New-York tribune., 1920-10-09
Senator Says the Inquiry
Reveals Violations of
Ohio Corrupt Practices
Act in 1916 Campaign
Case Out of Reach
OF Federal Laws
; Political Bodies Used
Contributions in Fight,
and Source Was Hidden
spectal Dispatch TO the rribuns

Specfai Dispatch TO The Tribuns
DAYTON, Ohio, Oct. S.-Dis-
closures made before the Senate sub
committee investigating Ohio State
campaign expenditures of Governor
Cox to-day led Senator Edge. a
member of the subcommittee. to
recommend that prosecutions be
brought under the Ohio corrupt
practices act. The hearing, which
began second day session this
morning, adjourned this afternoon.
after completing the testimony of
witnesses.
Il do not care to discuss the things
that have been made clear before
this committee" Senator Edge said.
The matter is now up to the prose
cutting attorneys. We have clearly
established that there have been vio-
lations of the corrupt practices act
of Ohio and irregular procedures in
the Cox campaigns of the past. but
these are not within bur jurisdiction.
We cannot conduct the prosecutions.
but steps should be taken Immediate
~ to act upon the evidence disclosed
at the hearings before the conf
mittee."
Source of Money Hid
(lpHar ha Ob;o
corporations are prohibited from con-
tributing to political campaign funds.
1t also IS required that all political
bodies file statements of their expendi-
lures and receipts, revealing the true
source OF oil moneys they receive.
testimony before the committee t.
day brought admissions from CORPORA
ton officials that corporation money
had been used to further the election
OF Cox IN 1916 and that moneys con-
trlbuted to three political organiza-
tlons from n corporation had heen
used to aid Cox, but in reporting re-
ceipts to the Secretary of State the
true source of this money was con
cealed
H. E. Talbot. president Of the Dav-
ton Metal Products Company. admitted
on the stand that money used to cancel
note given by Cox to the City Ma
tional Bank, Of which Talbot was pres
ldent, had been taken from the treas
ury of the Dayton Metal Products
Company. He also admitted that money
contributed to a $37 600 fund out Of
which $4,000 was expended in seeking
the election of Cox as Governor in
1916, had come from the treasury of
the Dayton Metal Products Company.
Flood Funds Used
Talbot said he did not consider that
payment by the Dayton Metal Products
Company of Governor Cox's $5 000 note
was in reality a corporation contrihu-
ton Testimony by Carl J. Scheror
treasurer of the Metal Products Com
pany at that time, developed that con
tributions made by the Metal Products
Company, including the payment Of
the $4,000 check and the $4,000 Cox
against Talbot in special account
but y hen the books were closed at the
end of the year the amounts we're
charged off to Expenses"
Later, when raid on the funds OF
the Dayton Flood Prevention Commit
tee was made and il was seen that
there was a chance Of getting some
of the money back BY having
it voted through dummy expense
vention committees funds. the &C
count at the Metal Products Com
pany was revived, and when the money
actually was received, through these
dummy expense accounts it went back
into the treasury OF the Metal Prod
ucts Corporation under the heading
profit and Loss"
Talbot. as a member Of the focd
prevention committee, he admitted on
aJ J. bao
money.
When Talbot was pressed as 20 why
the Dayton Metal Products Company
had felt obligated to pay Coxs $4,000
note he said that in 1917 certain Day
ton men. constituting ii "non-part.san"
committee came 10 him and asked him
to be the go-between in an effort to have
both the Democratic and Republican
organizations in Dayton combine OF n
mon partisan" set of candidates for
City Commis ssioners, as il was feared
that otherwise the Socialists might win
control Of the city and wreck the COM
mission form Of government.
Talbot Approached Cox
Talbot said ne approached Cox. WHO
agreed to assist, but that the plan fell
through. Then Talbot said he did not
see Cox for several months, but when
he did Cox told him that the Demo-
cratic organization had expected the
citizens non-partisan7 committee to
finance their campaign, because they
had been willing to agree to non
partisan ticket, and even though the
plan failed and the Democrats nomi-
mated their own ticket, which ran third
to the Socialists. Talbot said he felt "a
moral obligation" to aid Cox
''Inasmuch as the Dayton Metal Prod
ucts Company had some ready funds not
needed at the moment / instructed oGr
trer surer to draw a check to cover .he
note" ne concluded
But, Mr.. Talbot" said Senator
Edge this check was drawn ten
months after the note was cashed Did
it take that long to discover the OBJ
ligation?"
Talbot said he did not recall the
dates.
Talbot testified he thought the s97.-
600 fund taken from the treasury Of
the Dayton Metal Products Company in
the 1915 campaign was 10 be used for
n faf.f L..