The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-16
Former Chief Page Of House
Tells of His Relations
With Informer
COLONEL SUPPLIES
ALL DEFICIENCIES
Famous Conference Room in
the Capitol Building is
Used Principally to
Sleep Off Drunks"

WASHINGTON. Aug, 15.--Isaac II
McMichael, former chief page of the
house of representatives and frequent
principal news source in Legislative
matters. gave the house lobby commit
tee a new sensation tonight. He tesu-
fed that Representative James T. Nc
Dermott of Illinois. during the pend
ency of loan shark bill affecting
pawnbrokers and ten percenters" had
been the paid agent OF the pawn
brokers.
McMichael told of number of In
stances where he had obtained articles
OF his own and Of afcDermotts from
the pawnbrokers of Washington. He
named George u. Horning. u. Heiden-
heimer and s. BurnstIne as parties who
had been in collision with McDermot,
TO prevent the passage OF the anti
loan shark bill In its original form
He told of a conference In the hotel
Navarro IN New York. attended by
Representative McDermott, himself
George f. Horning and Tom ID. Nc
Dermott general agent OF the United
States Brewers association. Al this
conference, according TO McMichaeFs
story. the agreement as To Mepermott
activities against the bill was effected
Got Big shakedown.
McMicheai told Of several instances
In which pawned goods were removed
from the clutches Of the pawnhrokers,
without the payment OF interest and
of other instances where they were
returned without the payment OF even
u
pernett told him he had received all
told more than $1,000 in the shak edown
OF the Washington pawnbrokers.
In the course OF his testimony. Nc
Michael declared that Henry Neal
Speaker Clarks colnred messenger.
and Harry Parker. the messenger 10
Chairman Under God, had been tn his
knowledge in the pay of Colonel Null
hall
.'MeDermott would rather lie than
eat" was one Of the choice bits OF
testimony inserted by McMichaeL
McMichael testified that although he
had been employed At a compensat ton
of $50 month by Muihail from 1908
to 1911, his work had consisted solely
in collecting and mailing bills. reports
and other congressional documents TO
various interested members OF the n
A. NJ. and In furnishing the Washing
ton office OF James A. Emery with all
legislative documents bearing on labor
matters.
With great vehemence he swore he
had never tried 10 obtain secret or
semi secret information from any
member OF congress. nor had he ever
suggested to the page boys of the
mouse that they In any wise exercise
an espionage on members. This was
one of the principal charges made by
Mulhall in his original story.
Attacks McDcr1nott.
throughout his estimony McMichaeI
made repeated attacks on the charac.
ter and conduct OF Representative
James T. McDermott a Democrat. OF
Illinois. He told Of the several meet
tngs in Fritz Ruetter's hotel in Wash
ington between Mulhail. McDermott
and himself. He declared that fire.
Quently at these dinners McDermott
and he would call for Mulhan to
come to the hotel: they both being
empty as to stomach and pocket
book. Mulhall always supplied the
deficiency"
McMichael swore he served as con-
ndenttal secretary or clerk to McDer-
mott from the sixtieth congress until
within the last year. period of nearly
six years. He said that little, IL any
compensation ever was allowed him
by McDermott. The monthly check
for $125---a congressman's clerk Z
compensation--was drawn to the or
der OF McDermott, and, except for
$40 or sis at a time, McDermott kept
the money.
McMichael also told Of scheme
by which these secretarial clerks
salaries were hypothecated.'
The Conference Room.
~ SIR l>o "a ~,
room in the capitol, where Mulhall
alleges that numerous conferences
were held between himself and other
members Of the N. A. NJ, and men
prominenf In public, Ufe.. was, de-
scribed by McMichael as a SUBJ base
ment committee room, formerly the
apartment of the house committee
on expenditures in the department OF
commerce and labor. McMichael de-
clared that keys. to this room were
furnished by McDermott to himself
and Mulhail and he also swore that
never during the few months OF the
Strios' joint occupancy Of the room
were any members of congress save
McDermott In II.
McMichael was unable to describe
with any degree Of accuracy any oc-
eAsieH EN- which money rwAs given Ia
McDermott by Mulhall or loaned ia
him.
To Sleep on Drunks.
Cross questioned by Representative
Eerriss, Of Oklahoma, as to the uses
N tho private conference room, :
McMichael told the Oklahoma con-
gresham that it's principal use. SC
far - he could see, was ito sleep of
drunks in"
1--WE all used 1t for that purpose and
u have slept of many one there
ne added
In regard to his relations with Mr.,
Emery. McMichael testified that he
had met the Washington counsel Of
the n. A. M. but twice, that his sole
business with him was to telephcns
him 81 committee meetings. hearings
ma similar details Of house OF repre-
Y Sontaktvoe business ana supply him