The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-08-15
SAYS SHELDON
STORY UNTRUE
As TO DETAILS
Former Governor B. B. Odell
of New York Tells Senate
Committee of Hartman
Contribution in 1904.
ROOSEVELT AWARE
OF WHOLE MATTER
In Fact the Railroad Magnate
Was Invited to Come to
Washington to Discuss
1t, Says Ex-Excutive.

WASHINGTON, Aug, 14.-Former
Governor B. B. Odell of New York told
the senate committee investigating
campaign funds story of Edward III
Hartman $240,000 contribution of
1904 so different from that told to the
committee by George r. Sheldon that
members of the committee asked MIR.
Odell how he accounted for the vari-
ances.
The former governor remarked that
Cornelius n. Bliss, treasurer of the Re-
publican national committee in 1904,
might have "told some white lles' to
Mr.. Sheldon about it. Mr.. Sheldon was
associated with Bliss unoficIally In
1904 and was treasurer In 1908.
Odell's Testimony.
The substance of Mr.. Odell 8 testi'
mony was that President Roosevelt
asked Mr.. Hartman in 1904 to come to
the White house to talk about campaign
funds. Following that talk, said Mr.
Odell, Mr.. Hartman raised S24O,oO0
for the campaign and turned 1T over to
the Republican national committee. Mr.:
Odell said he had received 100000 Of
that contribution for the New York
state campaigs and the rest remained
in the hands of the national commit
tee.
Mr.. Odell said that Mr.. Hartman
had told him Colonel Roosevelt had
agreed that if necessary he would help
out in the New York senatorial situa-
tion by appointing Senator Chauncey
NJ. Depew ambassador TO France, tnus
leaving the senatorial contest clear for
Frank S. Black, former governor of
New York.
Sheldon's Version.
Mr.. Sheldon had testified that the
contribution had been arranged between
Mr.. Bliss and Mr.. Hartman and that
Colonel Roosevelt never knew about 1T
until long time after election. He
denied that it had been subject of
correspondence between the former
president and Mr.. Hartman.
Mr.. Sheldon had further testified
that Mr.. Odell had come to Mr.. Bliss to
see about raising money for the state
campaign, and that later Mr.. Harri-
man and Mr.. Bliss got together about
$250,000, which was handed over to
the state committee and never went to
LuG
Chairman Clapp introduced the sub
iect Of the Hartman contribution by
asking the former governor what he
knew Of Mr.. Hartman having stated
in a letter TO- Sidney Webster that Mr.
Roosevelt asked Hartman to come to
Washington during the campaign of
1904.
Hartman Shows Letter.
"In October of 1904" began Mr.
Odell, "I was requested by Mr.. Harri.
man to lunch with him, | went to his
office and during lunch he showed me
a letter from President Roosevelt ask
ing him to come to Washington. I was
chairman of the state committee that
year. Mr., Hartman asked what l sup
posed the president wanted. I told
him my opinion was that he wanted tc
consult with him as to New ork and
the financial conditions of the national
committee. Mr.. Hartman said he did
not want to go, but after talking il
over he told me he would.
"I requested Mr.. Hartman to bring
to the president s attention the sena
toriaI situation N New York and tel
him the organization was in favor ot
Governor Black for senator, but as ye'
| had kindly feeling toward Senator
Depew and would like to have him
taken care of; that if Mr.. Roosevelt,
could do so, it would be happy solu
tion for him to appoint Mr. Depew EN-
bassador to France.
Visits Washington.
"Mr. Hartman came to Washington
and a few days afterwards I agni1
lunched with him. continued Mr.
Odell. "He told me 7 WIS correct-tha
the president was anxious about th
financial condition Of the nationa
committee and would like to have Mr.
Hartman help. Mr.. Hartman sal,
he asked about the senatorial matte
and the president said that if it wa
necessary he would do as I requested. !.
Mr.. Hartman said he was read
to help the national committee. I sur
gested that he wait until the commit
tee exhausted other sources before piy
ing assistance. Subsequently,. Mr.. Co,
telyou came to nv Office and said h
was unable to raise the rest of th
money for the state committee. Tn
rest amounted to about s2000O0,
said it was an embarrassing situatio
for me and he asked me if I could hel
out. replied 7 would see,
Raise the Money.
Later, / called up Mr. Harrlma
and told him if he desired to help tn
time to do so, He asked me to bav
Mr.. Bliss and Mr.. Cortelyou come dow
to see him. I communicated with theI
and they went. Later that day NJ
Hartman telephoned me that he ha
made arrangements for the raising @
money and had raised $240.000 whic
he had turned over TO Mr. Bliss. Tha
same day Mr.. Bliss came over an
gave me the national committee
for 100000. -
After his story of the contribution
Mr.. Odell explained his relation wit
the national committee. He said i
July. 1904, an agreement had bee
made between himself and the nation;
committee represented by Mr.. Corte
you and Mr.. Bliss, whereby the nations