TESTIMONY OF GUSTAVE C. KOLB. GUSTAVE C. KOLB, having been previously sworn, was examined and testified as follows: The CHAIRMAN. Where do you reside. Mr. KOLB. Hillsboro, Wis. The CHAIRMAN. What county? Mr. KOLB. Vernon. The CHAIRMAN. Did you take part in the campaign for Senator Stephenson in 1908? Mr. KOLB. Very little. The CHAIRMAN. Did you receive any money during that campaign from anyone to be spent by you? Mr. KOLB. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. How much? Mr. KOLB. $50. The CHAIRMAN. From whom? Mr. KOLB. From Mr. Stone. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Give his full name, please. Mr. KOLB. J. W. Stone. The CHAIRMAN. When did Mr. Stone pay you this money? Mr. KOLB. Oh, I think it was about three or four weeks before the primaries. The CHAIRMAN. You were a deputy game warden at that time, were you? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Were you working as deputy game warden at that time? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Where did you receive the money? Mr. KOLB. I think in Madison. The CHAIRMAN. What did Mr. Stone say when he gave you that money as to the purpose for which he was giving it to you? Mr. KOLB. To spend it for the interests of Senator Stephenson in his campaign. The CHAIRMAN. He just gave you general instructions? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir; and in drug stores. Whenever I would drop into the saloons I would spend it. The CHAIRMAN. You say in drug stores? Mr. KOLB. In drug stores; yes. Whenever I would go into a drug store I would buy cigars, and whenever I would drop into a saloon Ï would buy beer, for instance. The CHAIRMAN. You made a saloon campaign of it? Mr. KOLB. Not necessarily. The CHAIRMAN. Well, leave out the word "necessarily" and state whether or not you did. Mr. KOLB. I did not. The CHAIRMAN. I will read your testimony given on the former examination: Q. Did you support him two years ago when he was a candidate?-A. Yes, sir. Q. Handle any money at that time?-A. No, sir. Q. How did Stone come to give you the money?-A. Well, he just simply gave me this money, and said I should use it for the interests of Mr. Stephenson. That is the way it was. Did you so testify? Mr. KOLB. I think so. The CHAIRMAN. That was correct, was it? Mr. KOLB. I think so. The CHAIRMAN (reading): Q. What did he tell you?-A. To use it to the best of my ability. Q. And left that to you?-A. And left that to me. Is that correct? Mr. KOLB. I think so. The CHAIRMAN (reading): Q. What did you do with it?-A. I spent it. A. $50. That was correct, was it? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Then Senator Morris said: Q. Spent all of it? A. Yes, sir. Q. How did you spend it all?-A. It didn't take very long to spend it. I spent it with the boys around the saloons. Is that correct? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. You say that now? Mr. KOLB. Whenever I went to the saloons I bought drinks and cigars for the boys. The CHAIRMAN. Where did you spend it; in what place? Mr. LITTLEFIELD. In what locality? That is what you mean,is it not, Mr. Chairman ? Mr. KOLB. In towns where I would drop in. The CHAIRMAN. What towns were they? Mr. KOLB. Oh, they were towns-Elroy, Union, Camp Douglas— through that territory. The CHAIRMAN. What was your business then? Mr. KOLB. The saloon business. The CHAIRMAN. Where? Mr. KOLB. Hillsboro. The CHAIRMAN. How did you come to be traveling around? Mr. KOLB. I would be traveling around as a game warden. The CHAIRMAN. You were traveling around as a game warden and you were in the saloon business? Mr. KOLB. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Did you spend any of this money in your own saloon? Mr. KOLB. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Were you alone in the saloon business? Mr. KOLB. I have bartenders, sir. The CHAIRMAN. You are the proprietor? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. When you were spending this money with the boys, as you have stated, did you tell them that you were favoring the election of Senator Stephenson? Mr. KOLB. Oh, I just simply said, "Have a drink on Mr. Stephen The CHAIRMAN. That is what you would say "Have a drink on Mr. Stephenson"? Mr. KOLB. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Then Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Did you always say to them, "Have a drink on Mr. Stephenson"? Mr. KOLB. Oh, not always; no. The CHAIRMAN. Did you generally say that? Mr. KOLB. Oh, once in a while. The CHAIRMAN. You do not call that a saloon campaign? Mr. KOLB. I do not. The CHAIRMAN. Did you spend any of this money anywhere except in the saloons in the interests of Senator Stephenson? Mr. KOLB. And in the drug stores? The CHAIRMAN. And in the drug stores To buy cigars? The CHAIRMAN. It was all spent for drinks and cigars? Mr. KOLB. I think so. The CHAIRMAN. And either in the drug stores or the saloons? Is that right? Mr. KOLB. I think so. Senator POMERENE. Did you pay out any of your own money? Mr. KOLB. I could not tell. I think I probably did. Senator POMERENE. Then you kept no account? Mr. KOLB. I kept no account; no, sir. Senator POMERENE. Did you contribute toward any funds? Senator POMERENE. Yes. Mr. KOLB. No, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. When you say "drinks," what do you mean? Beer, whisky, or both? Mr. KOLB. By drinks I mean anything a man would take, whether it was a temperance drink, or whatever it was-beer or whisky. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. What is that? Mr. KOLB. Whatever a man may take-pop, whisky, or beer. