The New York herald., 1869-03-12

to-day
10 rse SaSsrss-
me ssisua ssal4lassss aapo4nEei pursuant TO the
resolaksin passed ArEE ~ lscS 10 inquire ana ascer-
tain whether aay paEy az parties Interested in sup
porting akpTVstls any measures relating 70 raii
way companies have slshsr N person or by agent
directly or indirectly paid os offered TO pay any
member or members of the senate during that ses-
sion any money or other valuable thing to influence
his or their vote action IN senate or committee"
ANA the further resolution passed May !, 1885, by
winch said committee was authorized to sit during
the recess ana report to the next regular session
or the Senate, respectfully report
TnaI your committee entered immediately upon
the duties assigned 70 them ana have been engaged
in the investigation on which they entered at vari
ous times during the session OF 1858 the recess Of the
Legislature and the present session.
Your committees attention has been called princi-
pay to the great contest Of last session between the
friends and opponents OF what was commonly
known as the Erie bil,' which resulted in the pas
sage OF the act entitled An act in relation the
Erie New York Central, Hudson River and Harlem
Railway companies passed April 21, 1868.
Your committee first called before them and ex-
amined some OF those who had been by rumor most
widely designated lobbyists or persons in attend
ance on the legislature engaged on either side OF
this controversy. Messrs. John B. butcher and
Abraham Van yechten, who were known as oppo-
nenls OF the DILL, and Messrs. Hugh J. Hastings, jay
Gould, Julian Williams and Dyer d. $ Brown, who
were among the advocates OF the measure; also the
ireasurers of the Hudson River and Harlem rail-
roads, corporations supposed TO be Interested OPP
posing the bill
These persons all denied any knowledge or infor-
nation other than that derived from common rumor,
q a
any promise offer OF moneys Tor the purposes
indicated In the resolution.
The attention OF your committee was next called TO
On article in the New York Tribune charging that
senator has taken money on both sides, and that
over 100000 has been paid TO influence corrupty
the action OF other Senators in the premises They
summoned before them the writer OF this article Nh
Horace Greeley, TO ascertain the evidence upon
which 1t was written. The name OF Mr.. Thomas C.
Fields was given by Mr.. Greeley that Of his in
formant- Your committee accordingly examined
hun, and also Senator Nation ana MIR Asahel w.
Cole whose names were mentioned by Mr.. Greeley.
Toward the close OF the session Senator VINO had
received information thar led Rim to believe that u
lobbyist had attempted TO get money irom the friends
OF the "krie bill" on the pretence that he could
thereby secure MS yoJe called the attention or yonf
committee 10 such information, in consequence of
winch subpmnas were issued, aud aller some dtii.
Guilty the attendance OF Mr.. John Van yalkenburgli
was procured. The iacts, testified To by hill
are slated III The subsequent part Of THIS report.
Other witnesses were then. called as the facts de.
veloped and statements made 10 your committee
seemed ~ require. The evidence reported having
been taken various times, the presence OF wit
nesscs could be obtained, Is without arrangement;
much OF H. too, Is simply OF negative character.
Your committee, therefore, tnk II necessary nj
this report 10 state some or The material iacs
proved and the bearing they have upon tue subject
matter Of the investigation.
