The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-02-21
HIGH LIGHT in
NEWBERRY CASE
Mark T. Mckee TeStifieS of
Cash Piled High on Desk in
Dertoit Campaign Office.
MONEY GIVEN WITH CIGARS

Grand Rapids, Mich, Feb Ed.
N. S.)-Portrayal of a desk piled
high with money in the office of
Mark 7. Mckee, a Newberry sena-
torial campaign leader, was sketched
by a male milliner as the high
light" of today's testimony in the
Newberry trial.
The milliner was Henry Acker, of
Kalamazoo. He related a conversa-
tion he had with his neighbor. Elmer
E. Smith, one of the defendants, after
the latter had returned from a trip
to Detroit to see Mckee.
Smith told me he saw more
money piled up on the desk in Nc
KEGS office than he had ever seen
before In his life" Acker testified.
He also said he was having his
house repaired with some of it,.
Smiths repairs to the house cost
about $1,000"
A present of $500 alleged to have
been given to a banker, and several
gifts of small sums alleged to have
been given for Newberry campaign
ing, furnished the basis of testimony
of several other witnesses. One said
he received a $40 bill wrapped about
two campaign cigars.
James T. Fisher, of Laurium,
defendant in the Newberry elections
conspiracy trial, was pictured as
having been coached by James Nc
Gregor, of Detroit, another defend
ant, as to how to make his testimony
before the special grand jury. Charles
5. Potts, member of the grand jury
related the story, saying Fisher had
acknowledged going to the copper
country.
Potts quoted Fisher as saying he had
seen Paul King. Newberrys campaign
manager, and McGregor in Detroit, and
that he went to them TO find out what
line of testimony would be required be-
fore the grand jury" The cross-ex-
animation was centering on the word
required" when adjournment was
taken until Monday
In addition to this story the trial
jruy was told today that Elmer T.
Smith, of Kalamazoo, had explained to
neighbor that he was repairing his
house with Newberry money" The
witness, Henry OCners ssaid Smith told
him he never saw so much money in
his life" as he had seen on table
one Sunday morning in the Detroit Of
fee OF Mark T. Mckee. A touch of
the north was brought into session by
a Chippewa Indian, a clerk of the 1918
election board of Cross village. He told
of seeing John Wagley, a defendant
member of the board enter voting
booths with members of the tribe.
The Fisher story had it that the
Laurium banker was before the grand
jury twice, On his first appearance
he testified only regarding $3.50 which
he had received from McGreRor, 5000
of this being for John Jones. chairman
of the Ontonagon county Newberry
committee, and Chairman Crebassa. of
the Keweenaw county organization.
Potts said that after Fisher appeared
in the grand jury room on a Monday
morning he came back in the afternoon
and said he had received "a $500 gratu
ity' from McGregor in addition to the
$3.50 mentioned earlier in the day.
Potts said this came out only after
the Lauriun- man had admitted that
McGregor in Detroit told him TO limit
his testimony to the first amount Nc
Gregor told Fisher, the testimony re-
lated, that return had been made on
only the $3.50, and therefore the "gratu
itY' should not be mentioned. John
Metrik ewicz, janitor of the federal
building here, .aid his other ocCupa-
tion was that of bark director. He
went to republican headquarters to see
Frank Mckay, and the latter said he
couldn't do much politics, because he
had no money" About two days be-
fore election Mckay met him on the
street and gave him $50 for some other
men.
The janitor- banker named FIVE "Po-
lish boys TO whom he took the money.
He saw one of these men near the
polls election day passing out cards
"for the straight republican ticket.