New-York tribune., 1913-07-29
Former lobbyist RetraCtS
ment That He interviewed
Oscar w. Underwood.
LODGE MAKES FLAT DENIAL
Witness Describes Jimmy"
McDermott as Always Bor-
rowing, but Declares He
Was a Valuable Friend.
TFrom The Tribune Bureau.l

the untrustworthiness OF Colonel NJ. M
Mulhalrs letters came to light to-day,
when the former lobbyist asserted that
an interview" with Oscar w. Underwood
consisted Of meeting the Democratic
leader Of the House in the corridor and
asking him a question. Senator Lodge,
only few minutes before, had told the
committee that he had never known of
Mulhall before he came here 70 testify
despite the alleged lobbyists protesta-
tions of friendship in his letters.
A little later IN the afternoon Mulhall
admitted that his only basis for the as
sertion that he would be able to control
the Judiciary and Labor committees OF
the sd Congress was the friendship OF
Representative Jimmy" NcDermott and
I. T. McMichaels, chief page Of the
House
MulhalTs testimony has assumed a
bright political hue because Of his ap-
parent efforts TO shield any Democrats
of prominence who have been mentioned
in his correspondence. He retracted his
statements regarding Speaker Clark on
Friday. and to-day he did the same thing
for Mr.. Underwood.
The Democratic leaders name came up
in a letter Mulhall had written to j. r
Bird. general manager Of the National
Association of Manufacturers, relative 10
the chairmanship of the Committee on
Labor, which he had previously predicted
he would control
I'VE have lost the chairman of the
Committee on Labor" Mulhall wrote.
Wilson has been appointed. OF course
this will be a drawback 10 us, but al an
interview that / had with Mr. Under
wood yesterday morning. he stated that
he could not do otherwise, as the Com
rnittee on Ways and Means had no other
candidate before It but Wilson.
Mr. Underwood stated that Mr.. Wilson
had been appointed by the Committee on
Ways and Means TO serve as chairman
of the Committee on Census but al the
request of several organizations of labor
he had withdrawn from that committee
and accepted the appointment OF chair
man Of the Committee on Labor
Withdraws Underwood Interview.
Senator Reed had hardly finished reading
the letter when the witness said he wanted
10 correct the statement referring 10 an
interview, as this consisted merely Of
meeting Mr.. Underwood III the corridor
and asking him a question. He said,
however. that Mr Underwood gave in
formation when asked for It, "as any
gentleman would"
Senator Lodge denied positively that he
- T111h no in
the summer Of 1910. or had ever seen him.
He never heard Mulhalrs name until the
latter came here he said and he was
sure that the alleged lobbyist had never
been in his Office with Mr.. Hatfield. the
chairman Of the Massachusetts Repub-
lican Committee.
Mulhall persisted in saying that he had
been 10 the Senator's Office at least once,
exclsiming
Il certainly am not going TO try to con-
tradict what you say. Senator, but l do
say that ! had a conference with you In
your office I know I had many confer
ences with Mr. Hatfield
The colonel asserted to-day that he. went
20 the Office Of Representative Wilson, now
Secretary Of Labor 10 find out the prog
ress of labor legislation. but he apparently
had a warm reception on one Of these WIS.,
its, according to letter he sent TO Mr..
Kirby. president Of the National Associa-
ton of Manufacturers.
Il had the pleasure Of calling, Mulhall
wrote. at the room Of the Committee on
Labor yesterday morning and l run into
Miss Agnes Wilson, clerk Of that commit
tee, and I never saw a female so mad In
my life as she apparently was. There
were other members OF the Wilson family
present, but Miss Wilson went entirely
out of her road to condemn you for the
attack which she claims that you made
upon her family at our convention In New
York. should hate TO put on paper what
this young Lady said, but told her was
surprised TO hear her use such language
Failed to Control Committees.
According 70 several Of Mulhall's letters,
there was no, doubt as to his controlling
the Judiciary land Labor committees OF the
s2d Congress. which was Democratic, and
when pressed for his reasons for believing
he could do so, he said he depended on
what Representatives Dwight, Fassett and
Watson were doing. Senator Nelson
called his attention to the fact that neither
Mr. Fassett nor Mr.. Wilson was a mem
her OF that Congress- and Mulhall finally
fell back on McDermott and McMichaels
as his sources of influence. Mulhall al
WAYS wrote that he was confident OF sue
cess. but he said this attempt proved
failure.
As for Mr. McDermott's friendship,
Mulhali said the Chicago Representative
had a habit Of always borrowing money.
On one occasion, the witness said, Nc
Dermott took his entire roll" of s3s
while standing in front Of a bar in local
hotel
He just 'swiped' IT," laughed Senator
Nelson.
Yes" replied Murhsll. that was one OF
the ways he had Of borrowing"
Mulhall did not mind these little pleas
antries OF Mr.. McDermott however for,
he said, he proved a valuable friend. He
secured a private room for the lobbyist in
the basement Of the Capitol, supplied him
with franks 10 send out literature, and
kept him informed as 10 what was going
on generally.
Mr.. Kirby. president OF the National
Association OF Manufacturers. wrote Null
hall that ne would not stand for the use
Of the secret office on behalf Of hts associ- |
alton, but Mulhall kept II, and even had
stenographer go there and take dictation
He also used the Office 10 send out books
seeds, plants and bulbs under McDermott's