New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-22
THE HAND AWARD SWINDLE.
INDICTMENT OF THE BLACK ROCK HARBOR
cONspIPATORS


sPIRACY- w. H. BOWMAN. L. j. BENNETT, T. G..
DAVIS, AND ALEX. BARKLEY, ALSO INDICTED FOR
CONsPIRACY-ALL EXCEPT BARKLEY IN COURT
AT BUFFALO, AND ARE ADMITTED TO BAIL
OTHER INDICTMENTS EXPECTED.
(BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRTBuNE.]
BUFFALO, Sept. 21-The Grand Jury Of Erie
County found indictments on Monday against Geo.
ID. Lord and VIM III. Bowman of Rochester and
Thaddeus c. Davis and Lewis j. Bennett OF this
city and Alexander Barley of Ballston, n. T., for
conspiracy in connection with the Hand award
swindle and bench warrants were Immediately is
sued. Geo. d. Lord and w. H. Bowman were ar
rested in Rochester yesterday afternoon, where they
were kept under guard until to-day, when they
were brought to this city. The prisoners en-
tered the courtroom a little after O'Clock
while Judge Clinton was engaged in trying murder
case. After a brief statement by District-Attorney
Lockwood, in which he informed Geo. ID. Lord that
he had beer indicted by the Grand Jury for bribery
his cour 81, w. +. Cogswell of Rochester, who ac-
compa ed him here, said they did not then wish to
hear the Indictment read, but he would enter
general plea of not guilty, and also a
special plea IN writing that proceedings
in the were barred by the statute of limitations
He admitted that the law of 1878 extended the time
within which indictments cOuld be found to hyc
years, but he claimed that that was not retroactive
and even If it were, it would be unconstitutional.
Judge Clinton said the counsel had the right to
interpose such plea TO this the Dstrict-Attorncy
replied that he should put in a demurrer to-nor-
row, and he asked that the Court grant him
the time till then to determine what course To pur-
sue. Geo. ID. Lord was then admitted to bail the
amount being finally fixed at $4,000, although
$50 900 the amount first named by Judge Gin
ton Thomas Leighton of Rochester, who also ac-
ter
having testified that he worth more
than the amount named, free of all membranes.
1t was stated by Mr. Cogswell that he was
worth several hundred thousand dollars. The IN
dicmcnt in this case - pages of legal cap
Geo. ID. Lord was Immediately arraigned on a see
ond indictment, charging him jointly with Others
with conspiracy in Buffalo in November, 1874. 10
this he also entered plea of not guilty, 1hos Leigh
ton again going his bail, which was fixed in this
case at $4,000. The indictment for conspiracy
also contains indictments against VIM. H. Bowman,
Tbaddeus c. Davis Lewis J. Bennett, and Alexander
Barkley all Of whom, except Barkley, appeared in
court during the afternoon and gave bail III sums OF
So 900 each.
Lewis J. Bennett is old contractor on the canal
and is a member of the firm of Clark x Bennett,
who were engaged in completing tho improyemeht
at Black Rock IIarbor until they were stopped re-
"a
H. Gurrcy of this city wa5 Benefits counsel,
and Daniel Post of the firm of Dudley
Post of New-York City, cattle dealers and
Andrew Spaudng, Benefits father-in-law, became
his bondsmen. John Hubbell, al old partner OF
Thaddeus c. Davis appeared as that gentleman's
counsel and James ~ Seatcherd, lumber dealer o1
this city, who is said to be worth at least T300.O0o,
went Oh his bond. Charles G. Morse Of Rochester,
who accompanied the party from that cry,
became the bon1sman for Bowman. Barkley
did not arrive during tho afternoon, but 1t
was stated that lie had been arrested, and would
be On hand by tomorrow. He was one Of the Canal
Commissioners during 1872 and 1919. No definite
time has yet been arranged for the hearing of the
demurrer of the Distgict-Attorney OF OF the argyll
ment in relation to the special plea TO be set up by
Lords counsel hut an understanding in re-
gard to the mater, it is thought, will bo
he'd by Tomorrow Lord and Bowman re-
turned by the evening train to Rochester. The
Grand Jury is still sitting and other indictments
against persons implicated in canal frauds here it is
believed will be brought within Il few days. Ii Is
expected that an indictment will be brought against
Ellis Webster, the person who recently admitted de-
fore the Governors Commission that he mad deiiV-
cred coal al the residences of Canal sup rinicndent
Kelly, the present incumbent, and his predecessor
Welsh. for which the state had paid him, and also
that he had paid a bonus or commission TO them on
the coal delivered to the State. He admits that
charging the State with coal delivered at
the private residences of the superintendent
and their clerks was irregular, bnt says he
objected to the manner of rendering the DIS,
when the clerk with whom he always transacted
his business insisted they had right to the coal IN
their capacity officers of the State. AS they were
his friends he supposed they would protect him in
4 ,,fto of 4bo lta ln
assumed they knew what their rights were There
was never any agreement, he states, between him
self and Kelly AS to the amount of percentage.
At the end of the year settlement
was made, after which he paid Kelly 144 as bonus
or commission. This was equal to about 20 cents
bushel on the amount sold during the year. lie
further states that al The meeting of the Governors
Commission one of them demanded of Kelly the
restoration TO the State OF this money,
together with the price OF the coal lur-
nshed him for which the State had paid.
Kelly refused, and the Commissioner then made
the demand Of Webster, claiming OF the latter all
that the State had lost account OF his irregular
transactions with Welsh, az well as the amount
previously demanded OF Kelly As he was al
ready in trouble, he preferred paying small
sum rather than become further involved IN
what was growing to be an extreme unpeasantie5s.
Mr.. Webster is old citizen OF Buffalo, anu WAS
formerly engaged in the grocery business. During
the past five or six years he has been dealing IN
coal lie was an Alderman for several years. SUI
perntendent Kelly to whom he says he delivered
the COAL is an active Democratic politician, and is
said 70 be wealthy. The following is an cpitome of
the indictment against George ID. Lord for bribery:
The document contains seven counts Inc hfst, AFTER
the usual statutory beginning charges that AZ the gen
eral election in November 1870 George D. Lord then
Of City of Rochester was chosen by the electors OF
the lid Assembly District to the Office OF member OF the
Assembly an office which he accepted and quahed for
The second clause the count declares that on the