New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-30
Mr.. DAGGETTS STATEMENT.
HE AND MR. BIRKETT DECLARE THEM
SELVES NOT GUILTY OF BRIBERY.
CHARGES MADE AGAINST FRANKLIN WOODRUFF
AND HIS sUPPoRTERs-A REPLY TO Bn
MADE PUBLIC IN FEW DAYS.

trey were involved In relating to the securing
for David a. Baldwin in the recent contest for the
Craftsmanship of the Kings County Repuh
lican General Committee was made pub
lie yesterday. They both deny the charges
OF alleged bribery, and maintain that their
action was honorable and upright but they charge
Franklin woodruff and his supporters with many DO
iitcal offences in the conduct Of the campaign which
ended in the reelection Of Mr. Woodruff Mr. BIZ.
hets statement Is brief and is substantially as follows
Ihave never done any thing Of which need b. ashamed
am not guilty OF the charge Of bribery indorsed Mr.
Daggetrs notes and Loaned him my check upon hi,
statement that he had employed Greeneaf A. Smith in his
factory and that the were given as security and ts
money was an advance II had been engaged in any
transaction which was not honest would given my
cheek 70 Greenleaf Smith,
The fact that the check was drawn on the Cerera Cam
mittee FUNDS was first communicated to me by Franklin
"Oouruh "heh nc attempted to buy my support % his
candidacy with the promise OF silence Of what he said w
crhha action on my part and after had threatened
my arrest. 1t easily explained sent 20 NV store for
check NY tookkeeDer. supposlng wanted check on
the General Committee funds it to the Clarendon
Hotel allied it noticing t and gave IL 70
MI smith, as requested by Mr.. Dsggett. / have
done 1t with perfect proprety the General Con uittea
was largely In my debt but the simple truth is did NOT
notice it.
Mr. Daggctts statement is volumin0us a dozen or
moro ahdavits being given TO support his version of
the transactions referred to. He says
Franklin Woodruff been reelected chairman ~ tina
Republican General Committee after which for
corruption, fraud never been equalled I'm
the history OF the politics dny party in this or any
other community. shall show to the satisfaction Of
every fair-mindcd This campaign was inaugurated
and carried To successful termination by Franklin Wood.
rum Theodore b. Willis aud Israel +. Fischer These
men have sought TO up their own iniqultcs b,
authorizing statements which by cowardly insinuaton
imply that Senator Brket an honored Republican and
successful business man. and /, have been guilty Of
bribery by purchasing nine Woodruff for Baldwin
and paying for the a check on the funds Of
senator BirketPS Endorsement FOR sggregstng
%, 900.
assert here and that never bought nor at
tempted to buy any influence which could transfe,
votes from FRANKLIN Woodruff 70 David Baldwin nor
have J. directly indirectly, any way sought TO
secure vote for David a. Baldwin in any other way
thsn by the employment OF legitimate means such
any honorable man might publish to the world
Unfortunately the contest one in which Franklin
Woodruff could and did call to his aid the patronage Of
the Federal Government, owing the fact that hs
unscrupulousy used the power put In his hands for ina
oehen oil the whole party to secure his reelection.
To do this Franklin Woodruff, Theodore b. Willis and
their associates guilty OF bribery by Office giving
forgery lying and deceit, open purchase OF votes the
attempt to secure an election by intimidation fraud
Afhdavts from Frederick Hanck, William A. HALO
ran, Francis F. Williams, Joseph Young, Edward II.
Kirby, Harry Henderson and Thomas b. Hobby and
newspaper reports adduced to substanate the as
serton that under the form Of patronage and ocegv
ing, MesSrs Woodruff and Willis attempted 10 bribo
and did bride delegates.
In regard to the Greenleaf- Smith matter in which
he was accused Of bribery, Daggett says that TO
enable Smith to maintain his leadership in the Six
teenth Ward which the Woodruff people were endeav
oring TO break down, he offered smith place in his
factory at 81 900 year for three years. and agreed to
make contract binding him 10 pay the salary When
the contract was to be drawn up, Michael Buchanan
was called in to draw it, and of him Mr. Daggett says
Buchman seemed to know much about drawing q
As a ella
hieroglyphcs the Egyptian Obelisk. To all appear.
ances buzzsaw going at full speed could worked
its way inside his head The subject discussed for an
hour. Whenever Smith seemed be satisfied Buchanan
would knock him out 1 In despair, when Wick who
had been lying the bed and taking no part in the
conversation, said TO Buchanan: Why not Daggca
for his notes. payable quarterly in advancep'
This was finally agreed TO IL senator Brkett indorsod
the notes, eleven in number. for $3.50 each gave
a check for S4l6 &c. the first payment. Tho
delegates Smith supposed TO control been for
Baldwin all the time, Mr.. Daggett maintains. and
there had never been any suggestion OF Smiths
securing them. After Mr.. Daggett learned that Mr..
Woodruff had secured possession Of the papers he
Mr.. Woodruff sent for Senator Birket five times to SEQ
him alone, but finally both Birkett and Daggett.
He urged them to support him and when they refused
said he had evidence 10 convict them OF bribery.
They rctOrted that they bad positive proof that Mr.
Woodruff had offered Smith 81 go in cash for ths
Sixteenth Ward votes. Mr.. Woodruff threatened them
with arrest, but the threat was not carried to exc
cuton and the matter hushed up before the meet
ing of the General Committee
The affidavit Of Greenleaf a. Smith sets forth that
he went TO Naval Officer Willis, in company with
Michael Buchanan, after he had been sent for. and
Buchanan said that If Smith got a political Office
worth 800 year he could influence nine votes in
the sixteenth Ward for Woodruff. Willis said that he
could not get him such appointment, but offered
him a place at 80 so a day. Later he met Wills
George Guly and Buchanan and made bargain 10
give the nine votes TO Woodruff for $3.50. lie
10 call at the sherfs Office and get the money the
next day When he went there he was told that MIR.
Woodruff wanted TO him that afternoon. lie went
TO Mr. Woodufs house and asked to show the
papers (the notes and checks he had received from
Daggett. lie was asked what he would sell them
for, and said he would part with them for no consld
Grafton. Then Mr.. Woodruff took them up and, after
some more talk, he said he would keep them. He
has since refused TO return them.
statement Of their side Of the Is now being
prepared by Mcssrs. Woodruff, Willis and Fischer aud
will be ready, with accompanying ahdayits, In few
Franklin Woodruff reached home from Washington
at late hour last evening. When at his house,
No. 1O6 Remsenst., Dro1Syn, he said: have not
read Mr. Daggetts statement and am not therei1re
told the gist of the affidavit Of Greeneaf smith he
said "Smth came To my house with Michael Buck
by Brkett. and Birketts check for sum something
Ike $4,000 lie said that the notes would
fall due quarterly and wanted %ha me to s sd
they were ] took them from him, and said that Dag
gett and Birketc could get them from me. l know
nuence for these papers"
Naval officer Willis was unwilling 10 reply ofhand
to the charges made against him by Mr. Daggett but
pronounced the latters assertions against his oppo-
nents in the General Committee absurd and without
that he had anything 10 do with brbing delegates Is
seal. and that If there is any basis for the
smith money Il was to secure the evidence he held in
Mr.. Daggetts notes of a corrupt offer to him.