The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-11-15
INQUIRE SENT THIS TELEGRAM
WIRED HENNESSY CONCERNING
CAMPAIGN FUND.
Syracuse Man Admits in John Doe
Proceedings Charge Which He De.
MED Several Days AgO-COnfession
Brings Witness Near to Collapse
and Physician is Summoned -
Threat of Indictment for Perjury
Was Hanging Over Him Other
Witnesses.

New York, Nov. l1.--George H
Mcguire, of Syracuse, who last Thurs
day denied under oath that had sent
a telegram to John A. Hennessy, for.
mer Governor Suffers graft investiga-
tor. relative to political contributions,
today admitted he was the author of
the telegram.
A threat of Indictment for perjury
was hanging over him when the ad-
mission fell from his lips and he left
the witness stand almost in q state of
collapse A physician was called to at
tend him.
Mcclure was. testifying for the Sec
ond time In the John Doe inquiry in
stituted by District Attorney Whit
man into Hennessys charge that con-
tractors on State works had been
sand bagged" into making campaign
contributions to Tammany Hall. Hen
( messy has testified that he outlined
most of his information from Mcguire
| and that the latter bad sent him a tel
egram setting forth that William H.
Kelly, Democratic leader OF Onondaga
County. had been helping Arthur A.
State committee to shake down"
State highway contractors.
Today District Attorney Whitman
/ sent before the grand jury three wit.
nesses who gave testimony to show
| that Mcclure had not told the truth
last Thursday. One of these was Miss
Ollie Collier, stenographer in Nc
CURES office; another was q typewrit-
er expert who took with him a type
writer from McGuire's Office. The stem
ographer testified, it is understood,
that the machine was one which Nc
| Guire himself frequently used and the
expert declared the letters, on the orr
ginal Of the telegram corresponded
with letters OF the machine.
MCGUIRE was informed Of the con-
!
ney against him and soon afterward
| his friends telephoned Mr.. Whitman,
syaing he had collapsed. They asked
Mr. Whitman what he would promise
''if Mcclure told the truth" The dis.
trict attorney said he would promise
nothing but that Mcclure would be
indicted for perjury If he did not tell
the truth.
Mcclure was shown the original OF
the telegram when he took the stand
and was asked if he had written it.
Yes" said the witness, II have re-.
freshed my memory; I wrote it,
Mr.. Whitman then questioned Nc
Gure regarding a conversation with
Hennessy in Utica, at which, accord
ing to the graft investigator, Mcclure
gave him a list Of contractors who had
| been sand bagged." In his testimony
Thursday the witness denied having
given Hennessy this information.
Mcguire was growing visibly ner-
vous. LAS remember it." he said,
my testimony as to that was correct"
At this point his attorney former
Federal District Attorney Henry A.
I Wise, requested Magistrate McAdoo
! for an adjournment until Thursday
He explained that his client had suf-
fered IAN utter physical and mental
collapse" and was not in condition to
go on with his testimony. The request
was granted, after Mr.. Wise had taken
the witness into an adjoining room.
whore Mcclure became hysterical, 1t
was said.
| He was preceded on the stand by
| Eugene D.. Wood. the Albany lobbyist,
from whom Hennessy said he got his
alleged information that Edward L
Mccall paid for his nomination as Su-
preme Court Justice in 1902. Wood
denied every essential part of Hen
nessy's story.
! At the close of the hearing it was
stated that Henry z. Burgard, a Buff
| falo contractor mentioned by HenneS-
sy as having made contribution TO
! Tammany Hall, had admitted to Dis
trict Attorney Whitman that Hennessy
had told the truth and corroborated
many other charges made by the in
vestigatOr Burgard will not be called
! as a witness, 1t was learned. but his
information will be used by the dis
trict attorney as basis for further
investigation, the results of which. il
was said, probably would so dirtct to
the grand jury.
STAR OF STAGE DIES IN POVERTY