Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-06-17
FROM ALBANY.
The Sessioa Of the Senatorial Bribery
Committee.


Mr.. Graves Appears Before the Comics.
si0nal.
ALBANY. June I6. In the bribery inves-
tigati0n this morning, Wm- A. Graves testi-
fed that he was formerly telegraph superin-
tendent of the lines of the New York Cen
trail railroad, and is now of the banking firm
of Spencer, Trask & Co. of Albany. Have
had an account with Mr.. Sessions, which was
closed June 9Th, paying Sessions over &c.
CO., Witness declined to show the account
With the Merchants Bank for May or June
On cross examination he stated that State
Treasurer Wendall is vice president OF the
| Merchants Bank. Witness sold all of Ses-
sions stock, MAY 26th, by Mr.. Sessions
orders.
Mr.. Graves testified that when he closed
the account with Sessions he gave him three
81 600 bills, and the balance of S66l6 in
hundreds and fifties. l have talked with
Sessions about the denomination of the bills
paid him. There were three $1,000 bills,
and So 900 in 500 bills. Barber has called
at our banking house once or twice this year.
To Bangs-Have heard Sessions say that
he expected that Depew would be elected.
Talked with Sessions last night at Smiths
house. On the sth of June / drew $500
from the Merchants Bank in two checks.
Paid 81 800 of this to Senator Woodlin. /
talked with Sessions last night about this
case. He told me his recollection of the
matter of the bills, but his statement has not
Influenced my own opinion. | was not pres
ent when the 81, 800 was paid to Woodlin.
Don't know the denomination of the bills
paid him. 1t is unusual for men to draw
their balance when it amounts to Sc 900 in
currency.
To Bangs-My conversation with Sessions
ha,, a 'f.tnf.E To- ,rht I
Ognized the bills.
Bangs, to Sessions--Let me see the pack
age of bills. Sessions handed Bangs the
package which was shown to witness, and he
identified them as apparently the same bills
he paid Sessions. June eth. Sessions took
out nearly all the money paid him from his
trousers pocket, last night, when we met at
Smiths house. and ran over the amount
and recognized the bills as those | paid him
June eth. as some of the bills were entirely
new 500 bills. The sum l counted last
night was only a few dollars short of the
S66l6.
To SMITH went to Smiths house to ask
him if could be obliged to bring up the
books of our firm. While there, Sessions
came in. Our meeting was causal, and not
by appointment.
To Draper, of the committee Perhaps
| uIuS VI tSH uay SidpsSu NUN tlhO "S
first talked, up to the day paid him the cur
rcncy.
Publlns V. Rogers. president Of the First
National Bank of Utica, testified: Barber
kept an account of our bank: has been re.
quested to produce his account here; have
not brought of all his checks his account
was written up to June l4th, and all his
checks returned.
Assemblyman Bradley was recalled. and
was asked for the manuscript he wrote in the
room where he met Speaker Sharpe.
Bradley handed it to Counsellor Bangs
who read it aloud. 1t is the same as he ad
dress to the Assembly, June 9th. when asked
for an investigation committee. l did moi
want to talk to the reporters until made my
statement to the committee. 1t was not out
of regard to Sessions or tenderness for his
character, that refused to make statement
to him.
Recess until 3.