New-York tribune., 1913-07-30
UNDERWOOD GIVES
MULHALL A DRUBB|NG
Describes Him as "Liar, Black
mailer, GoId-BriCk Man
and Libeller."
DENIES EVERY CHARGE
'Tn Submit My Case to the
Country and Stand as Clean
Before It as You WILL" Re-
torts Alleged Lobbyist.
From The Tribune Bureau ]

From The Tribune Bureau.l
Washington. July 29.-Colonel NJ. NJ.
Mulhall was branded as a liar, black
mailer, a gold-brlck man and hbeller'
by Oscar W. Underwood the Democratic
leader OF the House. before the Senate in
vesugating committee to-day. Mr. I'm
derwood was angry but he kept his anger
under control His whole manner was one
of disgust that the Senate committee
should place any credence in the contents
Of Mulhalrs letters, and he did not hest
tate to tel the investigators that 1t was
their duty TO let the country know how
little truth there was in the lobbyists pre-
tended intimate relations with men promi-
nent before the public.
rs that mans name Mulhall?' he de-
manded. pointing his finger at the alleged
lobbyist well. l never saw him before
in my life. This is the first time ever
saw him ] regard a man Of his kind as
purely a blackmailer who evidently has
been blackmailing men in authority
In one OF Mulhalrs letters yesterday
reference was made to an interview he
had had with Mr.. Underwood, at which the
latter told him why William r. Wilson
had been made chairman of the Labor
Committee. The alleged lobbyist tried to
modify this statement by testifying that
the Interview" consisted merely Of meet
ing Mr.. Underwood in corridor Of the
Capitol.
Underwood Never Met MulhalI.
Referring to the Mulhall letters i'm which
his name was mentioned, Mr.. Underwood
denied i'm no uncertain terms every state
mcnt therein He was sure he never met
Mulhal. he said. because the latter had
an unusual face that was not easily for
gotten. and he declared that he would
not know Mr.. Kirby. the president Of the
National Association of Manufacturers
and Mr. Emery, one Of its counsel. if he
met them.
TO show that MulhaI was simply
living" Mr.. Underwood declared there
never had been any doubt as TO Mr.. Will
sons selection as chairman of the Com
mittee on Labor SO far as Mr wilson 5
first being considered for the chairman
shin of the Committee on Census he had
never heard Of II until Mulhalls letters
had been read.
Not only do | say that this statement
in his letter is false" continued Mr.. IN
derwood. but the very fact that he SAYS
7 said what he attributes 20 me can he
disproved by every Democratic member OF
the Committee on Ways and Means that
YOU choose 10 call-eXcept the bare fact
that we were unanimous In selecting Mr..
Wilson for chairman Of the Committee on
Labor"
ulhan was obviously nettled by the
statements Of the Democratic House
tvgo 70 Y,-pllify him bV de-
claring that he simply stopped Mr.. I'm
derwood as he was going through the
corridor and asked him some questions
He did not intend any reflection on him.
MulhalI Defends Himself
Mr.. Underwood would not have It that
way. however and Muhall shouted,
trembling violently. Il want to say 10
Mr.. Underwood. and TO the country as
well, that l have Endorsements from the
leading Republicans Of the country that
was always truthful and always faith
ful; and il you brand me in this way, II
you say / lied here. ! will submit my
testimony TO the country, and l believe
that | will stand as clean before them as
you will
Well l am not entering into any con-
troversy with you as to your standing
before the country" retorted Mr. Under
wood, with a laugh. as he left the room.
The committee practically finished its
examination of Mulhalls letters this
evening. and tomorrow will cross-ex-
anime him by asking more than three
hundred questions prepared by the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers
counsel and the lawyers for the American
7 mar
Of the letters read to-day related TO the
ALLEGED lobbyists break with Represent
alive McDermott over the $3.50 check ot
Harold Mccormick. which the Stock
Yards Congressman declared Mulhall held
out Oh him." Letters were also read show
ing Muhalrs efforts TO get back in the
employ of the association at the same
time that he was trying to dispose OF his
correspondence. AS late as last May, one
of these letters showed. ne begged eX-
CONGRESSMAN James +. Watson TO help
him.
These letters, Mulhan said. had been
refused by Mr. Gompers president Of the
American Federation Of Labor, and by the
present Secretary OF Labor, Mr.. Wilson.
He said that he even tried 10 get the
House TO investigate the association. and
that Congressman McDermott had talked
10 Speaker Clark and Mr. Mann about
II. and had been told that they would
not take it Up. This was on December g.
1911. when Muhall was still on the pay
roll Of the association
Mulhall brought the day to climax by
swearing that McDermott had acknowl-
edged TO him that he had signed Null
halls name TO a check for $3.50
Mulhall made this statement when he
WAS questioned about a trip TO Chicago In
April. 1912 20 help McDermott in the
primaries He said that Harold F. Nc
Cormick, son-in-law OF John d. Rocke-
felIer. contributed check for $3.50 TO the
McDemott campaign. Mulhall said he
did not receive 1t until after he returned
TO Baltimore.
He cashed this check in Baltimore, but
later the bank there and the one In Chi
cago on which It was drawn informed
him that a duplicate bearing his sigma
ture had been honored also. He told the
committee he never knew what had hap
ol6