The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-18
THE CAM FR4UDS.
The Charges Agnin-t Auditor Thavcr En-
senaIor ID. =. " ood's kNpInnMtion.

albany, Dec. l7.--Frnncis :. Thayor,
Auditor OF the Cana Dep ,rtment. appeared be-
fore the Canal investigating Commission this
morning, a. requested, at 10 o'clock, and asked
to he excused from proceeding with his exam
nation, on account Of illness. The Auditor was
asked whether he was correctly repor.ed
saying yesterday before the Commissioners Of
the Canal Fund that he had never purchascd
any canal certificates, or If he meant
to say that he had never purchased
them for His own account. H. replied that h.
couli not SAY that he hat never purchased
item but he mad not purchased ON his own az
count. lie h ia negoitted for his hTnther-in-
law and others. The Auditors examination WAS
ten adjourned at nj own request Till to-mor-
roW morning 81 10 o'clock.
Mr.. u. =. wood then explained his connec ton
as attorney with the canal Chime. Ito -ii II
hah oeen MS lot 10 trv more # such 81 aims than
most attorneys, hut he mad never knowingly
amounts thht seemed To- ne Just u his clients
and reasonably and fairly their due. and had
never ultd or advocated a clam that ne WIS NOT
l'd To believe wa a wand one. lie had declined
10 uru-rrute number 81 claims occnuge he did
not consider tue state uahle Tor the damages,
although the injuries had been sustained. lie de-
med the charge th u ne had assistants tu huuf up
claims. lir a huoWlcuged that he had in sumo
instances received as compensatiit hy mutual
nc. ecm0 nt wtth his cllvuts as high a. litv per
Ctut. Of Tue amount collected, but Ia all such
cases the COMPENSATION was puni ,.t 10 tn, oi-
legation 10 pay ll the expenses of the prn-e,u-
tons. ACCOMPANIED with the RISK oi receiving
notihg II nothing was recovered. Ia most
reach ten pr cent. and In many not ,hree per
cent. OF the am uunt recovered. While he was
member of the legislature he had never acted
az on claims before the Legislature for which ho
WAS ~ the time attorney or counsel, neither had
he received. either directly or indirectly, any
cuulpeusntl n Tor any legislative services rem
dercd ~ him ln connection Herewith, whether
IA attorney or otherwise. 80 y rticular had he
been In TINS respect that hH mad never chdrgcI
or rec piNed any conformation for drawing ANY
.pers TO he used before any Legislature of
viii n hc WAS member, or Tor any counsel OF
other service IA relation TO any matter before
surh Legislature, although SUCH service was free
qurutly performed iu his law uflrc lest It might
be expected tha' hls legislative action would he,
or su-p"ctcd tntt It Was, influenced ar affected
thereby.
John L. SEYMOUR read written statement m
which ne declared thdt he had never ad Vised
ANY claimants tu put In a large clam, IA to
allow Tor It's being cut down. His Cnarges in
prosecuting claims were usually ~ per cent.
Nit. smith sad that the committee never be-
! lirNcd for moment that he seymour had adj
! vi-cd any claimant to make his claim exor-
biiant.
SIR. seymour said he had taken the Items IS
presented bN the ~ INFANTS Ia good faith, and
act q upon them AZ Just ana truthful
Toe committee then vent into executive scs-
/ sion md ultorWard adj 1uinrd.