Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-22

AT the Lincoln Day banquet in the
Republican Club in New York in 1911
| I had a conversation with him there
| He at that time was chairman of the
Republican state committee. I told
him he was definitely in control of the
Republican party. / said his position
was one Of Importance. i asked him
to act TO the Republican party as
/ whole as his grandfather, Thurlow
/. Weed. had in the old Wing party
| Talks With Sulxer
Did YOU ever talk to Governor Sui
| Fer about affairs at Albany" asked
Mr.. Bowers.
Yes replied the witness.
During the campaign of 1918 for
j two judges of the court of appeals. and
assemblyman. Mr.. Sulzer told me he
had discovered that the government of
the state was rotten throughout, and
that he had Mr.. Hennessy investigat-
/ ing various departments. He said al
SO he was being attacked by Mr.. Muir
! ply and his machine was aided by the
Barnes machine. He said he was en-
gagged in a desperate fight with the
machines especially with the Murphy
machine
/ Mr.. WINS objected to this line of
testimony. but Justice Andrews ruled
it was admissible
| MFR. WINS said he wanted all refer
ence to Mr.. Murphy personally to go
out Of the record. The court ruled out
only the statement about the attack
OF Mr.. Murphy.
| In June, 1914" Col. Roosevelt wen.
on, Mr.. Sulzer came to see me at
/ Oyster Bay and discussed the rotten
hess of the state government He
asked me to read certain papers ard
also to see Mr.. Hennessy and paid
more attention to what Hennessy
said than what Sulzer said.
Mr.. Hennessey came down to see
me"
/ What's his name?" asked Mr.. w.
ms.
Conference With Hennessy
/ John A. Hennessy." replied the
/ witness. He came TO see HE after
my return from South America. He
! told me ne had been appointed by Mr..
! Sulzer TO a position which made il MS
/ Official duty TO investigate tha gov
eminent He told me the raltenness
6ehed all belief and that ne never
would have believed such corruption
could exist had he not made The in
vesyigstion himself. He told ne OF in
,estigating the highways. He said the
corruption came in cases where the
contracts were not competitive h
said there was frightful corruption IN
the annals. the state architects and
other places. He said men were paid
7 who never existed and thar Someone
higher Up pocketed the salaries. He
told OF the state paying for rock that
was moved from the side Of roads on
F 10 the road beds.
Mr.. He1nessy stated q regular de-
duction was taken OUT OF the pay en-
ve!opes Of laborers and given 10 local
bosses. He gave ne the names am
Offices held by both Republicans ana
Democrats This condition o. affairs.
ne said. could net De ended until both
the machines were smashed. He sug
gested that We get up a non partisan
citizen movement 10 put both parry
machines out OF control. NJ. Eenne-
pemocra; and I regarded him very
highly. believed everything ne told
me 20 DE true The article which
published and which / am being sued
for bore directly upon 5he suggestion
I made by NJ. HennessE and o:he-ls."
The Printing Affair
-Colonel Roosevelt, ! snow YOU Z lei
ter. Did YOU ever receive IL asked
NJ. Bowers. TIE Colonel replied in me
affirmative. The letter was from Nj
Barnes 10 Col. Roosevelt and Vas on
tia letter head OF the Journal Co. az
Albany. It was dated Dec. -, I&s9. 1t
read as follows
/ Dear Governor:
/ =: IS -urnored that you contemplate
in your message advising tie establish
n.eni o. a state printing house
Il write you this letter. because
presume that your message viii De :
matter OF discussion between Won ana
your friends tomorrow. i. Is not my
ae-!-e 70 !2trade my personal matters
-poa YOU. but / wish merely TO state
the fact that the establishment Of &
state printing house would De 2 serious
Il not ta.al blo2 10 ne financially
+ Col Roosevel,s reply was then read
IN mis- le;,er Col Roosevelt said he
woa!d Ike to see Mr.. Barnes about the
matter AM that t1e consensus Of opinion
. was that state printing house should
, be established.
I; Col Roosevelt said ne had later ad
I. vocateo that the legislature make pro
vision for sta.e printing house.
When wrote the offending article.
Col Roosevelt went Or I had no
personal feeling o. any malice I in
tended 10 make 10 personal charge OF
{ corruption against NJ. Barnes. / IL
tended 10 say there was ro1eansss in
I ,he government. which vas due TO the
machines which had worked together
On matters that were TO their interests
and Tot TO ,he interest Of the general
public
That ended Colonel Roosevel,'s direct