Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-07-30
Contractor Insists
Coffee Got $500
For Aiding Interests
Continued From First Page.

Continued From First Page
attributed to Mr.. Coffee in which he
notified MIR. Anderson he had sue
ceeded in getting him payments due
him through my vigorous repre-
sentation." Senator Ferguson COM
mented that there wasn't any doubt
Mr.. Coffee represented Mr.. Ander-
son in Washington in regard to the
contract.
You would say he did 4 good
lob In representing you Is 4 resi-
dent OF the 9Th congressional dis
trict OF Washington" asked Sena.
tor Mitchell.
AS far as what I could get from
Q congressman, 1t WAS fair" replied
the witness.
He brushed OF as window dress
ing" letter to him from Mr.. Coffee
in which the latter told OF the ex-
penses OF living in Washington.
What he was after was the
money" the witness calmly replied
Evidently they we're living high. Ali
that stun was none Of my interest"
The witness explained he needed
help in Washington because the
contract awarded him by the War
Department called for completion
Of 70 buildings In IA working days
and naturally everything had to
click. We couldn't sit around out
there and wait for the Government
to daily around"
Mr.. Anderson, who talked with
marked Scandinavian accent, said
he had been assured by Mr.. Coffee
that if he would pay Mr.. Coffee
"a, 500, the legislator and Mr. Olson
could be depended upon to look after
the contractors interests in Wash
ington.
Questioned Sharply.
Earlier, Mr.. Anderson was SUBJ
jected to sharp questioning by cons
mittee members when he handed
the committee photostats Of the
check and three letters and told
them the originals were in escrow
for ssfekeeping."
After telling how the check came
into the Tacoma mayorslty cam
paign last spring, Mr.. Anderson was
asked by Chairman Mead:
After telling how the check came
into Tacoma mayoralty campaign
last spring in which both he and
Mr.. Olson were candidates, Mr.. An
derson was asked by Chairman
Mead:
You had this check and knowl-
edge of this check for Ave years
anti decided it would be good STRAIT
egg to bring it out for the purpose
Of preventing Mr. Olson from be-
coming mayor after he defeated
you?"
The witness admitted that was
his ides.
Escrow Was Suggested.
Mr. Anderson said the escrow in
which the check and papers were
held was set up during the mayor
atty campaign at the suggestion of
several persons. When the COM
mittee wanted to know the names
OF these persons, MIR. Anderson hest
tated at first, and then said one was
the president OF the National Bank
OF Tacoma whose name he couldn't
spell, and perhaps, L. L. Thomp-
son. later Identified as his attorney,
and some representatives of radio
companies"
He also testified that before the
campaign, Mr. Olson had approached
him with a prepared statement in
which Mr.. Anderson was to with
draw in favor of the candidacy of
Mr. Olson.
Paul pointed out to me that he
had been Mr.. Coffee;s secretary" he
said. II told him had him backed
on the map. Then Paul said, You
know how much work I did for you
in Washington I said, Paul, what
ever work you did I paid for He
said, well, you had to have the work
done"
At the insistence of Senator Fergu-
son, Mr.. Andedson told the story from
the beginning. He told Of making
the low bid on Fort Lewis (Wash)
building project, how he suspected
he would not get the bid and how
he had come to Washington to see
what could be done here.
Made Two Trips.
He said Mr.. Olson had made two
trips to the War Department with
him and that after the second, he.
said, he was convinced he would get
the bid
On the way back from the War
Department, he said, he told Mr..
Olson that he had set aside 81, 500
for a Washington representative.
During lunch with Mr.. Coffee and
Mr.. Olson in the Capitol, he said,
there was no discussion of money,
but afterwards, ut Mr. Olson's sug-
gestion, Il followed Mr.. Olson and
Mr.. Coffee down a long narrow cor
ridor to some winding steps. 1t was
a very lonely place"
1t was there, he said, that Mr..
Coffee told him he understood from
Mr.. Olson that you will pay us
s2,50o to represent you in Wash
ington."
Il said yes, would be willing to
pay $4,000 for a representative here
and Mr.. Coffee said, If you do that
YOU can depend on us to look after
your interests here"
Asked About His Son.
1t was decided then, he said, that
the check should be made out to
Mr. Olson.
During your conversations" Mr..
Anderson was asked, was anything
said about campaign expenses?"
Il never heard of campaign ex-
penses during all that time" the
witness replied.
After req dinV Mr. kndArvny,,s Nav