Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1920-03-31
Michigan Jury Convicts Senator
on Criminal Charge.
ALSO BROTHER AND IS AIDS
Junior U. S. Senator From Wolverine
State Declares He Will Not Re-
sign his Seat Until Supreme
Court Rules on Verdict.

4TuI0dN ID. NeWDeTTy, JuuIOI OAllCu
States senator from Michigan, was
convicted by jury of having con-
spired crim.nally in 1918 to violate the
election laws. He was sentenced by
Judge Clarence w. Sessions to two
years imprisonment and fined $4,000
and released on bond pending an ap-
peal. He at once issued a statement
declaring he would retain his seat in
the upper house unless that body de-
cides otherwise or the Supreme court
uphOlds his conviction.
Convicted with the senator were his
brother, John S. Newberry, and 10
campaign managers, including Freder-
lex Cody, New York, and Paul II. King,
Detroit. Cody and King received the
same sentence as their chief.
Brother Escapes With Fine.
Charles A. Floyd, Detroit, also was
sentenced to two years in the peniten-
tiary, but he was fined only half as
much as Newberry. John S. Newberry
was fined $4,000, but was one of four
who were not sentenced to Leaven-
worth. The lightest sentence went to
George S. Ladd of Sturbridge, Mass.
He was fined $1,000 Others sentenced
were:
William J. Nickel, two years Allan
A. Templeton, one year and SIX
months; Roger NJ. Andrews, one year
and six months Milton Oakman, one
year and six months; Richard II.
Fletcher, one year and three months;
James F .McGregor, one year and
three months; Fred Henry, one year
and three months; Hannibal Hopkins,
one year and one day; E. V. Chilson,
one year and one day; Harry o. Turn
er, $1,000 fine; B. Frank Emery, ST.
600 fine.
Revealed Scandal.
Government officials asserted that
the testimony presented to the grand
jury had presented political scandal
that in many respects was without
parallel in American annals.
It was alleged that voters were
bribed, election boards corrupted, edi-
tors subsidized and moving picture
theaters bought up in the endeavor to
dClCdt TOIu hASI III lhC pAA-
marieS of both parties, and later, when
he had won the Democratic nomina-
ton in the election, itself.
Officials were bit secretive as to
how the alleged conspiracy was uncov-
cred, but a general outline of their
methods was made available. 1t was
revealed that an attempt was made to
repeat the suspected tactics of the
Newberry campaign.
Houck Directs Investigation.
Under this plan corps of investi-
gators was sent into the state under
direction of Earl J. Houck, who, with
Frank G. Daley, special assistant to
the attorney general was the central
figure in the election fraud cases of
Terre Haute, Indianapolis, Evansville
and Frankfort, Ind These cases, be-
ginning in 1915, resulted in some 200
convictions.
Daily and Houck came to Michigan
last August. Bank records were in
spected and the visitors lists of safety
deposit vaults gone over. With the
tale of these as a starter, the inveSti-
gators were sent out. They visited
small fry" politicians first, offering
them vague hints of what might come
from mythical campaign of certain
Michigan politician. Objections to
small returns were followed by "con-
hdentiaT' comparisons with the New
berry campaign.
UnderIinus Fall Into Trap.
Generally, it was said, these lesser
political leaders fell into the traps
telling what they had received and
explaining who fought to handle the
money" in given wards or town. The
next grade of political leader was
then approached, and by this method,
1t was stated, clear track was blazed
to the higher ups"
When brought into the grand jury
room and confronted with accurate &C
counts of their conversation with the
agents the men generally, it was said,
repeated their stories
Daley Heads Experts.
The governments legal experts
headed by Mr.. Daley, DaIe Souter of
Grand Rapids, former assistant dis
trict attorney, and Oliver Pagan, in
tiictment expert for the department of
Justice, took both state and federal
laws as the basis for the indictments.
The federal corrupt practices act of
1910 limits the expenditures of sena-
torial candidates to $4,000, and re-
ouires that four statements be fled
with the secretary of the senate, one
preceding and following first the pri-
mary and then the election. The New
berry affidavit cited in the second in
dictment was fled IN correspondence
with this act.
The second federal corrupt practices
act. which the indictments alleged was
violated, was passed in October, 1910