The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-08-30
M'DERMOTT SAYS
HE IS VICTIM OF
A FRAME UP"
Congressman Characterizes Me-
Michael as Companion" He
Trusted Absolutely
DENIES GETTING CASH
FROM UNITED BREWERS
Explains His Lack of Cash
Through Interest In Aero
plane Company

WASHINGTON. Aug. 2s.-Claimins
frame up" by |. II. McMicnael, his
former intimate friend. and Martin NJ
Mulhal. once chief lobbyist for the
National Association OF Manufacture
ers. Representative James I McDer
mott, OF Illinois, accused by them OF
misconduct sufficient for his impeacn
ment. took the stand today in his
own defense before the house lobby
| investigating committee.
McDermott took the stand conn
IDENTIFY. He denied that |. II. Nc
Michael eyer-been- his private
secretary. "A genial companion
whom / trusted absolutely" was the
way the witness described the man
| who Is now his principal accuser.
The congressman dismissed as
"dreams-just Dreams" the Mulhal
charge that he received $4,000 from
the United Brewers association fol
voting right" during the Cannon
] rules fight He said he couldn't have
given Mulhall information about the
Hughes eight-hour bill In 1910 be
cause at the time he had not met the
, lobbyist Moreover. he denied beins
In Washington Christmas week In
1911. when Mulhall testified the two
met
! McDermott frankly confessed his
financial embarrassments. He said he
lost money in "a sucker play with an
aeroplane company in 1910. and lit
tie later McMichael introduced Null
hall "as a guy with cash who might
help you" Mulhall gave the inventor
OF the aeroplane on which McDermott
had gone broke" letters of introduc'
ton to Connecticut manufacturers
and 10 ]. p. Bird. OF the n. A. NJ
None Of these. according to McDer-
mott. did any good. In July, 1911. the
congressman said he saw he was
stuck" on the aeroplane company
and borrowed money from George
Horning, q local pawnbroker, mot as
a money lender. but as friend
The only explanation the witness
could make Of the secret room in
the capitol. In which Mulhall said he
and McDermott had their conferences
was that during his absence Nc
Michael had given Mulhall key.
When l came back from Chicago
in December. McMichael told me Null
hall had given him some affidavits on
the Burns detectives" the witness
continued Il read 'em In that room
In the capitol. showed 'em TO Samuel
Gompers and we agreed there was
nothing to il. threw them in a box
| and forgot EN- until Mulhall had a fl
because he didn't have 'em. Then
had em looked for"
! McDermott was temporarily excus.
ed at noon TO permit Laurence Estes
assistant cashier of the Merchants
Loan & Trust company, OF Chicago
to testify regarding the date the $3.50
campaign check to McDermott from
Harold Mccormick was cashed
Mulhall testified that McDermott
forged his name to a duplicate of this
check. A fac-simile Of the original
check. which Mulhall swore he did not
cash in Baltimore until after April 16,
was introduced. II showed payment
in Chicago on April Is. having been
cashed In Baltimore several days be-
fore
Estes also produced McDermott's
correspondence regarding the appear.
ance OF the original and receipt
showing McDermott paid $3.50 for the
extra check.
Walter e. Chaplin, auditor of the
Hotel Sherman. Chicago. swore that
Mulhall registered March %, 1912
and was checked OF April 8. This
was In contradiction to Mulhall's testt
mony that he was in Chicago until
April l6, collecting money for Nc
Dermott, and that the Mccormick
check did not arrive until after he
had left Chicago.