that the /
trust has spent large sums /
in the Roosevelt campaign.
Beside the holdings of the Deerings |
and the McCormicks, Mr.. Perkins are
so small as to be negligible. Counsel |
of the trust, by the way, is for Mr.. t
Taft.
Wants Trust People Called.
IT demand that the directors of the
Harvester trust be called before this i
committee to testify to what can I
didates they are supporting.
L demand that Mr.. Hilles be re- |
called to appraise the money value Of |
the North Carolina postmastership /
held up by President Taft.
Governor Wilson has stated that |
the steel trust is back of Col. ROose
velt's candidacy. I demand that the |
governor give evidence as to the truth .
of this charge and this committee
the directors of the steel
to inquire as to what
candidate they are supporting
Mr. Mccormick was asked concern
ing the attitude of Cyrus Mccormick. !
He replied:
That branch of the family is sing
ularly discreet concerning it's affairs.
Cyrus Mccormick refused for ever so
long to permit me to say he was for
Mr.. Mccormick denied that the steel
was supporting Colonel
Roosevelt.
Col. Dewey, w. W. Durbin of Ohio.
Col. George NJ. Harvey and Elmer Do
yer, secretary of the Republican ma
tional committee in 1904 were sche-
luled as the other witnesses for the
day None was present when Mr..
concluded and the COM
nittee took a recess to await their
arrival. Letters and kilograms from
Joseph H. Gala, special attorney in
charge of the lease annulment suits
ST the government against the Harri-
nan lines in California were placed IN
he record by Clapp. They contradict
he testimony of Judge r. S. Lovett
hat the suits had been annulled in
S95, nine years before the socalled
darriman fund of 1904. Attorney Cal
as statement declared that the suits
we're abandoned absolutely on July 10,
qO5