Mr. WHEELER. Mr. Chairman, my office is in this city, but a few steps from this building. I should like to be permitted to go to my office and remain until summoned. The CHAIRMAN. You may leave your telephone number at the desk with the secretary. You will be excused, and he will call you when you are needed. Mr. WHEELER. Further, Mr. Chairman, at the time I gave my testimony before the legislative investigating committee I left with them certain data and records which have never been returned to I understand those records are now in the possession of this committee. I should like to be permitted to inspect them. The CHAIRMAN. You will not be permitted to inspect them at this time; but you may indicate to the secretary the character of the records, and he will make an examination and see whether or not they are among the records which are in his possession. Mr. WHEELER. I do not care to inspect them in advance of giving my testimony, but I should like to have them so that I can refer to them when I give my testimony. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will pass on that question when they are identified. The committee has entered into an arrangement with the officers of the State to the effect that it will return to them all of the papers which they have left with the committee. The committee is not in a position to deliver up any paper that it has received from the State. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. The papers that Mr. Wheeler has in mind have been already identified by Mr. Essmann. Mr. Wheeler does not ask to have them placed in his hands; he simply wants to see them to refresh his recollection when he is placed on the witness stand. Mr. WHEELER. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. If they are at hand, they will be furnished you at that time. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Mr. Chairman, before we proceed, Mr. Eppling wishes to present a request to the committee. Mr. F. J. EPPLING. Mr. Chairman, I should like to ascertain about what time my testimony will be heard, as representatives of my church will be here to listen to my testimony. The CHAIRMAN. I will have the matter examined into and see the nature of your testimony, Mr. Eppling, and let you know as soon as possible. TESTIMONY OF CHRISTIAN C. WELLENSGARD. Mr. WELLENSGARD, having been heretofore duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows: The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Wellensgard, where do you live? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Berlin, Green Lake County, Wis. The CHAIRMAN. Were you a member of the Legislature of the State of Wisconsin. Mr. WELLENSGARD. I was. The CHAIRMAN. When were you elected? Mr. WELLENSGARD. In the fall of 1906. The CHAIRMAN. Were you a member during the session of 1909? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. And you were a candidate during the primaries of 1908? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Does your legislative district consist of more than one county? Mr. WELLENSGARD. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Are you now a member of the legislature? The CHAIRMAN. What is your occupation? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I am running a pickle factory and am interested in farms. The CHAIRMAN. Were you engaged in that business at the time of the primary campaign in 1908? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Whom did you support for United States Senator? For whom did you vote in the legislature? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Isaac Stephenson. The CHAIRMAN. On all ballots? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. During the time that you were a candidate for nomination at the primary, did you receive any money from Isaac Stephenson as a contribution for campaign purposes? Mr. WELLENSGARD. During the primary? The CHAIRMAN. During the primary canvass. Mr. WELLENSGARD. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. You say you did not? Mr. WELLENSGARD. After the primary. The CHAIRMAN. You did not receive any during the primary? The CHAIRMAN. When did you receive it? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Along about the 5th or 6th of September. Mr. WELLENSGARD. $250.80. The CHAIRMAN. That was the total amount of it? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. For what purpose did you receive that money? Mr. WELLENSGARD. For getting parties to circulate his nomination papers; for distributing and putting up advertising; for auto hire (one auto hire), liveries, and to get parties to get out to the polls. The CHAIRMAN. When did you expend the money? Mr. WELLENSGARD. During August and September. I could not give the exact dates. The CHAIRMAN. Did you expend any in September? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Hold on; excuse me during July and August. The CHAIRMAN. July and August? Mr. WELLENSGARD. July and August; yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. You did not expend any of that money in September? Mr. WELLENSGARD. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. When you received it, it had already been expended by you? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Did you present a statement or an account to Senator Stephenson or to his campaign managers? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I did. The CHAIRMAN. For money thus expended? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I did, upon request. The CHAIRMAN. Upon request? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. I find in the record of testimony taken before the joint committee, on page 911, a letter signed by you, addressed to Rodney Sackett, which I will read: Mr. RODNEY SACKETT, Milwaukee, Wis. BERLIN, WIS., September 3, 1908. DEAR FRIEND: Inclosed please find my bill against Stephenson. I wish you would please see that they get it. I haven't put in anything for cigars or what little I spent. Please let me hear from you. I beat Hitchcock by 347 majority. Yours, truly, Did you write that letter? Mr. WELLENSGARD. