Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-08-20
GOV. WILLIAM SULzER IS IMPEACHED
New York Assembly Accuses the Executive Of Larceny Perjury
and Other Crimes and Msdemeanors-Tria VIII Be
Before the Senate

OF campaign funds, perjury and various
other high crimes and ulisdemean-
ors," Governor William Sulzer has
been impeached by the state assembly
The senate has received the articles
of impeachment and has summoned
Sulzer to stand trial before that body
and the circuit court of appeals sitting
together as a court of impeachment.
The articles were adopted by vote of
70 to As.
An important part of the charge is
that Mr.. Sulzer diverted campaign
contributions to his private use and
invested them in stocks. Just before
the impeachment Mrs. Sulzer made a
statement to the effect that she had
taken part of the campaign money and
bought stocks with it in Wall street.
She will probably take the witness
stand at the trial to tell this story.
Charges Against SuIzer
Stripped of their legal yeibiage. the
articles. of impeachment against Gov
ernor Sulzer are as follows:
THAT Governor Sulzer, in filing
his statement of campaign expenses.
set forth that his entire receipts were
$5.460 and his expenditures $7,724
that this statement was false and
was intended by him to be false" that
his list of receipts failed to include
II specific contributions. ranging in
amount from 800 to $4,000.
2-That Governor Sulzer attached to
his statement of campaign expenses
an affidavit declaring that the state
ment was "a full and detailed state
ment of all moneys received or con-
tributed or expended by him directly
or indirectly" That this affidavit was
false and was corruptly made by him, >
and that he was guilty Of willful and
corrupt perjury"
3-That Governor Sulzer was guilty
OF NAL and corrupt conduct IN his Of
fee as governor and was guilty of
bribing witnesses" The specific charge
is that while the Frawley committee
was investigating the governors cam.
paign accounts he 'fraudulently in
duced" three witnesses CHS campaign
manager personal friend, and a
stock broker) ito withhold their testi-
mony from said committee"
4-That the governor was guilty Of
"suppressing evidence" In violation of
the state penal law The specific charge
is that he "practiced deceit and fraud
and used threats and menaces with
intent to prevent the F'rawley commit
tee from procuring the attendance and
testimony of certain witnesses"
5-That the governor was guilty of
preventing and dissuading witness
from attending under subpoena" the
sessions of the Frawley committee.
The witness referred to is Frederick L.
Colwell, alleged to have acted as Sui
zer's agent In certain stock transac-
lions.
6-That prior to his election the
governor appropriated campaign con-
tributions to his own use "and used
the same. or large part thereof, in
specializing in stocks and
thereby stole such checks and was
guilty of larceny"
THAT Governor Sulzer promised
and threatened to use the authority
and influence Of his Office for the pur-
pose of affecting the vote or political
action of certain public officers, includ-
ing two assemblymen.
8-That he 'corruptly used his
authority as governor to affect the
prices of securities on the New York
stock exchange, In some OF which he
was specializing"
How IL All Started.
When Governor Sulzer, the "peo-
friend" refused to do the bidding of
Boss Murphy OF Tammany Hall, the
most remarkable political drama New
York state had ever seen was begun.
From that very moment Tammany
Hall carried out steady and con-
sisteHt program of warfare against
Suizer and all things Sulzer. The gov
ernor replied in kind. as well as he
could. A Tammanyized legislature in
stituted an Investigation" OF Sulzer,
and Sulzer reciprocated with an Sin
Yestigation" of some Tammany-con-
trolled state department.
What was it all about? Direct pri-
maries, mainly Also about appoint
ments. Boss Murphy sought to have
certain organization men appointed to
office. Sulzer declined to appoint them,
although he had been something of an
organization man himself for a great
many years, and Immediately after his
election to the governorship had been
Intimate with Murphy, 80 intimate that
Mr.. and Mrs. Murphy were welcome at
the Peoples House" as Governor Sui
ger asserted himself In an interview
Sulzer may have told the truth when
he said his life was in danger. He
declared, after his break with Tam
many Hall, that he had employed
guards to protect him against possible
assassination Attack after attack,
mostly traceable to political enemies,
was made on Sulzer He was accused
of perjury. the alleged offense having
been committed, according to his &C