The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-30
UNDERWOOD QUICK
TO RESENT CHARGES
OF MARTIN MULHALL
Albanian Causes Sensation
When He Brands Lobby
ist a Liar
HAD NEVER SEEN
MULHALL BEFORE
Last Day as Identifier Proves Exciting
One for Lobby Specialist--Clark
Also Denies Mulhall
Statements

Washfngton, July 20.--(speciaI.)
Representative Underwood created "A
ripple of excitement In the senate lob
by Investigating committee today by
appearing nnsummoned before that or
ganization and denouncing the star
witness, Colonel MuIhalI, ms n "liar and
n bIackmniIer.v
MIR. Underwood was perfectly calm
and wore his usual smile, but he went
after MuIhalI good and strong because
of statement made by the witness
ger of the ways and means committee
and nIso the part he claimed to have
played In the appointment of w. L.
Wilson as chairman of the labor COM
mittee.
Mr.. Underwood appeared before the
senate lobby committee to deny that Null
hall had ever talked to him about legis-
lation before Congress in its pendency.
After look at the witness he said:
II never saw him before in my life"
Senator Reed expressed the belief that
Mr.. Underwood should wait until ths
committee had more opportunity to finish
with Mulhal.
II think" the majority leader said,
that II is in the interest of the public
that man has taken liberties with pub
lie servants as this man has. should bs
contradicted. / regard man of this kind
as a blackmailer.'
Statement a Lie
Mulhall has never been In the ways
and means commmittee room since
have been chairman of the committe." he
continued. when he says he had an in
terview | want to say that statement is a
lie"
Mr.. Underwood appeared unexpectedly
and made a brief statement before he was
sworn.
He denounced as false statement sworn
to previously by Aluinal that An employe
of the ways and means COMMITTEES mad
been in his employ.
According to Mulhall's earlier testimony
the man was paid $50 month.
you made statement that this man
was a blacl1nailer; that means he used
threats to extort money! said Senator
Reed.
Il think he was just trying to get money
out of his own people," retorted Mr.. Tn
derwood
Chairman Underwood read Mulhalrs let
ter about the alleged interview in which
MulhalI wrote that Mr. Underwood had
told him that he could not do else than
appoint William B. Wilson, now Secre-
tary of Labor, chairman of the House
labor committee because there was no
means committee.
Never Was a Question
THAT whole statement is a lie out of
the whole cloth; not a word of truth in
it, declared Mr.. Underwood. There
never was a question but Wilson'S selec-
tion as head of that committee, solely be-
cause of his capacity and qualifications.
1t is clear to me this man was down here
writing these things to his people, trying
10 make out that he was doing great
things. He never had any conference with
me. The statement in his letter can be
disproved by every member of the ways
and means committee.
81 am certain / never met this man.
"He has face could not forget
There is nothing here that reflects on
me. But l want things set right before
the country"
Mulhall reiterated he had talked with
had written to his employees about condi-
tions "just as / found them in Washington
at this time"
II have no desire to contradict Mr..
Underwood" said he, but | am con-
vinced that after he has heard my
other witnesses and the examination is
ended he win take back part of what
he has said.'
Cannot Be Proved
Statements you made in your letter
were not true. and can be proved not
means committee retorted Under
wood "Therefore. it was self-evident
] did not make them to you"
Il will stand as clean before the
world as you WILL Mulhall rejoined.
II have no question of how we will
stand relatively before the public" am
swered Mr.. Underwood. The leader then
laughed and then left the committee
room
The incident created a sensation.
washington, July 29-Martin M. Mulhail
practically finished today his identification
of letters he wrote and received in the
10 years he claims to have been the lobby
list for the National Association of Manu-
facturers Tomorrow the Senate investi-
cation committee will turn Its attention
TO examination of Mulhall. and attorneys
for the association and for the American
Federation of Labor, also involved in the
correspondence, will begin cross exami-
nation of Mulhall.
Members of the committee will attempt
to strengthen Mulhall's story of his po-
litical activities in Washington and
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