River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-10-02
SAY SULzER TRIED
TO FIX WITNESSES
ONE TESTIFIES IMPEACHED Gov
ERNOR ASKED HIM TO
"FoRGET."
STATEMENTS ARE STARTLING
Henry w. Moreenthau Says Execu-
tive Asked Him to
Be "Easy With i,
Him."

Albany, N. Y, Sept. Ex-Governor
William Sulzer tried to persuade con-
tributors to his campaign fund not
to testify against him, according to
evidence adduced at his Impeachment
trial.
He asked Duncan w. Peck, state
superintendent Of public works, who
gave $500 to the fund to violate his
oath on the witness stand in event he
should be called to testify before the
Frawley investigating committee, Peck
swore. The governor, Peck asserted,
lad told him that he, too, would deny
having received contributions.
This conversation, he said, was held
in the governors office at the capitol.
The witness was examined by John B.
Stanchfeld as to the precise words
used by the governor.
The Conversation.
what did he say?"
'He said, DO as l shall do; deny
IT."
What else was said, if anything?"
Il said: L suppose l shall be under
OATH he said, That is nothing; for
get it,"
Attorney Human, cross-eXamining
for the defense, asked Peck il it were
taken about single word that passed
between him and the governor.
mot a word" Peck replied emphat-
ically.
Peck, at the time Of his contribution,
held his present position, but told the
governor, he said, that there were mo
strings" to the gift and that he did
not feel that he was obligated to re-
appoint him. Peck was reappointed.
Asked Morgenthau to Be Easy.
The governor asked Henry w. Nor
genthau, ambassador to Turkey, who
contributed $1,000, to 'be easy" on
him and to treat the affair between
us as personal" in the event that he
should be called to testify. This Mr..
Morgenthau sWore to when recalled to
the stand. He said the request was
made by the governor over the long
distance telephone on Sept. 2, last.
The governors attorneys gave indi-
cations of being COMPOUNDED by the
testimony Of these two witnesses.
None Of them had the faintest inkling,
it was learned, that such accusations
were to be brought by the attorneys
for the assembly managers.
Check Payable to Cash.
1t was further brought out that
Richard Croker Jr., con of the former
leader of Tammany, had contributed a
$4,000 check, payable at the request
of Sulzer to the order of Cash" and
that the check was cashed by Freder-
lex L. Colwell, alleged to have been
the governors agent in his Wall Street
transactions.
Croker testified that the governor
wanted the check in a convenient form
to cash it Immediately because he was
in a hurry to start on his campaign
trip through the state. This was on
Oct 12, but it developed that ColWell
did not cash the check until Oct. 81.
The latter testimony was given by
William B. Houghton, paying teller of
the Equitable Trust company of New
York, who said that Colwell was his
Sunday school teacher Demand for
ColwelPs production brought out a
statement from the governors attor-
neys that they expected to get in COM
munication with him last night or to-
day. He has been missing several
weeks.
The Croker check was one of sew
eral unreported campaign contribu-
lions which were the subject of tes-
timony.