New-York tribune., 1873-04-08
THE PROCEEDING
A sIGNItIl ANT LETTER.

The Chairman, at tae opening of the session
yesterday, read the follow lg letter:
NEw-YoRK. April Z. 1873.
Hon. j. A. BABCOCK, Chni'mdH assembly InceSiigattHg
DEAR SIR: We the u1 lersigned, having been en-
the Erie Railway COMPANY, aud during that time been
constantly work mahu- the details OF freight and
the books and details Of nd Company exhibited
will TO your hOnorio! Committee the fact that the
freig6t aud passenger ear ~, IS grossly exaggerated
JOHN WILLIAMSON, FREDERICK 5. GRAMllER.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN WILLIAMSON.
John Williamson testified: have been clerk in the
Auditors office of the Erie Railway for three years;
discharged last January. but do not know for what
cause: rThe letter show One Of the signatures
the mine; the anents in IL correct so far
as they apply TO the frei-h earnings; Exhibit No l6
shown Witness was discharged on jan 81 they were
working then the October accounts, and am sure
that accounts could have been brought up TO
date by Feb I2 the date the statement which the
dividend was declared; objection de TO wit
ness tesying exp IT. but he was allowed to pro-
coed II my business 10 receive reports Of reights
forwarded and freghtS received; the agents balance
sheets also passed through my hands; in September
made up the statement Of freight earnings; do not
know whether the account for that month IN Mr.. Wat
sons statement Is correct could not tell without
examining my books have no recollection whether any
of the items right kept freight balance
book showing the net earnings for the first nine months
of 1g2 have not the hook January % %
IL then disappeared, andI have never seen IL since
made inquiry % Mr. Cooke for ~ aud was told tnat II
ter part November aDd the first part OF DecemOef
IL tOek me FIVE six weeks, working nights; the ac-
accounts are now kept under lew system, which
requires twelve do the work that was formerly
doae nv three / know this to be the lase, because
twelve men were at work when left the oii;e, and
three OF used TO do the WOTk refer only 10 my own
depsrtmcnt OF the requirements OF the new sys-
tnT yas the afixing mark upon freight returns, by
which, If error were made 1t could DC traced TO It's
70 SIR, Burnett do not consider myself an expert
in bookkeeping and never kept complete set of books
but have been engaged IN bookkeeping IN several larRe
houses aud understood the work Of my own depart
the balance sheets were brought to me Tor cor
of everal thousand dollars, and Mr. Cooke told me TO
assume that 1t was correct MI; B9Ihett mere askeq
several questions tending 10 show the Dad character OF
witness hut the line OF examination Was not allowed
by the committee who decided that only questions OF
affecting the truth OF the wtness charges could De
examiuedl do not remember the particular amounts
returned under my supervision, nor can point 10
specific item in the statement Of Mr. Watson lncor,
hut If could examine the DOOks tihbk cOulu
show that the statements are Incorrect unless the
hgures have been altered.
TESTIMONY OF =. s. GEAAfNER.
Frederick s. Grammer testified reside IN Jersey
City; was clerk III the audit Office of the Erie Railway
up last of January was IN the passenger depart
nent my business was to check tho agents reports Of
tickets sold and to check Their balaucehees returned
each mouth by the accounts which made from the
daily reports; did this for the whole road made
each month of the passenger earn
Dgs Of the whole road except those which came from
foreign agencies tell whether the statement in
Mr. Watsons report correct not without examining
the books think report for the last three months is
exaggerated base this opinion on my knowledge OF
the OF the road. all the tickets having passed
through my hands believe the earnings for 1872 we're
loss than for lsn; think that one lten OF
be / base my opinions chiefly on the behef
that the accounts could not have been made up IN the
time which was taken; have never known wrong entries
TO be made but have known hgures TO be altered 70
make books agree; ; do not know Of my own knowledge
that the statement No IS not correct transcript
the books. but do not believe the December ac-
counts could have been written up by the time The div
dend declared.
ment appear very large; was common talk among the
and agents that the passenger earnings were
ar Dty eats agents who sold tickets commission
complained that they making very little money;
the statneut shows an increase IN 1871 II used 70 take
NE weeks check of my accounts Tor each MONTH
based partly upon the number OF tickets whch
passed through my hands, examination OF lhe boxes
IN which the tickets Of each month are Kept VIII snow
the correctness Of my Judgment.
TESTIMONY or II. 7. ANTEAs.
Henry T. Anteas, being recalled, made the following
abatement: The previous witnesses came TO me and
smoke of alleged defects by which could creep into
the books after examination, advised them 70 write
latter 20 the chairman; when first appeared before
this Committee came here in the cause Of right
made assertions which deemed proper from my knowi
adge of the books; stated that did not think the
Company bad earned the money for this dividend a.. a
Thursday Mr.. Watson approached me- and wanted !"
.sk me some questions about the freight business
Mr Watson said that Mr. Anteas came to See hlm
Mr Anteas resumed: Mt. Watson asked me II had
any olecon 10 20 u his house; on the way down we
faiked about who is dead; at the house Mr. Wat,
SOL % 'Sa stock was distriDuted asked hl ir he would
have declared the dividend upon his own responsibility,
aud he said Yes" but supposed he had made great
% @ .osnies by doing sO he said he had two positions
of importance and trust and wanted 70 nnd to Isn.
.obs for Them e asked me about the supPy DnslDess.
"a flog YuQu Ia alDlI