The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-18
IT WAS HE, HESAYS,
WHO UPSET PLAN
Mysterious Fund to Split Repub.
lican Party and Elect Demo-
cratic Dark Horse, but Law
son Told It All to Bryan
and Spoiled Financial
Game.


election. Thomas W. Lawson. OF Boston
told the Senate campaign contributions
committee to-day.
Mr.. Lawson was careful to impre Sc
upon the committee that he knew only
In general way OF the alleged col
ossal scheme to nominate and elect q
candidate satisfactory to the Wall
street interests" All OF his testimony
was OF matters which he knew in the
same general way" and he became in
VOWED in q heated controversy with the
committee In defining lust what DC
meant by this phrase with which he
psefaced practically every statement
he made. In the course Of the dis
pute. he earnestly informed the COM
mittes that the examination Of J. p.
Morgan and other witnesses had been
a Joke"
The conspiracy Of the Wall Street
interests OF which Mr.. lawson knew
in a general way" included. he de-
clared. the defeat OF Colonel Roose-
Welt at tho Republican National Con-
vention. the nomination Of Mr.. Taft
and the injection Of Colonel Roosevelt
as a candidate to split the party. I'm
derstand. all this without the consent
or knowledge on the par, Of M. Roose-
Welt. Then. Mr.. lawson knew. in q
general way" a mysterious fund Of
100000 had been raised in Wall
Street to deadlock the Democratic con-
vention at Baltimore; prevent the
nomination OF any Of the candidates
before the convention ana to make q
dark horse satisfactory to the "sys-
tenn" who vas to be elected
T0lA II II HRyan.
Il eommunicased this information to
Mr.. Bryan" said Mr.. LAwAon. and ~
a result MI. Wilson was nominated.
and the scheme failed"
Frank A Aunsey. who preceded Mr.
LAWSON. argued at length with the
committee against the publicity OF
campaign contributions. He declared
it was necessary that rich men con-
tribute. and that such publicity as
the present investigation had enforced
had frozen up the pocket books" OF
the wealthy. He outlined his own ex-
penses in the Roosevelt preconvention
campaign fund, amounting to more
than $l1s.oe0. and told he committee
that compared to the amount he was
reported to have contributed the real
dEures made him look like . ptker.
He estimated the total expenditures OF
the Roosevelt preconvention campaign
at $5s4,0e0.
Before Mr. lawson and Mr.. Munsey
took the stand the committee heard
James O. Murine. OF Detroit, VINO oe-
cyared that the recent primaries In
the city were "rotten-the worst we
ever had" He charged that money
was used iavishly. and that delegates
were bought like sheep. !.
George B. CorteIyou, chairman OF
the Republican campaign committee
In 1904. was recalled He gave the
committee his recollection OF the So
called Standard Oil contribution o.
500. 900 which John D. Arcnooid tes
titled he gave to the Roosevelt funo
thu, year. Mr.. Cortelyou said that
af,er the election Cornelius y. Bliss,
treasurer Of the committee. had said
something to him about An inoivao"AI
contribution from H. H. Rogers. or
the STANDARD Oil Company. which ne
Ia ma, have 0eea tie Arcaooio
money.
After Hls Story shar1sy'
The committee went after MI Law
sons conspiracy story rather SHARPLY
and endeavored in vain to pin nan
down to a statement of his basis ZOE
,bs recital He said he had private
means O, information. many OF them
CONFIDENTIAL. and finally informed tne
COMMITTEES thar when q BIT OF INFORM
alton became known {" MIN ne .ooN
particular pains TO arrange mAtte
so he might not know the exact souFee
of the information This rather sooA
the committee OF lis Feet ana .ns
Senators questioned in VAIN IN az
sor, 70 &c, specific information from
m, wi.ness. He said in an EFFORT TO
defeat the systems" plans he mao
financed a 100000 independent advef
Using campaign in behalf OF Colonel
roosevelt ia the hope that he eouso
he nominated on she Republican ticket
and elected
senator Pomerene and the witness
became involved In a heated srsVmen'
when the Senator demanded La~so"s
authority for his statement resar"ins
an. I'll zoe. oye raised TO contFo! 'se
baltimore convention NJ. Lawson
said ne believed that inquiry was n"'
within the committees jurisdiction.
20 you understand the scope OF Rus
committees power and authority oe'
,azuded senator Pcracreac.
The witness half rose ana pounoeo
his cieuched asts on the arm OF n1s
chair. He Siares At the 'ouf men
behind TN. long committee tas!e. ana
;s,nine toward them shouted: Il don't
,htnx could m!svnderstand the
.cop. Of this committees work 90 Tar.
rye read the record uncersssno
what ;. pierpent MORGAN and the
other men OF his class have been COM
PEELED to answer. don't believe tn's
committee should seize upon me just
bccause I am on the side Of the people
against these mcn."
oh. yes. = understand 'hcsc things
With all Difference Co 'hc committee.
the testimony Of all those men before
tbs committee has hcea regarded As
a joke"
Nr. Lawson sessiaed that he knsw
Tin che sa0e general way" of coasr1-
(Csssisss6 . ssssaa rse~l