New-York tribune., 1877-05-03
THE WOODIN INVESTIGATION
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
STATEMENTS by ALBERT V. 4. DODGE, HIRAM
CAtKINS AND SENATOR wOODIN


Was Governors messenger during the session Of the
Legislature OF 1870; has general knowledge OF legsla
tive matters going has no knowledge OF any money
being raised promised to any Senator to influence his
vote any measure; knows OF no money paid to Mr.
Woodn to influence his action; knows Mr.. Tweed aud
also Mr WoOdin heard at one time conversation be-
those Senators in the library Of the senate Cham
bcr the conversation IN reference TO the vote on
some bill that was pending does know what the bill
was; there were other Senators present.
TESTIMONY OF HIRAM CALKINs.
Hiram Calkius testified Reside in Ncw-York; am at
present a correspondent Of The NelrYork World was
Clerk OF the Senate in 1870 and 1871 had no knOwl-
edge Of any money being paid promised 70 any Sen
Gor To influence his action in the Senate; had no
knowledge and heard no rumor Of money or influence
being used 10 obtain Senator "0odns vote or tG4t OF
Senator Winslow saw the article in The Nelc- York
World of April H. Du know nothing Of the charges con
ined in that article against senator Nood.n' senator
WinsOw or Mr Hastings; know nothing more OF them
than what read in tue paper know OF no arrange
What was stated in the senate~that the Republicans
should vote for election law; know nothing OF an
arrangement To retain certain officials ~ otcri know
of no improper Influences being used TO the pas
Tie dispatch sent by me to The Ne,r- York World on
the evening Of April did rot cunan the name OF Mr
WOodn. Ddnot learn what Influences were brought to
bear To defeat the Young Democracy Charter IN the
hard at work, and understood at the time work
Ing for the Young Democracy Charter ! mad no suspl-
Whatever that hat charter WAS going to be beaten
There nothing that occurred during the session td
winter that excited suspicion tndt senator MODulh
was influenced by improper motives IN hl5 acuoh III re-
gard to legislative matters. Thought be was couscl
my opinion o Senator N0Odlh AS 10 MS belhg cohsceu
uOus man.
SENATOR wOODINs STATEMENT.
Mr. Carpenter said there other witnesses to
examine and il Mr. Woodn desired he could now make
tine statement which he had mtmaicd his wish to make
Mr. Woodin then sworn, and made statement sub
stantiay follows:
The first time heard or know Of there being any
controversy between the Young Democracy ana liui,
many Hall about. any legistuOn aHecti the tity OF
NewNCrk was the morning OF tie dcieai OF the luCke
berry Charter" bcaIu nothing about ic struggle that
ensued ao"ut tie legislation OF the Chy o NeN
short Time after that there caucus Of TIE kepub
the Senators in ConIre,s Han. and / vas present
and | believe all the Republican Senators were
present until he told yesterday be was not There
Tor the first time heard about the cnartcr subsequently
called the Tweed CHARTER Mr. Kennedy, WHO was
member Ol the Committee on hunlcipdl Abdfs' opened
the 'uigrct ana lmrt We c"nsh'ltL ma ;"'"l5oS
very distinctly he made use OF this expression: Ihat we
for the city Of Ncw-YoIk as the Republicans woud De
satisfied with remember also OF his stains thar the
contemplated removal OF the Auditor ol the Saai De
partmcnt wOud be abandoned; also, ii"t 'he super
iucndcEt of The salt Springs at syracuse Mohd be al
lowed to rcn1m dont know VII e"l''Io' lit' @ I M
ia IN the Assembly on Senate wLDn sc utl ahuLer
caucus in the Chamber IN the evening, at when
every Republican senator was Prt,trm, D'I,Us
the caucus there were present MT dIec!ey, mt
BaIuum, 1lr Classy ami ex-senator nIcr ana there
general conversation about me s!'ud'on oI ta
charter. II was more or less talAed apJJ as "hoie III
rs
an election law. ldont remember no" ""n Va'noI M Eeo
what any prs0n said in reference to 'iLrr o these
NJ. Ianirr and Nlr. Btuum there was not an entire
unauimty OF sentiment. They cOnyefsed WltA us ana
aftcr time withdrew and vote was taken ana II was
determined then 10 support the charter and thhk mat
Is my recollection thai II given INTO he lnG OF hr
Kennedy and 1t may have been tiat there was com
mttcc appointed but know he was one directed 10 pre-
pare the Election law. That was done aud III que course
of time both bills passed tie SENATE My recollection
now the election law passed hf, ana aitet"aIu
the House concurred IN the amendment made made
I IA. lp 4 i
Nr. Keunedy's coming INTO the Senate ChaIhpcr
al some tim,-I won't say il was tue same
Governor had signed The election law. II was upper
unSt i'm ms mind and uppermos in the minds OF All Re
publican Seniors. the history OF Inc charter ier tt
know nOthing about | know, Of course, u became
law nom the statutes. Iyolcd for the charter IN uISu
auce of an arrangement call II bargain let II be writ
ten "a bargaundde by SOME Of the representatives, or
The Republican party IN the Senate with SomcpCy VINO
claimed to be representatives OF the Democr'cy OF
the senate, that If tney would ailo" us
10 pass rigid and vigorous cHc'ion iaW
we would vote for the charter. / was never in Mr.;
Twccd's except tW,ce-once o tI Hiy OF le lil
there and understood 3r. Thien was tuero TIE next
time quite late ~ the session. ana %eht thtIe WIN
Wesley smith, one oI the edi'pr' oi 4"e i'Y"9 "
gentleman by the name Of Robinson from IS own ciy'
never had word Of conversation "ith MN III ~! M .ie
that was not ID tbo presence O ou',S' '' @ .". ." % @
senate chamber or the library nor vas ever aiDnc
with him anywhere. lie ney'r tad any h+c"na!
