Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-07-30
WAS MISTAKEN
ON WATSON'S PAY
Col. MuIhaI Retreats Charges
Against Ex-Congressman.
"HAD HIS DATES MIXED
Attorneys of N. A. M. May Not Be
Permitted to Cross-Examine Wit
ness-Reed Suggests Questions
Be Given Committee.

Washington, July 25-Ncarly five
hundred letters of Martin NJ Hulhall's
were put into the record during We'd
nesday Mulhall was on the stand only
about an hour after the noon recess,
but in spite of the short session, the
committee made rapid progress and
members hoped to get through with
the correspondence some time Friday.
The name of former Secretary of the
Treasury MacVeagh was brought into
the hearing when a letter from former
Representative Watson of Indiana to
Mulhall, dated September IS, 1909, was
introduced. Watson, evidently trying
to place Secretary Schwedtman Of the
manufacturers association oil the tar
if board, wrote that President Taft
was appointing only men recommend
ed by MacVeagh,
IF he were a Republican we might
reach him." wrote Watson of Mac
Veagh, "but he is a mugwump, and
I am not hopeful of final success ;
for l will swear l never on earth
knew what to do with mugwump,
inasmuch as / have no right to kill
him."
Col. Martin NJ Mulhall retracted the
most serious charge he had made be-
fore the senate lobby investigating
committee Tuesday. He had sworn
that former Representative j. E. Wat
son of Indiana was employed by pri-
yate interests in 1909 while member
of the house to work for tariff COM
mission bill. In retracting, he assert
ed that Watson was not member OF
the house at the time.
Reports that Watson was about to
ask the District of Columbia grand
jury to indict Mu'ihall on charge OF
criminal libel were heard meanwhile
about the Investigating room.
More of the Mulhall letters were
barred while the exlobbyist was tes-
tifying. February 4, 1909, in letter
to f. c.. Schwedtman, Mulhall got into
Illinois politics and brought in former
Senator Hopkins, who was defeated
for reelection by William Lorimer.
Mulhall wrote of the senatorial dead
lock at Springfield:
I'VE are spreading the impression
that on account of the contemplate
stand taken by Hopkins In the con
yentfon at Chicago last June, wherein
he was extremely unfair to the manu-
featuring interests in refusing them
hearing before the commit ee on
resolutions and packing that commit
tee in favor of the Gompers crowd,
he has in a large measure brought
this fight on his own shoulders
A few days later Mulhall, in an
other letter to Schwedtman, denounced
Mr. Mckinley and others for voting
to defeat the ship subsidy bill, which
the Manufacturers association fay
ored.
Another branch of the ''insidious
lobby" was disclosed late in the day
The Mulhall letters referred to efforts
TO have Cardinal Gibbons, Daniel F
futile, presiding bishop of the Epls
copal church of America; Ambassador
James Bryce, the late Justice Brewer
of the Federal Supreme court, and
other prominent men speak in st
Iouis during a course of lectures given
nv the Citizens Industrial association
Mulhall said the Industrial associa
ton was organized to keep the side
of the people interested in it before
the public. :.
One of the letters on the tarin
commission bill, written by II. Il
Miles. a manufacturer, of Racine, Wis.
attacked Speaker Cannon.
Senator Nelson and Clapp took the
witness stand before the senate lobby
investigating committee Monday night
and denied the truth of statements
made by Martin NJ Mulhail.
In letters read into the record Mui
hall told of conversations with Sen
ator Nelson-a member OF the loDpy
committee-in relation to the reJectlof
early in 1909 of a bill amending tne
sherman antitrust act, by senate
subcommitte, of which Mr.. Nelson was
chairman. AMulhall wrote to +. =
schwedtman, secretary to James "
Van Cleave, president of the associa
ton. that he had seen Senator Nelson
and that the senator had told MIN