The Washington times., 1920-06-01
Spent $4,000
TO CARRY IND.
Generals Backers Afraid They
Would Fall In Clutches OF
State Law.
TOOK CASE TO ATTORNEYS
Best Legal Talent Consulted
Before Flood Of Coin Was
Turned Loose. 81
TOOK CASE TO ATTORNEYS

Campaign managers Tor Gen
Leonard Wood, in Indiana, scented
q money scandal and sought legal
advice as to the utmost they could
spend and still keep within the let-
ter Of the law, according to Freder-
ick A. Joss, of Indianapolis, Woods
manager in Indiana, who testified
today before the Senate COMMITTEES
investigating pre-convention cam
paign financing.
Joss testified that the aggregate
cost of the Wood campaign in In
diana was about $57, 900 to $58,00o.
Advised by Attorneys.
Joss said he had been advised by
Charles Martindale and VIII H
Thompson. Indianapolis attorneys. how
far. under the Federal and State stat
utes, he could go in Limited" ana
UNLIMITED" expenditures in behalf OF
Woods boom.
"where did your money come
from? Senator Spencer, Republican,
Of Missouri inquired.
From the Wood general headquar.
ters at Chicago" joss answered.
what was the initial payment from
Chicagof
'T can't tell you that; our treasurer
received about $500 in checks from
Chicago at the outset" l....,
After our first meeting va ~o1tS
mated our campaign in Indiana would
cost s35, 900. Of which $1,000 would be
for headquarters expenses and for
circulation and publicity. We estf-
mated an average of $40 for each o3
our election precincts"
Had Most AdvertisiAE.
Joss admitted Wood had the most
paid advertising" in Indiana
Joss estimated he spent an asgre-
gate Of about S57 900 to $4,000 In the
Wood campaign in Indiana
He related how he was "called into
a conference with General Wood and
Col. William Cooper Proctor. at Chi
cago, on January 8.
"Where did you see General Woodr
Senator Reed asked.
"At the Congress Hotel, Chicago"
Joss answered. -
Joss said he was a lawyer and .
former member of the Indiana State
Senate.
joss said he had first seen General
last year. 1t was later, however. that
General Wood asked him to take
charge of his Indiana campaign.
Talked money.
did you talk money with colonel
Procter?" Senator Reed asked. Z.
'I told him 1 estimated we would
need S35, 900 for publicity in Indiana,
and / thought he could raise tho
money for us better than we could
ourselves, and he told me he would
furnish the money"
"And you sought legal advice rs 70
how much money you could dare
spend in Indiana as to the top limit
of your expenditures?"
"Yes, we recalled there had been .
Senate investigation of money spent
in the Roosevelt campaign In
1912.
And you anticipated there might
be some unpleasantness II you spent
too much money!"
1--WE sought legal advice as to how
much we could spend under the Fed
eral and Indiana statutes
No Intent To Ev.de Law.
And you sought legal sdvice to see
n you could beat the lsws"
aThat is purely speculation-~ =.
"The intent was there7"
THE intent was not there"
Wasn't your purpose In seeking
legal advice to see how much money ,
you could spend In the Wood cam
pnisn in Indiana without being found
guilty of my infrsction of the Iawt~
1--WE sought legal advice as to the
application OF the Federal and State
statutes to campaign expenditures In
Indiana"
"You wanted to keep inside ~
law?"
1--WE did"
Joss presented a long typewrit-
ten letter to him by counsel and en-
bodying interpretations OF the Ind
lana corrupt practices act and other
statutes applying to the limited"
and "unIimited" use OF campaign funds
in Indiana. He explained he and those
associated with him in the Wood
campaign In Indiana wanted to be
advised as to how much the law
would permit them to spend"
Itardiog Opposed At Home.
Senator Harding encountered op-
position to his Presidential boom In
Ohio, his home State. because he per-
mitted his interests to be handleA
by an inside political coterie that
deals in legislation and elections" In
that state, according TO Robert y.
Wolfe. OF Columbus, Ohio, publisher
OF the Ohio state Journal and the
Columbus Evening Dispatch, who tes-
tiaed today.
"Ohio Is in peculiar political con-
dition that permits an inside cotcrie
to control legislation and electiops,s
wolfe said. 81 told Senator Harding