KANSAS CITY HEARING SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN EXPENDITURES MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1926 UNITED STATES SENATE, SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES IN SENATORIAL ELECTIONS, Chicago, Ill. The committee met, pursuant to the call of the chairman, at 10 o'clock a. m., Senator James A. Reed presiding. Present: Senator Reed, of Missouri (chairman). TESTIMONY OF HARRY RAY WALMSLEY (The witness was sworn by the chairman.) Mr. WALMSLEY. Yes, sir. Senator REED. Life or fire? Mr. WALMSLEY. Any kind; mostly fire. Senator REED. How long have you lived in Kansas City? Mr. WALMSLEY. Over 50 years. Senator REED. You are a member of the Republican Party? Mr. WALMSLEY. I claim to be a Republican. Senator REED. Are you a member of any organization connected with the Republican Party? Mr. WALMSLEY. I am not. Senator REED. You were once a member of the legislature, I believe, were you not? Mr. WALMSLEY. Twice. Senator REED. Twice? Mr. WALMSLEY. Yes, sir. Senator REED. Did you send a letter to Senator Norris concerning the election held in Jackson County on November 2, 1926? Mr. WALMSLEY. Yes. Senator REED. Did you make this statement in that letter [reading]: Immediately preceding and on election day money flowed out from this maIchine in a vast stream. The use of this money to carry the election of Mr. Hawes is widely known and openly discussed and charged in almost every precinct. Common gossip is that the Kansas City Railway Co. gave to the Democratic campaign fund for use on election day in Kansas City a sum variously estimated at between $250,000 and $750,000 (this in return for a 12-year extension of franchise-worthless to the people-which the Democratic machine rushed through the council overnight). Did you make that statement in that letter? Senator REED. Did you think that Senator Norris was a member of the committee authorized to investigate campaign expenditures when you wrote that letter? Mr. WALMSLEY. I did not. Senator REED. You knew there was such a committee? Mr. WALMSLEY. I did. Senator REED. And I presume you knew I was chairman of it? Mr. WALMSLEY. I understood so; yes. I thought you were the committee. Senator REED. You knew there were other members, did you not? Mr. WALMSLEY. I knew there were, but I had seen references in the papers that they didn't attend certain hearings. Senator REED. Recently. You knew, did you not, that certain members of the committee were holding investigations in other States than this? Mr. WALMSLEY. I did not. Senator REED. Mr. Walmsley, when was the letter written to which I have referred? Mr. WALMSLEY. Last Wednesday, I believe. I can tell you exactly, if you wish [referring to copy of letter]. It was written on Novem ber 17. Senator REED. Have you a copy of it? Mr. WALMSLEY. Yes, sir. Senator REED. Will you be kind enough to let me have it? Mr. WALMSLEY (handing copy of letter to Senator Reed). Do you wish to keep it? Senator REED. I would like to keep it long enough to have it copied in the record. Mr. WALMSLEY. All right; you can keep it. Senator REED. This paper which you have handed me is the carbon copy of the letter that you sent to Senator Norris? Mr. WALMSLEY. Practically. There may be a few little errors in the carbon that was not corrected. Senator REED. This is a substantially correct copy? Mr. WALMSLEY. Yes, sir. (The letter referred to was marked "Exhibit No. 356" and is here printed in full, as follows:) Senator GEORGE W. NORRIS, 701 BALTIMORE AVENUE, KANSAS CITY, Mo., November 17, 1926. Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR: On November 2, 1926, a general election was held in Kansas City, which included a Representative and Senator in the United States Congress. Senator Williams was backed by the Republican State and city "machines." Harry B. Hawes was backed by the Democratic State and city "machines." The Democratic machine in Kansas City is owned, directed, supervised, and controlled by one Thomas Pendergast. Senator James A. Reed is a prominent part of this machine and he personally campaigned for Mr. Hawes. Immediately preceding and on election day money flowed out from this machine in a vast stream. The use of this money to carry the election of Mr. Hawes is widely known and openly discussed and charged in almost every precinct. Common gossip is that the Kansas City Railway Co. gave to the Democratic campaign fund for use on election day in Kansas City a sum variously estimated at between $250,000 and $750,000 (this in return for a 12-year extension of franchise-worthless to the people-which the Democratic machine rushed through the council overnight). That money was freely and openly and largely used on election day to corrupt the citizenship franchise and elect a United States Senator can not be doubted by the most superficial observer of the election. An investigation by disinterested investigators would undoubtedly disclose such facts. Fraud is shown on the face of the returns; as examples: Ward 1, precinct 10, 413 votes cast, including those shown by the inclosed registration list of various foreign names and Americans both black and white. On the sample ballot inclosed there are 24 offices to be filled from 48 Republican and Democratic and 9 miscellaneous candidates. And yet the 413 voters balloted with surprising unanimity of minds, 50 of them picking out all the Republican candidates and 363 voting for all the Democrats. A mechanical machine would have difficulty in running so perfectly. And 19 of these voters voted the inclosed "constitutional ballot" and all 19 voters voted as of one mind even to the making of an error in nullifying their votes on propositions 1 and 3. They voted " yes" on each proposition, 1, 2, 3, and 4. 