Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-10

dDOuI os.JD y. IN. DelOnES 10 COuSIelld-
ton Hydra uhe Sen Serpent.
know OHara. | never knew Maud
Robinson, nor have ! been in Spring
field in two years. | believe the bring
ing of my name into this is part of
political conspiracy against my faith
er, just as the charges are being used
against O'Hara by saloonkeepers and
divekeepers who resent his investiga-
tion.'
Davidson said he knew nothing of
the matter and introduced his daugh-
ter, who he said was willing to talk"
O'HARA's OWN STORY.
Here is Lieutenant Governor O'Hara's
own story Of the trip to Chicago which
forms the basis Of the secret affidavit
by Maud Robinson. as told by Mr.
O'Hara to County Treasurer William
l. O'Connell on April q and made
public yesterday by the latter:
Maud Robinson's story is a tissue
Of lies into which certain innocent
facts are cleverly interviewer with the
intent TO injure my reputation.
The woman was induced to make
this affidavit by a wholesale liquor
dealer in Springfield who was in
league with others to stop the SEN
ate welfare committees expose of vice
/ conditions in that city. When that
affidavit was made notice was prac-
tically served upon me that /, as chair
man OF the white slave commission,
must refrain from calling certain wit
nesses, the alternative being that my
name would be blackened before the
! public and the commission would be
! put out of business
REFUSED TO DEsIST.
my answer to this attempt to CO.
ercion was that ! was innocent of
| any wrongdoing, and that. come what
might, l would continue 10 perfoxm
the service committed to my hands
by the senate. Nothing shall be al
lowed to stop the investigation into
vice conditions in Springfield. No wit
ness shall be allowed immunity. What,
ever may be the consequences to my
self ] shall continue in the course !
have marked out.
AS 10 the story told by this woman
Robinson, no fair-minded man can fail
to acquit me of blame when they know
the real facts.
1T is true, as she alleges, that ]
left Springfield at noon on Saturday,
Jan. Il. with Thomas d. Vredenburgt
a wealthy lumber merchant OF that
city We took the Alton limited for
! Chicago and in the party were Maud
Robinson and another young woman
whose name l think was Mabel David,
son.
MET GOOD FELLOWS
'Vredenburgh, with whom was on
\ friendly terms, and from whom l had
rented house in Springfield, had told
me he was going TO Chicago on that
train and asked me if did not want
to meet a couple of good fellows Out
Of courtesy / said yes and | found
the good fellows we're the two young
women.
After We boarded the train the
women became boisterous in their
conduct They were so Zip and loud
that we had to engage a private room
on the Pullman parlor car for ouI
party
when We reached Chicago We
went to the Hotel Sherman, where
Vreden tg registered for the party
/ had NJ hand in IL and did not know
that he had registered except for him
self
In the course of the evening We
went to the Lambs cafe and to the
Far East restaurant. During the even
ing l wanted to leave the party anC
] thought it would be a matter of gooC
judgment TO get someone else TO takC
my place. l called up Harry Gibbons
bailiff in Judge McDonald's court. anC
he came. About midnight, left Glib
-bons at the Lambs club with the part!
and went to the Press club
My intention in introducing Glib
bons was TO introduce him to the girl
and let him entertain in my stead witt
: Vredenburgh. / did not stop at tn,
Hotel Sherman at night, though / die
go up to the rooms occupied by tn,
party the next afternoon.
On lual SdtuTudN ulSnI wen
again to the Press club and on Sunda.
l gave the party box which had beel
presented 20 me for the performanc,
OF The Top OF the Morning" at tn,
: Olympic theatre II was not my in
) teltion to go TO the theatre. but
= afterward dropped in and occupied
, box next to the party.
: Il saw no more OF the party unit
/ the next day. when went TO the doc
! OF lie suite and talked TO them for
moment
II Il have certain evidence which VII
5 establish a complete alibi for mysel
: which will convince the committee an
/, the public OF my complete innocenc
{ OF the charge made by the Robinso
. woman"
D RELIEVES O'HARA INNOCENT.
: After outlining Lieutenant Goyerno
I O'Hara's reply to the charges made i
tie secret affidavit, County Treasure