Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-07-23
GRAND JURY TALK
SCARES NULHALL
RETRACTS SERIOUS CHARGE HE
MADE AGAINST JIM
WATSON.
MISTAKEN As TO DATE
Rumorcd That Watson Is to ASK In.
diCtmcnt OF Mulhall for Crlm-
inal Libel.

WASHINGTON. July %. Martin
M. Mulhall. professed eX-lobbyist for
the National Association Of ManufaC-
turers. today retracted the most seri-
Gus charge he has made before the
senate investigating committee.
He swore yesterday that former
Representative James f.. Watson Of
Indiana had been employed by private
interests in 1909 while he was still a
member of the house, to work for a
tariff commission bill He testified to-
day that what he had sworn to yes
terday was wrong, that Watson was
not a member Of the house at the time.
Reports that Watson who is in
Washington, was about TO ask the Dis
trict OF Columbia grand jury 10 indict
Mulhall for criminal libel were heard
about the Nestigatins room Mul-
hall volunteered his retractiOn after
the noon recess He said he realized
his mistake when he again saw the
date OF tariff convention held IN
indianapolis in February 1903.
Watson VIII Testify.
The committee did not question
Mulhall about the discrepancy in his
sworn testimony Watson is under
subpoena and Will take the stand la
ter
Just before the close of today's ses-
sion the Mulhall letters began to refer
10 efforts to secure Cardinal Gibbons
presiding bishop OF the catholic
church. Ambassa dor James Bryce the
late Justice Brewer OF the Supreme
court, Vice President sherman, Sena-
tors BOrsh and Dollver and other men
to speak in ST. Louis during a course
OF lectures to be given by the Citi2ens'
Industrial association. Cardinal Glib
bons was mentioned in several letters
between Mulhall and +. G. Schwedt-
man secretary to President Van
Cleave of the National Association Of
Manufacturers. Finally Chairman
Overman asked for an explanation.
Never Saw Cardinal
II don't believe | saw the cardinal
on that mission" said the witness.
Mulhall said the ASSOCIATION was
organized for the purpose OF deliver
ing lectures and keeping the side Of
the people interested in the public.
Has it anything to do with lobby
work" he was asked.
Yes. sir: IL was organized to pro-
tect its members or TO work for lcEis-
lation It wanted. including legislation
against labor
Mulhall swore it was a constituent
member of the national association
for Industrial defense.
cardinal Gibbons and these other
distinguished men did not know the
real object Of the organization, did
they" asked Senator Nelson
mo, sir" said Nulhall.
when Mulhall was IN Dinbury
Conn, In June. 1909. working on the
famous strike Of the Danbury hat
ters. he wrote Schwedtman about Fa-
ther Schanley Of that place
81 have had several long interviews
with him and have won him over a.
warm friend. Father Schanley is
| one of the most noted Catholic clergy
men I'm the east.
Mulhall's activities. detailed in let
terS put in the record today were di-
rectcd early In 1903 to work in be-
half OF tariff committee bill. al
though he told OF occasional trials
20 break strikes and other odd Jobs.
Cannon a Stumbling Block.
One of the letters on the tariff
| commission bill purporting to have
been written by II. h. Miles. a manu-
facturer of Racine. Wis. VINO was
prominent in the fight. declared that
Speaker Cannon was the mcin .b-
stacle. The letter was dated July 21.
1903, when the Payne -Aldrich bill
with its tariff board provision had
gone to conference. The letter said
The President IL said 10 be ahso-
lutely bent upon his program and
wonderfully uny1eldng. And the en-
tire opposition. so far as it resists him,
Is in Speaker Cannon as the one op-
posing unit and behind him a major
ity Of the house conferes.
"I am satisfied If Speaker Cannon
could name the persSnnel Of the pro-
posed commission hs would grant II
Instantly and would undoubtedly name
the sort of men he packed the con-
ference committee with. II We don't
get this commission 1t will he be-
cause of Speaker Cannon and the in
fluence he personally stands for. The
president will be as disappointed as
we.'
The letter said that Miles was wlr-
| ing organizations to telegraph Taft
Aldrich and Cannon" insisting on the
commission provision put In by the
senate.
"The good LORD moves slowly" said
the letter in conclusion. but this ls
certain above everything else-thls
| country Is on the way more rapidly
than most OF us realize, to a just and
helpful tariff"