The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1913-07-25
LAWMAKERS DENY
MULHALL CHARGES
Nelson and CIapp Repudiate N.
A. M. Agents Allegation.
WATSON IN TESTIMONY AGAIN
Confessed Lobbyist Declares Former
Congressman Received Salary
From Association in Return
for Work in Washington.

washington, July -ocHdtoT Mel
son and Clapp took the witness stand
before the senate lobby Investigating
committee Monday night and denied
the truth tot statements made by Mar
tin M. Mulhall.
In letters read into the record Null
hall told of conversations with Sen
ator Nelson-a member of the lobby
committee-in relation to the rejection
early in 1909 Of bill amending the
Sherman antitrust act, by senate
subcommitte, of which Mr.. Nelson was
chairman. Mulhall wrote to F. c..
Schwedtman, secretary to James w.
Van Cleave, president of the Nassocia-
ton, that he had seen Senator Nelson
and that the senator had told him
what transpired in his subcommittee.
Mulhall swore on direct eXamina-
ton by Senator Cummins that Mr..
Nelson had suggested that the associa-
ton send a copy of the subcommit-
tees adverse report on the bill to
the President (Mr. Roosevelt). In
one letter Mulhall spoke of being in
troduced to Senator Clapp by Mr.
Nelson and of talking with both men
about a decision under the Sherman
act.
II have no recollection of seeing
Mr. Mulhall nor talking to him about
this bill, and / certainly would not
have talked to him about what tran
spired before the judiciary commit
tee," said Senator Nelson.
Il have not the slightest recollection
of ever seeing Mulhall, and certainly
| have no recollection that Senator
Nelson introduced me to him in his
ROOM" swore Senator Clapp. 1T is
very clear in my mind that il l had
I would have recollected it."
Aside from Senator Nelson, Null
halls letter dealt largely with what
the National Association of Manufac-
turers was going to do for former
Congressman James e. Watson of In
diana toward getting him place, in
President Taft's cabinet, and of how
the association began work for a
letters, Mulhall, Schwedtman, and
eventually Van Cleave and others high
in the councils of the association,
wanted Watson in the post of secre-
tary OF commerce and labor after
he had been defeated for governor of
Indiana.
Former Representative James E..
Watson of Indiana stated that he
would furnish evidence to cause
Mulhalls indictment on a charge
of perjury. Mr.. Watson was charged
by Mulhall during the day with having
received money to work for tariff
commission bill while a member Of
the house.
The senate lobby investigating
committee was told Friday by S.
Wood McClave, Republican candi-
date for congress in special
election to be held in the Sixth
New Jersey district, that Martin M.
Mulhall had perjured himself in his
testimony before that body. He also
denied that Mulhall had raised or
spent money for him or had managed
his campaign against William Hughes
in 1910.
Mulhall gave the lobby investigating
committee his story of the alleged ef-
fort in 1907-1908 to bride Samuel
Gompers to desert the cause of labor
and support the policies advocated by
the National Association of Manufac-
turers He admitted he had no posi-
tive information that an attempt to
bribe Gompers actually had been
made, but said Atherton Brownell OF
New York had told him of what was
to be done.
Martin M. Mulhall was put on cross
examination about the truth of his
own correspondence Thursday for the
first time.
Mulhall identified many letters from
McClave to himself written in 1908.
said he went to the Sixth district to
help McClave fight Hughes and gave
details of his work there. He said the
National Association of Manufacturers
furnished him with $4,000 for this fight.
and that man named Barber" put
up $4,000 more.