Q. There i3 another question about playing WIN I"eed
games chance 10. large s;akcsI \. heNe. saw nm
play ana never pay ed game WIN i'il N 'I ' ia,
Tweed asked this question, Di y3I mem oi,+HS
leave Whcic lie might ECL hf nc btchH'u
10 answer That II he ever did never Ioqu IT, a. ~
tmc nor under any crtumstducc, dtI nave any con con
yrrsation with VIM. NJ Tweed about any r-sialoh bht
that one III tn senate Channei aoe,'I ~ II " 1 n
the Two Per Cent act. That was IN MI never hdt
any conversation wijh him about tine charter nor aDoh
either of TIE tax lctts III I''O al "il I'M ~ "a; p ~
have ucilLcr visited him cUTfcsu suouiru WIN ii nor
received any communication nom ll, boi h'ye ever
sent All! body or requested them To sr' any Doug "
never received cuCck, b Oi cAcn1-t' ui' Hvc' vi q
for him, aud not now, oi never has been any
such IN existence or any check draft made by him or
tax take o'' to deny w. AMI want it to be SO CON
siucd' that IN no pos oIs ,,,GI s,"I' nav hands r
been rccriyed ~ IN consideration o any VOC or aSt
done by me tie L-gisrtuc or on Of il for ne beeht
Of William H. Tweed or any body assoc.ted Win nm.
want II to the entire ground, 40 Diud ' u o o
taken reference to Nh Hastings, hc never apofe 10
l nor to mia on the subject al the csa.ion OF 1870
About The legislation known a. the I"ttH "-l'a,pn,
never bad any conversation VITA anybody cN c NePup
lic,p G,Uat.. ana that Wa, oar caucus and IN tho
Senate Chamber. never heard anything intimate" OF OF
said rc-fd to Mr. NiHrlow Alr I'!hL,' OF nl, - sen
Of any pecGuia'y IiHn-aruoh uhlI 81" ID W. ~ ~
O. Did lon ha'e any "n'hfIII i H'n t,rfior
ncyci received amy comnuncaton from nm D' e'tcr or
O. In $50 or ~ ala you purchase elegant manson
for q residence construct marblc walks, &c . ID $50
almost <6COu aud N 1871 | bought another
Eou,e OH NoIA-,t, which vs. me ohit eh IGn
am NOT AZ m mort to that the expense Tor tue
support of myself hi. never cAceueu 9OO & e ',
horse carriage in my ne, cXccl ha,y etIi'I-e
living in Auburn; considertl mysH 0m 'HS t 80,
from SO. 900 10 42sOUO; | was st surrogate OF tIe
County Of Cayuga, at salary oi Fl.oOod year, an
worth Irt tween sSjUODp and $4,000 tCdaY
trmL tine rst Spapcf IttlcLs liat MtLG maui on
been attacked as severely by Ecpubicah papers ls py
Democratic papers. I know the pagers dd il lot IN.
public good aud from fair and reasonable motives anu
not from any ImPlUpC- motives. ..... g..
~. ,priggs-sncc ls7On you put a2y p:Opel'y 10
the naiie your wife -Oa Or any rriiF"' or aiy
other person \ Not "a dollar. | keep all 8 IN any
own meme aud viii give 1t TO them "h'h -'' '"io's"
with u. , -
q. or any company any corporaionl a. 20 -
The comaittee then adjourned, subject to tle call Ol