The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-05-23


is undoubtedly the beginning Of the
collapse Of the Peddy case against
Mayfield, as it is apparent that none
OF the committee agrees with that
position.
w. II. Gray, president of the Ma
tional Independent Oil Producers As
ISOLATION, with headquarters at Tul-
sa, Oklahoma, formerly from Texas
with an office in Houston, said that
he had known Senator Mayfield from
infancy, that he had seen him in
the Texas campaign of 1922. He said
he had nothing to do with the May
field headquarters at Dallas except
that he had gone to the hotel there
and guaranteed the payment of the
headquarters for the Dallas County
Mayfield club, which was behind in
it's rent. Mr.. Gray said he had stood
good for the payment of about $500
but that later on the club raised the
money and paid for the headquarters
and that the hotel had never called
on him for one cent of his personal
guarantee.
j. l.. Hunter, a cotton broker of
Austin, Texas, who had known MIR.
Mayfield since the latter went to the
state legislature, told of collecting
money and spending it in the May
field campaign without the knowl-
edge or consent of Senator Mayfield
or the Mayfield campaign manager.
He told of receiving from John c.
Towns altogether something like
1000 or $4,000, which was in two or
three different checks. He collected
another 500 or 5000, but he thought
the latter sum correct, from w. T.
Eldridge in the sugar business. He
got $3.50 from Tom Hunter, of Wich-
ita Falls, $500 from George Beggs,
$3.50 from Reese Allen, and $3.50 from
a Mr.. Bonner, of Houston.
Mr.. Hunter said he was in Austin
frequently during the 1922 campaign.
He exhibited copy of the Ferguson
circular which he had printed and
circulated about 100000; he also told
of having printed and circulating
about the same number of what he
called a Mexican circular; and an
other Ferguson circular about Fer
guson's Democratic record, about the
same number. He estimated that the
circulars and printing, envelopes,
mailing, etc., cost him about $4,000.
He also told of paying for advertis-
ing in newspapers and of hiring three
university students to 60 out on
speaking trips over the state, he pay
ing all their expenses. Mr.. Hunter
estimated that he had collected and
spent anywhere from $4,000 to SIS, 900
in the Mayfield campaign of his own
volition and that the senator did not
know about it. He knew that Hun
ter was helping in his campaign but
had no knowledge of the money mat
tiers. He said the only money he ever
gave Senator Mayfield himself was a
personal contribution of 1920 at one
time and possibly SIS from another
individual at another time.
Mr.. Hunter said he had travelled ex-
tensively over the entire state during
the campaign but not altogether in
the interest of Senator Mayfield. He
had an extensive business buying mu-
nicipal bonds, and worked that bust
ness along with state politics.
On cross examination Mr.. Hunter
told of raising and spending money
in the gubernatorial campaign in be-
half of Mr.. Hubby, that it was Gus
tomary in Texas for men of all par
ties to raise money and spend it re-
CARELESS of the candidate or his cam
paign manager. He said he never
told Senator Mayfield one word about
the money he raised and spent in his
behalf except the 1920 and SIS that
he handed him personally.
Mr.. Hunter in talking of the Ku
Klux Klan connection with the May
field campaign told of John c. Towns
George Beggs and Tom Hunter, all of
whom contributed, being opponents
of the Khan in Texas. He said Towns
and Boggs were terribly bitter at
the Khan and that Tom Hunter was
positively vicious in his attitude
against the Khan. He also testified
that he did not know of a single
klansman in Texas who gave more
than So to the Mayfield campaign.
He also said that John c. Towns told
hi mthat the railroad men and the
oil men were opposed to Mayfield in
Mayfield did not know anything
about the Ferguson circular until the
campaign was almost over.
j. E. McQuinn, OF Atlanta, Georgia,
auditor and assistant cashier of the
ku klux Khan organization, testified
that he audited the books of the Khan
organization from the beginning of
the Khan and through the years 1922
and 1923. He had with him the CASH
ier's journal for the entire year of
1922, showing all receipts and dis
bursements and also a book of week
ly statements which had been submit
ted to the finance committee con-
sisting of DR.. H. c. Montgomery, Fred
Savage and N. M. Furney, weekly,
during the year 1922. This commit
tee had submitted a complete report
at the November, 1922, Klonklave at
Atlanta.
1t was agreed that the attorneys
for both sides would run over the
books and statements with Mr. Nc
Quinn in private session to see if
they can find anything bearing on
the Mayfield campaign in 1922, and
the subcommittee adjourned until
Friday morning, May 16, at ten
o,ol0ol