1 and 3 are alternative propositions and a yes vote for both loses the vote. The facts of this condition show that the judges did the voting. Similar conditions existed all over the city, as is evidenced by the returns from precinct 15, ward 1; precinct 11, ward 3; precinct 12, ward 4; and many others. (In precinct 12, ward 4, the conditions were reversed as to Democrats and Republicans.) There is not a precinct in this city where hundreds of voters can vote the difficult ballot (see inclosed) and make the ballots all alike. An unbiased investigation would disclose much that is interesting in fraudulent and bought elections. Very truly yours, H. R. WALMSLEY. Senator REED. Was this letter dictated to a stenographer? Mr. WALMSLEY. Yes. That is, it was written in pencil and handed to a stenographer to copy on the machine. Senator REED. What stenographer copied it? Mr. WALMSLEY. My wife. Senator REED. Your wife? Mr. WALMSLEY. Yes, sir. Senator REED. Who collaborated with you in the preparation of the letter? Mr. WALMSLEY. No one. Senator REED. Did you consult with anyone before you wrote the letter? Mr. WALMSLEY. I did not. Senator REED. You did not consult with anyone about the propriety of writing a letter of this character? Mr. WALMSLEY. I think not. Senator REED. Did anyone consult with you? Mr. WALMSLEY. They did not, sir. Senator REED. Then you are the sole author of the letter? Mr. WALMSLEY. That is correct. Senator REED. So that you are solely responsible for its contents? Mr. WALMSLEY. That is correct. Senator REED. Mr. Walmsley, you have had experience in legal matters as a member of the legislature, at least-and I want to advise you on the questions I am now about to ask. I am inquiring for matters of your own knowledge-things that you have seen and things that you know; not matters of hearsay of rumor. Do you know of any money contributed by the Kansas City Railways Co. to the Democratic campaign fund for use on the election day of November 2, 1926? Mr. WALMSLEY. I do not. Senator REED. You say you do not? Mr. WALMSLEY. Yes. Senator REED. Do you know of any moneys contributed to the Democratic committee by any officer of the Kansas City Railways Co. for use on the election day of November 2, 1926? Mr. WALMSLEY. I do not. Senator REED. Do you know of any agreement to extend the franchise of the company in consideration of any moneys paid to the Democratic committee? Mr. WALMSLEY. I do not. Senator REED. Do you know of any moneys paid by any person whomsoever to the Democratic committee or any member of the Democratic committee, in consideration of the extension of the franchise of the street railways company? Mr. WALMSLEY. I do not. Senator REED. Do you know of any moneys paid by any person to any member of the city council, in consideration of the extension of the franchise of the street railways company? Mr. WALMSLEY. I do not. Senator REED. If I understand you correctly, then, you know of no moneys that were contributed either to the Democratic committee or to any member of the Democratic committee, or to any member of the council, in consideration of the extension of the franchise of the street railways company? Mr. WALMSLEY. That understanding is correct. Senator REED. Do you know of any moneys contributed to the Democratic committee of Jackson County, or Kansas City, in the last campaign? Mr. WALMSLEY. I do not. Senator REED. I take it, then, you do not know how much money the committee handled or the sources from which it came? Mr. WALMSLEY. I do not. Senator REED. Can you give the committee the name or names of any person or persons who do know of the moneys contributed to the Democratic campaign committee, except it be the treasurer or officers of the committee itself? Mr. WALMSLEY. The exception is the receiver or the giver. Senator REED. The sole exception that I am making is the knowledge which the members of the committee themselves have. Presumptively they know, and therefore the committee can reach them without any assistance. What I am trying to get from you is whether you know of anybody outside of the committee who knows what moneys the committee received. Mr. WALMSLEY. I do not. Senator REED. So that, as far as you are concerned, in the search for information as to the amount of money received by the committee and the sources from which it came this committee, the Senate investigating committee, will have to look to the members of the committee itself, so far as you are able to say now? Mr. WALMSLEY. It will have to look to others; yes, sir. Senator REED. Do you know of anyone outside of the members of the committee who would know? Mr. WALMSLEY. No. Senator REED. Now, Mr. Walmsley, I am not inquiring as to what you have termed or are alleged to have termed in some interview as "common rumor," because common rumor will not help us to get at the facts. What we want to get at is the sources of information from which the committee might gain a knowledge. Common rumor will not help us on that very much; but if you have heard any responsible person charge that he knew any fact, of his own knowledge, I am now inquiring for the name of that person, or those persons that have made a charge that they know anything of their own knowledge. I am not inquiring as to this as substantive evidence, but in an attempt to get a lead whereby I might find, or the committee might find, some responsible person who will swear to some facts and not to hearsay evidence. Do you know any such person? Mr. WALMSLEY. Why, the newspapers carried many articles during the campaign Senator REED. I am not speaking of the newspapers. know of any person? Do you Mr. WALMSLEY. I could suggest some. I do not know of any. Senator REED. You do not know of any? That is to say, you can make suggestions of people who you think might know? Mr. WALMSLEY. That might know. Senator REED. Did any of these people that you have in mind tell you the facts upon which you based this letter? Mr. WALMSLEY. They did not. Senator REED. So that all you have to go on is the matter that has been printed in the newspapers? Mr. WALMSLEY. And common rumor, as I stated in the letter. Senator REED. But, of course, this committee can not chase down common rumor, unless they can find some intelligent person like yourself to give us the source of the rumor, and that is what I am trying to do. Mr. WALMSLEY. I might make suggestions and you might get at some of the sources. |