The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-22
United States Senators Take
Stand Before Colleagues
in Now Famous Lobby
Investigation
NEITHER REMEMBERS
MEETING MULHALL
DESPITE LETTERS
Mulhall Swears That Nelson Told
Him How Members voted-Let-
tiers Tell of Visits by
y Mulhall to Nelson's
Office

Washington. July 2I.---Two senator's,
Nelson and CIapp of Minnesota, tonight
took the stand before the committee of
their colleagues investigating the
slobby." and denied the truth Of state
ments made by Martin NJ. MuihaiI. for
mer political worker. acceIerator OF
congressional opinion md aIi-around
field worker for the National Associa-
tion of Manufacturers.
In letters read into the record today,
Mulhall told of conversation with Sena-
tor Nelson--a member of the lobby COM
IN 1909 of a bill amending the Sherman
antitrust law, by Senate subcommittee
OF which Mr. Nelson was chairman. Null
hail wrote to It. c. Schwedtman. secretary
10 James W. Van Cleave. president of
the association that he had seen Senator
Nelson and that The senator told him
what transpired in his subcommittee. He
swore on direct examination by Senator
that tire association send copy of the
subcommittee adverse report on the bill
tc the President (Mr Rooseyelt). In one
letter Mulhall spoke of being introduced
to Senator Clapp by Mr. Nelson and of
talking with botn men about a recent
decision under the Sherman act.
Is Questioned Closely
Questioned closely by Senator Cumnns
Muhall first swore he had been told by
Mr.. Nelson what had occurred in the COM
mittee, even TO how its members voted
on the proposed amendment: pursued
further ne agre4d that possibly ae had
not received such Information and then
switched again and declared that If he
had reported that he had received such
Information it must have been correct
Il have no recollection of seeing Mr..
MulEall or talking to him about this bill
and certainly would not have talked
to him about what transpired before the
judiciary committee" said Senator Mel
son tonight ut is possible that he may
have stepped inside my office and gotten
them from my clerk. Mr.. Hicks, my
clerk who was with me then and with me
now, says that he cannot recollect even
having seen Mulhall in our room. So far
as the report is concerned you all know
that Mr. Mulhall could get these reports
from the document room. have no recol-
lection OF ever meeting Mr.. Muhall or
talking to him on these subjects or any
thing else. Ever since Mr. Mulhall ap-
peared here before the committee / have
been racxing my brain to think or recall
IL l ever saw him or had a talk with
him. There is possibility that I may
be mistaken. l understood that Mr.. Null
hall had a mustache then and perhaps
that may account for the fact that 1 do
not recognize him now
II have not the slightest recollection
of ever seeing Mr.. Mulhal and certainly
have no recollection that Senator Nell
son introduced me to him In his ROOM"
ewore Senator Clapp. 1T Is very clear in
my mind that II had l would have
recollected it,"
The Nelson matter came up when
Senator Reed introduced letter dated
January 20. 1909, from Mulhall 10
Schwedtman 81 sent in my card TO
Senator Knute Nelson OF Minnesota, who
made the adverse report as chairman, to
the Senate upon the amendment of the
Sherman law" read the letter. THE
senator came out and took nl& to his
room and gave me a complete statement
of what took place in the Judiciary COM
mittee before they made their adverse
report
Senator Nelson was not in the room
at the time and Senator Cummins de-
clared that he had been requested to
ask that all letters bringing in Mr.. Mel
sons name be read at once Two let
ters were put In the record one referring
to the same bill, the other to an anti
Injunction bill which did not figure in
the later testimony
Upon examination Mulhall said he be-
came acquainted with Senator Nelson at
the time he wrote the first letter. II
was sent there by Mr.. Emery, the chief
lobbyist for the association he said.
"Senator Nelson's report on this bill
was made three days before you called;
YOU do not mean to say that you in
fuenced hirn?' asked Senator Cummins.
NO sir not at ALL
Senator Cummins pressed the witness
as to the statement that Senator Nelson
had given him information about what
occurred before the bill was reported adj
versely. Muhall was certain that he
had given such Information, then was
'srot clear nthat' and later showed
signs of anger. You don't expect me
to remember complete details of con-
versations like that which occurred so
long ago?" he asked.
II would be very much surprised il
you did," said Senator Cummins dryly.
Letters introduced
Mulhall sat near the left OF the witness
chair while Senator Nelson made his
statement. He listened closelyfto every
word
Senator Nelson reviewed the history of
efforts to amend the Sherman acl and
said that he always had opposed such
proposal believing that 1t was desired
by the great interests and the trusts He
told of President Roosevet's message
urging an amendment to this act and
said that his report had been prepared
with an idea of forestallng an adminis-
tration bill on the subject. He told, too,
of his opposition of the 1910 to bill from
the department OF justice amending
The Hepburn act. which he said in its
original form would have relieved rail-
reads of the penalties of the antitrust
act.
The senator quoted from the opinion of
the late Justice Harlan of the supreme
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