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Did you write such a letter? Mr. WELLENSGARD. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Is that letter a forgery? C. C. WELLENSGARD. Mr. WELLENSGARD. No, sir. It was written by my son, but it was not dictated by me, and I did not sign it. The CHAIRMAN. Did you see it? Mr. WELLENSGARD. No, sir; I did not. The CHAIRMAN. Did you know that it was being written? Mr. WELLENSGARD. My son was taking off this account as I gave it to him, and I said, "Write him a letter," and he did. I suppose this is the letter; yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. You told him to write a letter on this subject? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Exhibit 62 is received in evidence, and is in words and figures as follows, to wit: BERLIN, WIS., September 3, 1908. $3.00 3.00 2.00 2.50 2.50 2.50 23. Livery at Berlin........... 2.50 24. Livery to different parts of county. 2.50 28. Paid out to help G. Burlingame and 4 men. 30.00 28. Paid to C. Rosebrook, town of St. Marie, and 4 men. 25.00 28. Paid Bill Anglem, town of Green Lake..... 5.00 28. Paid W. Burdick, town of Green Lake.. 5.00 28. Paid C. Schrader and men at Markesan. 28. Paid W. Malena, town of Seneca... Sept. 3. Paid M. Respo, city of Berlin.. 3. Paid P. Kresal, city of Berlin.. 3. Paid Aug. Waslinski, city of Berlin.. 3. Paid Steve Greager, city of Berlin.. 3. Paid J. Neighbor, city of Berlin.. 3. Paid J. Weir, city of Berlin.. 3. Paid J. Briskie, city of Berlin.. 3. Paid F. Bartow, city of Berlin. 3. Paid Joe Gosh, city of Berlin. 30.00 5.00 3.00 1.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 (Endorsed:) Paid, 9/5/08. C. C. Wellensgard. Did you give your son these items? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I did. The CHAIRMAN. You dictated them to him? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I gave him the items of the account, not dictating the letter. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; I refer to the account. At page 911 there are six items for livery: "July 5, livery to Princeton, $3." Were you campaigning for yourself at that time, when you went to Princeton? Mr. WELLENSGARD. May I refer to the statement I rendered, or a copy of it? The CHAIRMAN. Yes; there is no objection to it. Mr. WELLENSGARD. What was the date? The CHAIRMAN. The date is July 5: "Livery to Princeton, $3." Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. For what purpose did you go to Princeton? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I went from Berlin to the town of Seneca to get a party to circulate Ike Stephenson's petitions. The CHAIRMAN. Were you then a candidate for nomination for the legislature? Mr. WELLENSGARD. No, not exactly. I had not announced myself as a candidate at that time. The CHAIRMAN. You had not? Mr. WELLENSGARD. No. The CHAIRMAN. When you say "announced yourself," do you mean officially or informally? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I came out in the newspaper and announced myself as a candidate. The CHAIRMAN. When? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I think it was on the 16th or 17th of July. It was in one paper, if I remember right, on the 16th and in the other on the 17th. The CHAIRMAN. When you went to Princeton on July 5 did you your own interest at all? go in Mr. WELLENSGARD. No. The CHAIRMAN. You went entirely in Senator Stephenson's interest? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. On July 6, the next day, you have an item of "livery to Markesan, $3." Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. What did you go to Markesan for? Mr. WELLENSGARD. The same purpose. The CHAIRMAN. On August 20; that was after you had placed your announcement in the paper, was it? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. On August 20 there is an item of "Livery at Markesan, $2." Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. For what purpose did you go to Markesan? The CHAIRMAN. What county is that in? Mr. WELLENSGARD. That is in Green Lake County. The CHAIRMAN. Is that the county that you represent in the legislature? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. So that is a home town? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir; that is a home town. The CHAIRMAN. You do not live at Markesan ? Mr. WELLENSGARD. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. How did you get to Markesan ? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I think, if I remember right, I went to Ripon by train, and hired a team and went to Markesan. The CHAIRMAN. This says "Livery at Markesan." Mr. WELLENSGARD. After I got there I hired the teams there at a livery for several days and went out through the country. The CHAIRMAN. Yes; you seem to have had the livery on the 20th, the 21st, the 22d, and the 23d at Markesan. Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Then you were making trips out into the country? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. At $2.50 a trip. On what business were you traveling on that occasion? Mr. WELLENSGARD. If I remember right, I was traveling there to see about getting teams and parties out on the primary election day. The CHAIRMAN. For what purpose? Mr. WELLENSGARD. And also getting advertisements put up. Mr. WELLENSGARD. Ike Stephenson. The CHAIRMAN. Did you put up your own advertisements at that time? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I did not have any up. The CHAIRMAN. Were you out canvassing for yourself at that time? Mr. WELLENSGARD. Your honor, I can not say that I did, because I was out at that time and everybody knew that I was out for reelection. The CHAIRMAN. And you were merely driving around through your own county? Mr. WELLENSGARD. I was out to see different men and different workers in Markesan, Manchester, Kingston, Marquette, and Mackford. Those were the towns that I went through at that time, as I remember. The CHAIRMAN. You were on a general campaigning tour in your own interest and in the interest of Senator Stephenson, were you? |