The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-09-30
SON OF BLISS
ON THE STAND
CONTINUED from page -

bed by Pomerene and read with in
terest
Between 1904 and your fathers
death. do you remember any CONVEX
sation with him regarding campaign
contributions ?"
NO, sir" the witness replied.
Clapp called the witness attention
to a newspaper interview given by his
father in 1907.
Witness said he did not recall it,
The interview was in regard to cam
paign contributions.
DO you recall anything bearing on /
the 1904 contributions? finally asked
Clapp.
No, sir.
Bliss insisted he had produced all |
the papers he could find He said he
was not with his father in the 1904
campaign.
did you ever hear your father
mention the name of H. H. Rogers or
| John D. Archbold In connection with
t the 1904 campaign?'' asked Senator
! Paynter.
mo. sir" said Bliss.
who assisted your father"
"Mr. Robert Dixon was one assis-
tant; Charles Duell another said
i Bliss.
Where did he keep the records"
Il presume his books were kept 1y
/ the national committee"
Have you any knowledge of what
became of the books?''
MY father allowed them to be de-
+ stroyed. When he knew he was about
to die he had them destroyed. He
did not want them to become the sub
ject OF political controversy"
Were the records of 1904 destroy
ed?" asked Paynter.
II suppose so,'' said Bliss. During
, his last illness he told me of the de-
, struction of the books"
!. One Of the letters Bliss submitted
: was written by President Taft on
: May 6, 1904, when he was secretary
of war. 1t asked Mr. Bliss to become
: chairman OF the national committee.
} saying President Roosevelt was
! most anxious for it, as Mr. Bliss
g would secure the confidence of those
from whom contributions may be ex-
8 pected only for legitimate campaign
j. purposes"
I The letter from Roosevelt, also
dated May 6, 1904, asked Bliss to take
4 the craftsmanship and attend to office
: routine of the national headquarters
1t contained no reference to contribu,
!. tions.
I "Why did your father discuss with
you his plans for destroying the
books?',-
! 81 was his executor"
u DO you know of any one who hat
access to the books?''
2 mo, sir
. Have you talked with any Of Thu
= members Of the national committe.
y about this?''
:, !, Eyes, cir; talked wen George L
:, Sheldon
= Didn't sheldon audit these books 2
). mo, SIR
Bliss said James G. Cannon of tn,
: Fourth National bank of New YorI
audited the books.
:, Bliss said he never heard his faith
!, er say H. H. Rogers contributed. Thel
Pomeren reverted to Standard OF
"a contributions in 1904.
IF I talked with my father abou
such gifts, I don't remember" sal
Bliss
Pomerene grilled the witness sever
r. ely, but Bliss admitted nothing.
William p Libbey was called afte
/, Bliss He said he was employed il
" an advisory capacity in the New Yor
offices of the Standard Oil Libby wa
asked about charges made in til
!, Hearst magazine. He said he ha
u been active when the Payne-Aldric
~ bill was up in congress in 1909. H
- said he was also interested in tart
= bill introduced by Senator Curtis, Q
10 Kansas, regarding oil trade to Austre
Hungary. Clapp suggested that th
a. Standard Oil was interested in tn
q 1908 campaign, particularly the tariff
ne but Libby said he knew nothing ahou
&c campaign gifts. Libby said his con
&C. pany strongly opposed placing petro
&C. cum on the free list. He said he III
M derstood Standard Oil contribute
-. heavily in 1904
m my informant was H. H Rogers
o. he said. ut was stated to be yer
tie large but do not know the amount
ut Did Rogers discuss contribution
If, with you?" asked Clapp.
lie. No, SIR
IN Libby said Rogers, Archbold ii
en- ford, Barstow, William Rockefelle
an and others knew about the Standar
uk Oil gifts.
OF Pomerene asked Libby if he ha
no any correspondence with senators ar
,ly congressman on the oil tariff.
Il don't believe saw many
Wo them" he said. my work has bee
at with my pen.'
- Libby promised to produce some
10. the letters. He said he saw Preside
eo- Taft regarding the tariff He also ga