Evening star., 1926-10-22
Never Promised Support by
Order for Any Action, Says
Indiana Senator.
GIVES HIS TESTIMONY
TO CHAIRMAN J. A. REED
Probe Conducted Into Alleged Po-
litical Domination of State
by Secret Body.

By the Associated Press.
INDIANAPOLIS, October Penn
phatic denial that he had ever had any
understanding with the local or ma
tionai officers of the ku Klux kla n
was made today by Senator Watson,
Republican, Indiana, before the Sen
ate campaign funds committee.
Senator Watson was questioned in
where he is slowly recovering from
injuries received in an automobile ac-
cident about two weeks ago.
Il never had any understan nding g
with local or national officers of the
ku kluX klan that ! was to be sup
! ported by them because of any vote
or any action Of mine" Senator Wat
son told Senator James 4. Reed. Dem.
ocrat, Missouri. the committee chair
man, who has been digging into
charges of Klan' political domination
in Indiana.
Denies EmmOns' Charge.
The Indiana Senator. denied sre-
cif1cally the TESTIMONY Of Hugh r.
Emmons. former Klan official. that
he had got to" Senator Moses in the
election contest case of Senator May
field. Democrat. Texas. and they had
arranged to seat the Texas Senator.
He stated that Senator Moses was
not now. and never had been. a mem
ber of the Senate privileges and elec
tions committee which considered' the
Mayfeld case. Therefore. any state
ment that he had sought Senator
Moses support was without any fcun-
dation.
Senator Watson further told Sena,
tor Reed that he had looked up the
records in the Mayfeld contest and
had found that the subcommittee. of
which the late Senator Spencer, Re-
publican, Missouri, was chairman. had
agreed unanimously on the recornmen-
dation that Senator Masfeld retain
his seat, and that the Senate had
adopted the report without record
vote and without opposition.
Talked With Zumbrunn.
Adverting to Emmons testimony
that he had talked with William F.
Zumbrunn. counsel for the Klan,
about the Mayfield case. Senator Wat
son said he had. as he recalled. two
conferences with Zumbrunn.
MY recollection is that he came to
see me twice. Senator Watson said.
One was about a recess of the COM
mittee, to which he was strenuously
objecting, saying that II ought not to
be. I took the matter up with the
subcommittee. and counsel for May
fields opponents said they would have
other witnesses to be heard, and they
overruled the proposition that the case
be closed at that particular time
Zumbrunn was chief counsel for
Senator Mayfield in the election con-
test and his motion that the hearing
be closed was made publicly before
the subcommittee in that capacity.
Second Visit Recalled.
Senator Watson went on to say
that the second time Zumbrunn Wis
tied him was to confer with respect
to having the privileges and elections
subcommittee. of which Senator
Watson was a member. hear certain
other witnesses in the Mayfield case.
Il cannot recall the Details the
Indiana Senator added but l think
he saw all members OF the subcom-
mittee at that time. These were the
only times had any private confer
ences with Zumbrunn about that
case.
1T was charged before your COM
mittee. Senator. at Chicago. that DIR.
Evans and Mr.. Zumbrunn made a
deal with me by which I was to re-
ceive klan support in Indiana if Sen
ator Mayfield were seated. That is
absolutely and unqualif1edly false.
never had any understa nding to that
effect nor any kind of understanding
about the Mayfield case. ! never had
any conference with DIR. Evans tim
peria wizard of the klan about the
Mayf1eld case as l now recall
Has Met DIR. Evans.
Il met Evans several times. | as
sumo that practically all Senators met
him as he was actively moving about
in Washington. But 1 do not recall
that he spoke to me about the May
field case, and Zumbrunn did so only
privately on the two occasions l men
toned
Senator Watson recalled. that at
the Republican national convention
at Cleveland in 1924. where he was
candidate for the vice presidential
nomination. it was stated publicly
that he was ku Klux Klan candi-
date because of the Mayfield case"
II hastened to dencunce that as
speedily as l could he added After
ward. remember, DR.. Evans came
out in a statement of his own in
which he said it was fabrication. ="
Reed Takes Testimony.
Only Senator Reed. Senator Watson
and the official stenogra pher were
present Senator Watson yesterday
appealed to Senator Reed to hold hear
ings in Indianapolis because of the
Indiana Senator's inability to go to
Chicago. Senator Reed arrived here
this morning and Immediately went to
the hospital. 3D..
Arrangements had been made to
hear Senator Watson's testimony In
the sunrcom. but after the Missourian
had called on Senator Watson he de-
cided that the latter could not be
moved. and it was arranged to take
Watson's 5 testimony in his room
When he called Senator Watson,
Senator Reed was informed that the
senior Indiana Senator's condition was
such that It would not be safe to
move him. Senator Watson's pulse
was over 100 and when Senator Red
reached the hospital he found two doc
tors and a nurse in attendance upon
his chief witness.
Several other witnesses are under
subpoena. but Senator Reed is hope
full that he can conclude the inquiry
tonight so he can return to Kansas
City, where he has a speaking en-
gagement tomorrvw.