New-York tribune., 1917-12-22
Swann's Aid Says Mitcba
Men Hoped for Allied
Disaster
$35O,OO0 Raised
At First Luncneo,
Witnesses Give Details of
the Meetings of
Financiers

=
CATION, Edwin p. Kilroe. one Of ,h.,
assistant district attorneys in eh,,-.
Of the case. gratuitolsly addreu,s.
group Of newspaper reporters with Il.
statement that just before election N,
nitchePs managers allowed their mi,,,
20 dwell on the possibility that a m.
military disaster. which nigh. haoo..
at any moment, would bring yictory !.
their candidate. Then he proceeded, !.
add the sinister infection, as follow.
81 was informed OF this astoundi,,
situation by man VINO was pronis,,
in the Mitchell forces. but am no, a.
liberty to divulge his name. The Va,
he described il one might easily kr,
inferred that some of the managers v.,
actually praying for something Of
kind. He said it appeared to u
Fusion's only salvation, and they on.
tainly were hoping IT would come"
When this was repeated TO Dis,ra
Attorney Swami he said: II woulS,t
believe that Of my worst enemy"
"Billion Dollar Luncheons
Details of the "billion dollar lur...
cons that were held in the Wall S,r,s,
district to raise money for the Mayer,
reelection after he was defeated at Il,
primary were given TO Mr.. Kilroe ana
Mr.. Black yesterday by Sam LexlseAr.
treasurer, and by Thomas L. Ch.l.
bourne, former corporation alwyer, yhs
contributed S25,000 himself. The fin,
luncheon was given a; the Downtor,
Association, in Pine Street. By Glen,
land II. Dodge, and those, preen.
agreed to underwrite the Mayors can.
paign. According to Mr.. Chadbourn,,
the following we're among those pres.
ent:
George ". Perkins, George (. Bslsr,
Judge Ebert II. Gary, OF the S.eel
Trust; Jacob II. Schif. Otto II. Kshh,
q Mr.. Palmer, of the New Jersey zint
Company; Ogden Mills, Robert Goslsi.
John II. Patterson, of the National Cash
Register Company; Stuyyesant Fish,
Emory Z. Buckner, the Mayors can
paign manager, and Mr.. Lewlsohn.
Another luncheon was given at he
Midday Club by Mr.. Dodge. Aesofs-
ing to Mr.. Lewisohn, Percy Hill. Of d,
American Tobacco Company; August
Heckscher and Samuel Colt. OF Preyi.
dence, r. l., head Of the United Stats
Rubber Company, were there, in add
tion 20 those who attended the Other
luncheon. At the first one about s3A'
900 was raised, and at the second about
$4,000.
Public Spirited Men Sought
Mr.. Chadbournc said he did no,
know Mr. Patterson, of the Nstioal
Cash Register Company. but he knts
he did not live in New York. lie tod
Mr.. Kilroe that Mr.. Patterson said D.
was only interested in good covert
ment. Mr.. Lewsohn said the lunehes,
idea was not Mr.. Dodge's alone, iii
that il was "in pursuance Of the iea
of getting together public spirited eit'
zens 20 get into the campaign and 70
get them 20 contribute
why did you pick out those pusk
spirited men ?" Mr.. Kilroe asked.
I'VE appealed to their public s'lri
20 become interested In what
thought was a campaign very vital
the interests of the city replied kL
wisohn.
"As a matter Of fact, wasn't i h-
cause of their financial standing r.hr
than because of their public splni u"
they were invited"
ut was both"
No men from the lower walks q
life, although they may have been pas
lie spirited, were invited, were tne'
"a don't know what you mean "
lower walks Of life Do you mean "
less financial ability
Eyes"
"No, we were after funds" 49,.
"You were after funds more 'n"
public spirit, weren't your ~
1--WE were after both" declared NJ
Lewisohn.
Denies Talk of Disaster
Mr.. Lewisohn couldn't remember '.
first conceived the idea OF holding
luncheons. Mr.. Kilroe asked MI ~
sohn point blank whether al Sn!
those affairs there was any nh y,
a great military disaster ior
United States would be weleons
order to arouse the people tossre
Mayors patriotic issue. ne ierI
that the patriotic issue was discus,
but no mention was ever maze "
disaster in his presence. ,M
Mr.. Lewisohn was Accompanies
his counsel, Isidor kresel. IN y
cases he confessed that his nens
was faulty, but Mr. Kilroe eonIlns
to press him for answers. his si =.
inaticn will probably be continues
day, and he has promised 70 'sn 80.
his memory about the luncneoh os..
Mr.. Chadbourne said on his OWE ~
ative that he requested Ambrose sy.
president of the lnternational ,s.s s.s
Company and ice-presldent o q
Remington Arms Company. 70 e0nIv
ute. The latter gave Sl5,ooV. -,
Mcneil, he said, nov has a eommrs.
in the United States Aviation 49,. 49,
He said he never heard OF me s-
plate dinner given last May at shen,
az which Mayor Mitchell was pisss..t
lie denied, also, that he knew i ~,
Bailey. William ". Ggeye or ex'Ss"''
William II. Reynolds. uis,
Mr.. kilroe has arranged 70 ,Ac;r en-
Charles Steckler, manager OF ,ne ..s.
Democracy, to-day. He will also Wis
ton Arthur James, Of the Metro ,isa
Company, who, il is said, got mCr' .sr.