The first inquiry naturally suggested was whether
money was actually expended Dy railway companies
with tne intent that Il should be used Tor uniawiai
purposess
railroads bOtn testify that no money was drawn
from the treasures OF their roads Tor the purpose
referred TO. Mr.. Drew. tue treasurer or tue Erie
Railway Company until July, 1865. also swears that
he had no knowledge of any money being PAID oui
OF the treasury OF that company ior the purpose oi
procuring leelslaron out he testiiies that Mr. Ill
bridge the president Of the road drew S5OOO00 out
of the treasury before the session OF the Legislature
ostensibly lor purposes oi litigation. which was
charged on the books OF the company 10 Mr.. E-
bridge individually, and which had not been ac-
counted for when he retired from the once ol urea
snrer IN July last and that no money other than tnat
had been drawn out Of the treasury 10 pay the eN-
penses OF the company al Albany. II IL evident
from the testimony tnat large amounts oi money
we're actually paid FOR various purp ses. Mr.. Gou.d
paid g., 900 10 Lewis 4. Payne and $1,000 10 SOME
person he thinks his name was William hingl Tor
Mr. 10. ID. q. Browli OF Rochester, and something
more than SIS 600 and, he thinks less tian s9u0gU,
not including payments by draft TO counsel anu
agents hr. Thompson paid $1,000 % Payne anu
upwards OF 100000 TO Luther Caldwell whlch Was
refunded TO him by the Erie Railway Company
II Is clear, therefore, that large sums o. money dla
come from the treasury OF the Erie Railway Com
pany which were expended for scIne purpose Ia
Albany for winch no vouchers seem 10 nave been
nied 10 the ONCE OF the company Inc ooesIs o. t.e
expenditure cannot be learned from the books ot tue
company. The testimony OF Mr.. Drew shows where
these funds may have come FROM whether tne cres-
flun OF so large fund a. that entrusted 70 Mr. III
sirdge In this instance the expenditure OF which 4
left entirely the discretion OF single indVunai,
and for which no vouchers Or accounts are deqs.a
are not Informed. IL II question OF more lhiine-
IIate interest TO stockholders Of these companies
sir. Eldridge being citizen OF and ia ancther
State his attendance before your committee could
not be compelled lie was invited by letter 10 appear
Ind testify but the invitation was mol re-ponaeu lo
The testimony leaves doubt In the minds OF your
,oun ittee that large sums or money were In fact
with the intent that they should be ttec
or the purpose OF influencing legislation unawfnliy
IN the ony cases In which your committee nave
been able 10 obtain any direct evidence, the monefs
30 furnished were not In isct useu Ior sns puapsse p
The case OF Lewis y. Payne furnishes remark
able example Of credulity on the spart Of the paree
q expendirg money and lmpudence ano auphci5 on
Inc part of the person receiving IT,
Payne was a narbor master IN New YORK hno
inonsh lie had lever been IN the employ Of rail-
road company; had no profession nor amp eNtehsNe '
general M acgga'nfancIe ~ S ~ he prs,sna far
days services IN Albany, In advocating the Erie bll
Mr.. Thompson paid him $1,000 IN New orr, ana Mr
s.ould though ne did not take much stock In aim
IA he saws mot having heard OF Thompsonis pay
mcntl gave him 5000 here 70 smooth MIN over 7
him smply for servlces they were obtained by him
a. no one can doubt from reading the evidence
on the pretence that With such sum he could secuf
a senator's vote. The testimony OF Van yalkenburph
with that OF MIR. Thompson ad senator Palmer, \
conclusive upon this point, and II was Only on ascer
tanning that the senator referred 70 was oppose,
fo the bill and that his character for Integrity an,
honor was 80 high az 20 render any effort al produe
ing change IN his views VI action by pecunary In
ducements not only useless but absurd, that the ri
tempt was made TO get back the money from payn
which gave rise 10 the angry controversy sworn z
by van N8lkenburgh, which led TO bringing the matte
to the knowledge Of the senator, whose surprs
and Indignation at the discovery OF 50 base 40 III
tempt 10 make merchandise OF his good nam
caused him 10 gfve your committee the Information
which enabled them 10 discover these iaCts.
The case OF Luther Caldwell "a still more extraor
diuary Mr. CadweH name was FIRST mcntone
on The testpony taken before your committee b
ar Greeley, who tes- -Ihed that nv. a. W. Cole ha
stated that 100000 was placed IN the hands q
Luther Caldwell and Russell v. Hicks TO iniiuenc
legislation. Mr.. Cole was then called, and while h
did MT profess 70 have any actual knowledge u
subleet rave information which led your cOmnilte
10 ca.i senator Nicks AZ witness. lie testified tha
III a conversation with Caldwell, In explanation
fhe Iact that he had suddenly ieft Albany pen'
ing the Erie fcontest, Mr.. g. had told hii
.Es.ator kieEaA that ttfhe marty known ae hi