Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-16
McDermOtt's Former Sec
retary Tells of Bribe
of Congressman.
- ASKED TO TAKE BLAME E
Witness SWearS Representative
Proposed That He Go to
Prison for Others.

Washington, D. C., Aug. ia story
OF bribery. petty and large, of confer
ences with lobbyists and Of campaign
funds raised by manufacturers. invoIv-
ing Representative James T. McDer-
mott Of Chicago, was told by l. II. Nc
Michael, former chief page of the
house, before the house lobby investi.
cation committee yesterday afternoon.
McMichael said that Chicago men,
bers OF the National Association OF
Manufacturers raised S1,25O as a cam.
paign fund for McDermott, told Of num-
ercus small transactions between Mar
tin NJ. Mulhall and Tie stockyards con-
gresham. He swore that McDermott
told him that he receiged $500 for
his efforts to have the loan shark bill
in the District Of Columbia amended
so that II would not injure pawnbrok-
o. ers and told Of numerous conferences
between the congressman and the lob
byist.
SAYS McDERMOTT ASKED $4,000.
At one OF these conferences, al which
he was present. McMichael said that
McDermott told Mulhall he would need
$4,000 for his campaign expenses. and
that Mulhall said he would try to get
n for him. Shortly after that. he said,
Mulhall brought to McDermott's Office
list of the Chicago members of the
National Association of Manufacturers
and McDermott marked who were in
HIS district. McMichael in the capac-
ity of McDermott's confidential secre-
tary. then returned the list to Mulhsll
and later gave -Mulha1L-S75- to go to-
Chicago at the request of McDermott,
who said he was broke"
This was during the 1912 campaign.
After he had been elected McDermott
told McMichael that Mulhall had not
raised a cent for him and had left
him 5000 hotel bill to pay.
Subsequently, however, Mulhall
showed McMichael a list of Chicago
manufacturers and the amount they
had contributed to McDermotts cam.
paign fund. aggregating $3.50. The only
name on this list that McMichael
could remember was that of the Link
Belt company. Another check given
by Harold Mccormick OF Chicago was
collected both in the original and on
a duplicate.
TELLS OF SHARK BILL.
McMichael then told OF trip taken
by him and McDermott to New York,
where they met George d. Hornung
a Washington pawnbroker, and John
McDermott, New York brewer. He
said that McDermott registered in
New York as "McDougal" and inform
ed McMichael that he did not want any
one 70 know he was there.
The four mentioned held a confer
ence about the loan shark bill IN John
McDermott's Office and Representative
McDermott agreed with Hornung that
the pawnbrokers should not be put I'M
der the same restrictions as the so
called 10 per centers," the witness
said. Later McMichael learned that
$4,000 had been raised by Washing
ton pawnbrokers TO have the bill so
amended and named Hornung and
Heinheimer Bernstein and Tribby as
contributors 10 this fund.
MCMichael said he never knew what
share Of this fund had been paid to
NcDermott until after the bill had be
come a law. when he asked him. Nc
Dcrmott told him that he received
$500 He also stated that he had
spent II all and refused to pay Nc
Michael SIS which he owed him.
SOUGHT TO CLEAR CONSCIENCE
McMichael .old dramatically OF the
time when Mulhsll told his two conf
dsntes. McMichael and McDermott.
that he was tired OF doing the dirty
work Of the n. A. NJ" and that he
wanted % clear his conscience. He
proposed TO make public at that time
the documents on which the present
investigation Is based.
The three OF them met in their ren.
devious and drew up resolutions SINH
lar 10 the ones which brought about
the investigation. Mulhall said be
would see that no letters involving
McMichael or McDermott would be
published. McDermott then agreed to
show the resolutions TO Speaker Clark
and TO Representatives Mann and Tn
derwood. and 10 ask them about the
advisability OF introducing II. He re
ported to Mulhall. several days later
that all three OF the leaders had ad
vised against doing so; but he sub
stantially admitted TO McMichael later
that he had never approached then
on the matter
PENrrENTTARY PROPOSAL.
When the MulhaN letters were pub
Nshed McMichael said that Mr.. McDer
mott took him into q room at the capi
tcl and told him that he (McDesmott