Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-10
SIMPLY PLEADED
He DID NOT KNOW
Leaving Impression Of False
hood or Surprising Freedom
From Guile.
STIRRING SCENE IN SENATE
BY Charles Brewer Farmer.

Washington, Jan, 10.-Trnman New
berry, charged with wearing n Sena-
torial toga that had been bought and
paid for" injured his case when he
appeared before the Senate yesterday
afternoon. This is the opinion Of men
who have studied the case carefully.
md who had thought that the Michi-
igan man would at least attempt to
explain why several hundred thous-
and dollars were spent in purchasing
a seat for him in "the milllonaires'
club" OF America.
Newberry explained nothing. Time
and again declared that he did not
know" about the expenditure of money
in his campaign. One listening to him.
and remembering the facts in the
case. gathered the impression that
either Newberry was q fool, or else n
man pure OF heart. free from guile.
According to the reactlonary Republi-
cans, he r. the latter--almost a second
Messiah.
Long before Newberry's hour the
galleries filed with the idly curious
and those curious Idle folk who make
up the majority of Washington's so
e.ety. The Senatorial gallery was filed
with the relatives OF Senators. The
public galleries were jammed. But the
diplomats gallery held only one oc-
cupant at ] o'clock. a lone woman who,
seemingly firing Of her Isolation. de-
parted before Newberry took the
floor.
At exactly 100 o'clock Senator
Trammell OF Florida took his seat
after having spent an hour in casti-
eating Newberry The latter, who had
remained In a cioalxroom until f.15.
and then had taken his place. arose,
secured the Presidents recognition,
and began TO read his defense.
The latter was merely categorical
denial of every charge that had been
made against him. He boasted of his
service in the United States Navy
during wartime. (That service was on
this side--in New York City,. He told
Of how he loved his friends. and ad-
mired the good folk of Michigan who
had Mo hf,,, f1 III
100000 and more had been expended
in inducing them TO do SO.
"As God is my witness. 1 am not TO
this day and hour conscious Of having
done in connection with either the
primary campaign or the general cleo
tion of 1918 a single act that was or is
In any way unlawful. dishonorable. or
corrupt. and this 1 say 10 the Senate
of the United States without reserva-
ton or qualification" he declared in
voice none too strong.
II general terms he told how he had
been so busy serving Uncle Sam" in
New York City in wartime that ne was
entirely ignorant of any unlawful ex-
.penditure of money.
~ want 10 make this point just as
strong as l am able to do because il
has been hinted that money which
was contributed without my knowledge
or consent, by relatives or friends of
mine, was subsequently. in some way
directly or Indirectly. repaid by me or
was to be repaid by me" he said.
There is not even a shadow of
truth or the slightest foundation for
any such statement. 1 did not know
what amounts We're given. 1 did not
know either their source. their amount
or their use. l have never agreed, eth
er directly or indirectly. to repay or
in any way to reimburse such contri-
buttons, nor have l directly or indi-
rectH repaid or reimbursed such con-
tributions."
After having shown himself as
ignorant of his campaign as one OF
Gods own angels in the Heaven above
might have been. Newberry finished
reading his set statement. and started
to sit down. Instantly Senator Walsh
of Montana leaped to his feet, and
started questioning Newberry. 1t will
be remembered that this was the frs,
time in the four years history Of the
case that the millionaire Senator from
Michigan would even permit himself
to be asked, how did YOU get it?e
OF course Newberry was not under
oath yesterday. That was very sig.
nificant fact. If he had gone on the
stand when he was under indictment
IN Michigan, or before the Senate Com.
mittee which had directed an inyesti.
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