HEARINGS BEFORE A SPECIAL COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING EXPENDITURES IN SENATORIAL SIXTY-NINTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION PURSUANT TO S. Res. 195 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT OF 103434 FEBRUARY 21 AND 26, 1927 PART 6 Printed for the use of the Special Committee Investigating UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON 1927 FROM CONGRESSMAN EARL C. MICHENER WASHINGTON, D. C. SELECT COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING EXPENDITURES IN SENATO RIAL PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS JAMES A. REED, Missouri, Chairman CHARLES L. MCNARY, Oregon. GUY D. GOFF, West Virginia. ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE, JR., Wisconsin. The committee met, pursuant to the call of the chairman, at 10 o'clock a. m., in room 212, Senate Office Building, Senator James A. Reed presiding. Present: Senators Reed of Missouri (chairman), McNary, Goff, La Follette, and King. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. Is Judge Crowe here? Mr. CROWE. Yes, sir. TESTIMONY OF ROBERT E. CROWE-Resumed (The witness was sworn by the chairman.) The CHAIRMAN. You are the same Robert E. Crowe who testified before this committee about August 4, 1926, in the city of Chicago? Mr. CROWE. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. At that time you were asked certain questions, some of which you declined at the time to answer. At least one of the purposes in recalling you before the committee is to give you another opportunity to answer these question which you then refused to answer. I intend, however, to read the questions that were asked you, and your answers as far as given, in order that you may get the particular questions that you did not answer, in their context. You were asked these questions and gave these answers. I am reading from page 1850 and following pages of the printed record [reading]: The CHAIRMAN. Judge, you were sworn before? Mr. CROWE. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. How much money did you get from Samuel Insull in the campaign? Mr. CROWE. For what purpose? The CHAIRMAN. Any purpose. Mr. CROWE. I received no money from Samuel Insull whatever on the senatorial proposition. The CHAIRMAN. Was it to be used in the last primary? Mr. CROWE. I received no money from Samuel Insull on the senatorial proposition. The CHAIRMAN. No; but I am asking if you received money to be used in the last primary? Mr. CROWE. For what purpose? The CHAIRMAN. For any purpose; any money of any sort that was to be used in the last primary. Mr. CROWE. I repeat my answer. I received no money from Samuel Insull to be used in the senatorial primary. The CHAIRMAN. Did you receive any money to be used in the primary held on April 13? Mr. CROWE. I collected, in addition to the amounts that I have heretofore recited, somewhere in the neighborhood of $15,000 or $16,000. That was used exclusively to promote the candidacy of Capt. Joseph P. Savage. The CHAIRMAN. He was running at the same time that all the rest of them were running on the ticket? Mr. CROWE. All the money that we spent The CHAIRMAN. Was not that true? Mr. CROWE. Yes. And all the money we spent was distributed to promote his candidacy; and none of it was spent on primary day. It was all spent for the purpose of advertising the candidacy of Capt. Joseph P. Savage. The CHAIRMAN. Did you receive any of that from Mr. Insull. Mr. CROWE. There were two or three hundred candidates in the primary. All of them spent money. I assume all of them collected money; and the sources from which they received money is not a proper inquiry for this committee. The persons who gave me that money were personal friends of mine, and it was used exclusively for Captain Savage. The CHAIRMAN. Is Mr. Insull one of your personal friends? The CHAIRMAN. I want to know if you include him among your personal friends? Mr. CROWE. I would not say that he was a personal friend. I would not say he was not. I know Mr. Insull. The CHAIRMAN, A moment ago in giving your reasons for not answering. you said that there was money obtained from personal friends for other candidates than those who were running for the Senate; and I am asking you whether you include Mr. Insull in that list? Mr. CROWE. I got money from friends of mine for Joseph P. Savage. That money was used exclusively for Joseph P. Savage. None of it was used primary day, and the persons who gave it to me I refuse to name. The CHAIRMAN. I just asked you about one man, Judge. Mr. CROWE. I say I know Mr. Insull. The CHAIRMAN. I asked you if he gave you any of that money. Mr. CROWE. My other answer covers it. The CHAIRMAN. You refuse to answer; is that it? Mr. CROWE. I will not name the persons who contributed because it is not a proper sort of inquiry here. The CHAIRMAN. Of course, you may think so, but we might have a different opinion. Mr. CROWE. That is my opinion, of course. In other words, there were sev eral hundred candidates running for various local offices and none of them have been interrogated, and I do not assume they will be. The CHAIRMAN. What? Mr. CROWE: I say their campaign funds are not under investigation here. The CHAIRMAN. That depends. I do not care to argue this matter. I think I will be able to convince the proper body whether it is pertinent. All of these candidates that you speak of were running at one primary? Mr. CROWE. One primary. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Where were you when Mr. Insull gave you this money, Judge? Mr. CROWE. I decline to answer. I have not stated that Mr. Insull gave me any money. The CHAIRMAN. Do you decline to answer whether he did give you any? Mr. CROWE. I decline to answer any question in reference to moneys that were contributed for Captain Savage's individual campaign. The CHAIRMAN. I am not asking you anything about Captain Savage's or anybody else's individual campaign. I am asking you whether Mr. Insull gave you any money that was used for any purpose connected with the primary campaign on April 13, 1926. You can decline to answer that or you can answer it. Mr. CROWE. I decline to answer any question in reference to the $15,000 er $16.000 that was used for Captain Savage's The CHAIRMAN. Do you decline to answer the question I asked you? |