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. As a rule, did the people where you were know that you were handling Mr. Stephenson's money, or did they not know it? Mr. KOLB. No, sir; only when I would call them up and tell them to have a drink on Mr. Stephenson. They did not know it was Mr. Stephenson's money. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. That is all they would know about it? Mr. KOLB. That is all. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Was that your uniform custom, when you treated anyone? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. You would simply make that statement! Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. How did this occur? Was this while you were driving about the country? Mr. KOLB. That would be about the territory that I generally worked. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. It was in the territory over which you traveled? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD And as you would strike one of these saloons on a crossroad? Mr. KOLB. No; in a town. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. And whoever you happened to find there you frequently treated to drinks, as you have described? Mr. KOLB. I always did. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. You always did? Mr. KOLB. Yes. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. You mean in all the campaigns you have carried on? Mr. KOLB. Whenever I was out. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Campaigning or otherwise? Mr. KOLB. Yes. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. I suppose that tends to contribute to the increased demand for the articles sold? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. What you mean to say is that that is your habit and custom whenever you have been out in the saloons? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Whether it is in a campaign or otherwise? Mr. LITTLEFIELD. I suppose it is not a very infrequent custom up in that part of the country, is it? Mr. KOLB. It never was with me. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. As a matter of fact, it is the usual and ordinary thing? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. And takes place dozens of times a day and more, too? Is not that a fact? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Is not that really, substantially, the method in which a large part of the business of these saloons is carried on? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. They would not have much business if it were not for that custom. Mr. KOLB. It is generally the visiting place in those small towns for the farmers. They are in the habit of visiting in the saloons. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Yes. And the matter of your treating people that you found in a saloon was not at all peculiar, so far as treating was concerned, because that is practically going on all the time? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Is that right? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. And substantially all, or a large portion, of the people up in that section of the country drink beer, I suppose, do they not? Mr. KOLB. Most of them. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Did you use any part of the money that was handed to you by Mr. Stone for the purpose of either directly or indirectly bribing or corruptly influencing any electors up there to vote in the primary election for Senator Stephenson ? Mr. KOLB. No, sir; I did not. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. You did not pay any money to any other people? Mr. KOLB. No, sir. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. Except as you paid it in the saloons for treats! Mr. KOLB. That is all. Mr. LITTLEFIELD. And in drug stores for cigars? Mr. KOLB. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. You will remain in attendance, Mr. Kolb, until after the testimony of Mr. Stone is given. Mr. KOLB. May I go home to-morrow morning and then come back again? The CHAIRMAN. Yes; that will be all right, if you come back Tuesday. Mr. KOLB. I am to come back Tuesday? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. TESTIMONY OF GEORGE W. DART. Mr. DART, having been previously sworn, was examined and testified as follows: The CHAIRMAN. State your full name to the reporter. The CHAIRMAN. Where do you reside? Mr. DART. Montello, Wis. The CHAIRMAN. How long have you resided there? Mr. DART. I was born there. I have resided there for 50 years. The CHAIRMAN. Did you take part in Senator Stephenson's campaign in 1908, when he was a candidate for the United States Senate? Mr. DART. Well, slightly. The CHAIRMAN. Did you receive money from anyone to be used during that campaign in his behalf? Mr. DART. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. How much did you receive? Mr. DART. $450. The CHAIRMAN. From whom did you receive it? Mr. DART. I received the first $50 from J. W. Stone. The CHAIRMAN. Who was Mr. Stone? Mr. DART. Mr. Stone was the State game warden. The CHAIRMAN. You were a deputy game warden, were you? The CHAIRMAN. How did Mr. Stone come to give you that money The CHAIRMAN. Did he tell you that it was to be used in Senator Stephenson's behalf? Mr. DART. Yes; something to that effect. The CHAIRMAN. Well, what did he tell you? Mr. DART. That is as nearly as I could tell you now. It is quite a long while ago--to help Senator Stephenson what I could with it. |