Lewis Hadden further testifies in ballot box case

Still More Testimony

Adduced in the Ballot-Box

Investigation.

MR. HADDEN FURTHER EXPLAINS

He Says That the Money He Paid Mrs.

Wood Came from Dr. Graydon, and By

Him Taken from the Campaign Fund.

The Committee to Hold a Short Secret

Session Before Examining Any Other

Witness.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. — The Ohio bal­lot-box investigating committee con­tinued its examination. Mr. Hadden, who was on the stand when the commit­tee adjourned yesterday, stated that he had paid money to Mrs. Wood. He had received a letter from Mr. Wood to the effect that he was hard at work in Wash­ington on a $6,000,000 gun contract and requesting him to get $100 and give Mrs. Wood $50 of it. Shortly after this inci­dent Mrs. Wood and her son called at his house and presented a letter of sim­ilar character from Wood, in which was inclosed a letter to his wife. This was the first time he had seen Mrs. Wood. He had not the money at the time, and requested Mrs. Wood to call at his office. In the meantime he consulted Dr. Graydon respecting the matter. The doctor advised him to advance the money, stating that he would be responsible for that amount.

Witness then told of his visit to The Commercial Gazette office on the night that Mr. Halstead had been convinced the paper was a forgery. Some days after paying the first amount of money to Mrs. Wood, the lady called at his house and told his wife to have him call at her house, as she wanted to see him on a very important matter. He supposed that this would be another request for money, and he again consulted Graydon as to what was the best thing to do.

Dr. Graydon avised [sic] advised him to see Mrs. Wood, and if she did not want too much money to supply it, and gave him $50, The money he gave to Mrs. Wood and told her not to ask him for more. He did not pay her any more until Wood was arrested, then he gave her son $40. This was on the night that Mrs. Wood and her son came to his house and told him that Wood had been arrested. He went to the door and there found Mrs. Wood and her son. They urged him to go to the station house immediately, as Wood wanted him. He refused to go, on the ground that he could do no good. But Mrs. Wood would not leave the house, and told him that Mr. Campbell was at the station house and offered to get her husband out if he would give up certain papers and say certain things, which he did not wish to do, and wanted to see him, Hadden, immediately.

They then left the house but returned five minutes later when he gave the boy $40, with the understanding that it was to be the last time he was to be asked for money.

After making this payment witness advised Dr. Graydon of his action, and the doctor refunded the amount paid.

Witness denied knowing anything about money being offered to anyone to go on Woods bond.

He knew very little about the ballot-box bill, he said, and had never asked any member of the legislature to vote for it.

He was asked some questions regard­ing the testimony given by George Campbell, and said that there was not a word of truth in the testimony given by Campbell.

Mr. Hadden said he had met George Campbell since he had been examined by the committee, but at the meeting not a word had been said in connection with the investigation. Their conversa­tion was in regard to some financial mat­ters which were pending between themselves.

In answer to a question as to informa­tion he had regarding the forged paper, he said that he had no intimation that the paper was a forgery until it was so pro­nounced by The Commercial Gazette.

Witness denied having any knowledge connecting Messrs. Sherman, Butterworth, and McKinley with the ballot-box complication. He denied Having recommended Mr. Wood for the smoke inspectorship, but said, he had told Mayor Mosby that Wood was a good mechanic.

Mr. Hadden also denied that he did this for the purpose of obtaining the forged paper from Wood. The money he had paid Mrs. Wood, he said, he had obtained from Dr. Graydon, and he understood that he was paying it out of the campaign fund. The money paid Wood after the forgery, he said, was paid him for political purposes, as they did not wish to make things any worse in the state than they were.

Witness denied seeing the paper Wood had prepared until it was shown to him by the committee.

In concluding his testimony, Mr. Had­den denied certain statements which he had read from the record, to the effect that he had been engaged in getting up a letter to offset the "Popp" letter.

The committee then adjourned for the day.

Before adjourning the committee de­cided to hold a short Secret session be­fore beginning the hearing again to de­cide whether or not to call certain other witnesses that Governor Foraker and others have asked to have heard.