The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-16
Former Chief Page Blows
Smoke at Committee and
Uses Pretty Language
WAS CONSTANTLY ON
MULHALL'S PAY ROLL
Gives Graphic Story of Working
Manufacturers Association in In
teresting LegisIation-Mc-
Dermott Implicated

Washington, August 15.-In a dramatic
statement I. II. McMiehael dismissed
chief page of the House Of Representa-
tives, tonight presented to the House
lobby investigating committee a sweep
ing charge of corruption against Repre-
sentative James e. McDermott of Illinois.
for years his sponsor With intense earn
estness McMichael in picturesque Ian
guage. corrohorated the allegations of VI.
NJ. Mulhall against McDermott, and made
additional charges, at times shocking the
committee and spectators without out
bursts of profanity and slang
The witness declared that for years he
had exerted every effort to support Mc-
Dermott. had loaned him money had
helped him in his campaigns Now. he
said, McDermott has thrown him down
and he felt he must tell the truth.
Received $500
In addition to the charges already made
McMichaels swore that the Chicago repre-
sentative told him that he received 5000
cut of fund of $4,000 raised by the pawn
brokers OF Washington to oppose bill
interest rates in the District Of Colum-
bla. In this connection MeMiehaels told
of trip to New York when McDernoft
conferred with John McDermott of an as
ISOLATION OF brewers and with George IL.
Horning, local pawnbroker.
Concluding his testimony McMiehaels
testified that Congressman MeDermott.
since the Mulhall expose had endeavored
to get him to conceal McDermotts alleged
part in the transaction
Il met McDermott in the hall OF this
office building, said MeMiehaels, his
voice unsteady with emotion, and he
said My God I'm a ruined man. What
am | going to do. DO you suppose any
body Will believe this old guy | said TO
him, I've worked hard for Nou for six
Years, harder than / ever worked for
any man. I tried to elevate YOU and help
yeu to a big position told him Z had
done al could for him. lie said, You've
got nething TO lose; Yon don't live With
your wife. Pm a congressman and INe
got a Wife ana children. Say you wrote
these letters unbeknownst to me and that
did not know anything about it. Even
il they prove that YOU committed perjury
and forgery they can only send YOU
down the river to the Ark for two years.
and Ill pay YOU 800 a month while yoil
arc there 7 said to him Yes. you're
willing to pay me 500 month to go to
jail for you, but you won't pay me the
wages you honestly owe me. I've got s1l
ia my pocket; that's all I've got to show
for six years work. but | won't do this
for YOU"
Struggle for Control
Apparently struggling to control himself.
MoMichaels told the committee Of fur
riafing $40 to take Mulhall to Chicago TO
aid McDermott in the 1912 campaign.
Where did YOU get that money! asked
Representative Garrett!
MY mother had Just died." said Nc
Michaes. and | was executor for my
me TIERS estate. The money was in u
bank here to the credit of the estate.
and | gave Mulhall check for it. l had
to hustle to put it back. l never got any
of 1t from McDermott.n
McMichaels told at length of making
trips to various pawnbrolSers IN Washing
ton to secure money either for McDer-
mott or himself,
'MoDermott told me-" he said, that
the pawnbrokers had raised $4,000 to
fight the loan shark bill and later he
told me he got $1,000 out of it. When [
asked him why he didn't pay me what
he owed me with part Of 1t, he said, Ny
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