The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-05
- - 3, ~ssasss turned around and

~ ~ w1tnsss turned around and
-oesD that. please"
The spectators applauded vigorously
800 Colonel Roosevelt entered the room
EDollowed BY . secretary Juggling big
ynliss allied With papers. Tho Colonel
Gook his place in the witness chair and
& The secretary with the big grip be-
tween his knees seated himself beside
Is nlm.
sYou were q candidate for Presi-
3 aent IN 1902" asked Santor Clapp.
3 II was. answered the Colonel short
. ".
s-osorse B. CorteIyou was chairman
OF the committee that year?
He was"
And Cornelius y. Bliss was treas
urer?"
..He was"
Senator Ciapp asked Colonel Roose-
velt IL his attention had been called
to certain statements made by John
I D. Archbold.
1T has" replied Colonel Roosevelt
tersely.
Senator clapp asked the Colonel
what he knew ABOUT the Archbold con-
tribution at the time ii was said to
!. have been made. The Colonel asked
permission to include in his answer
the letter he sent to Chairman Clapp
already published. denying that he
Z knew of any standard Oil contribution
10 the 1904 campaign at the time IL
was made.
lin the first lace, gentlemen he
said, 'since I was elected Governor
~ New York. that was about fourteen
years ago. l have written and signed
about 100000 letters SO it IS not. pos
sfble at once to recall all the letters
Finds More Ihtters-
Looking through my letter books
Z since I wrote my recent letter to Sena
tor Clapp, i have found two other let
ters bearing on the subject OF cam
paicn contributions One was the let
ter to Cornelius n. Bliss in 1906. which
understand was recently given 10
your committee: the other letter
written in 1905 to George r. Sheldon.
Colonel Roosevelt turned TO his as
. eistants TO ask for his letter book.
The Colonel finally found the letter
he sought. and stepping down from the
witness chair handed it to Senator
Clapp, who had it placed in the record
as an exhibit.
At the chairman's request Colonel
Roosevelt read the letter dated Sep
TENDER II, 1908, and addressed to
George II. Sheldon. treasurer OF the
Republican National Committee. n
was practically as follows:
Il am informed that you or some one
on behalf OF the National committee
has been soliciting contributions from
corporations, particularly John D.
Archbold and the Standard Oil Com
pany. II this is true ] wish to enter a
vigorous protest. and say that not only
should such contribution be refused.
but that If made that 1t should be i'm
mediately returned"
The letter set forth that -four years
ago Mr.. Cortelyou refused all contribu-
lions from corporations which were
being prosecuted or were likely to be,
prosecuted" and that Colonel RoOse-
velt wished the same course followed in
the 1908 campaign.
Colonel Roosevelt read also the letter
OF October Is, 1904. to Chairman George
b. Cortolyou, in which he directed that
II any money had been contributed by
the Standard Oil Company or John ID.
Archbold, it should be returned at once
This letter. he said. had been referred
TO and partly quoted in his resent let
ter TO Senator Clapp. It was an empha-
tic declaration to Mr. Corteiyou that
1--WE cannot under any circumstance
might be construed as placing US I'M
der an obligation
Demands Its Return.
Colonel Roosevelt said he had also
found that on October 81, 1904, he had
sent an extra telegram to Chairman
George B. Cortelyou. which he had only
recently found. 1t was sent from Oys-
ter Bay and referred to his letter to
Mr.. Cortelyou demanding return Of the
Standard Oil Company contribution.
Colonel Roosevelt offered the COM
mittee the originals Of all the letters
he had sent to Chairman Clapp or had
read into the record.
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 for
gotten the Sheldon letter until he came
across it searching his files.
Now in regard to the Hartman
fuud,'" began Senator Clapp.
Colonel Roosevelt Interrupted anc
asked to explain "the charges that nave
been made IN regular order. and SEN
ator Clamp acauiesced.
There 10 no testimony against me
except in the form of hearsay evil
Aence" the. Colonel said-"hearsas