Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-13
A NEW YORK SENSATION.
Colonel shepard, of the "Mule in Dis
tress." Charged with Attempt to Bribe.
fBy telegraph to the Dispatch. J

fBy telegraph 20 the Dispatch.l
NEW YORK. December I2.-There was big
sensation this morning in a suit brought
by Frank S. Gray against Colonel Elliot T.
Shepard TO recover some $4,000 for breach OF
contract
Mr.. Gray was business manager OF the Nal
and Erpr6ss. Te had q 1ve-year contract as
10000 year. and was discharged on January
4, 1890, about two years before the contrnct
was up. Mr.. Gray WAS on the stand this morn
ing. lie testified that the only reason the Colo
mel gave him for his discharge was that he was
Incompatible.
Colonel Ingersoll. counsel for Mr.. Gray, at
this point developed something OF sensation.
lie led Mr. GRAY uptO the point where he had
proven there was no ground Of incompatlbillty
save one. and that was when on one oc,asion
Mr.. Gray refused 10 DO something tho Colonel
had asked him 20 do.
Mr. GRAY said that he received = letter on
July 2S, 1883, from Colonel shepard. who was
then at Bar HarbOr, enclosing check Tor
$4,000. lie produced tho letter. but e1-Judse
Noah Davis, counsel for Colonel Shepard, object
ed TO ia being put In evidence. Colonel lnger-
soil said he wanted 20 show that the only reason
for the breaking Of the contract was that hr.
Gray refused TO attempt 10 bride pubic Omcets
at Colonel Shepards request The Judge over
ruled the objection ana Colonel lngersoll read
the letter, which. undated and unsigned, was as
follows:
Commissioners are not generally paid until
the bin is collected. Fifteen per cent. Is the
cases higher rates may be paid. Undoubtedly
% per cent. commission would be very satlsiac-
tory DO not have trip up. DO not use the
check until necessary. You may have t%OOOo
added 10 the bill. Try them. They are weak ana
yield easily
Witness said the men he Was 10 bribe were
Police-COmmissiOners AcClsye and stephen d.
French
Witness then detailed a conversation he had
with Colonel Shepard, on August 21th OF tne
same year, with reference 10 the letter. Colonei
Shepard asked him, he said, II be had received
the letter. When witness said yes the Colonel
asked him II he had burned II, and told him be
should always burn things OF that kind and not
tear them up. According 10 the witness, Colonel
shepard said: Tho commissioners are here
now. You can 60 ahead"
Witness said he refused point blank. He had
deposited the 81, 900 check in the National Park
Bank to his own credit, and no gave Colonel
shepard his own check TOR the amount
The check, he testified, was to be used III
bribing the commissioners 10 give advertising TO
the Mail and E1prcss.
Colonel Shepard was called 20 the witness-bOX,
aud denied that the $4,000 check sent Gray was
to 20 70 either Com missioner AcClave or Com
missioner French or any other commissioner,
aud IN explanation said Before went 70 Bar
HarbOr had conference with Mr.. Gray ab0u'
business generally. j said TO him: NOW, the
Ndd and Expyess il essentially a Republican
newspaper. The pollinE-paces Tor the county
election must be advertised in two papers
Can't we got IT,;
advertising, and afterward Mr. Gray told me
that he had learned that certain frm OF solicit
tors controlled the police advertising. He said
that Tor $4,000 We could get the contract, ana ]
sent the $4,000 from Bar HarOOr. II was 10 be
used. Of course, Ia paying the commission OF TINS
nrm Of solicitors "a advertising agents Aiter-
wards, when ! had occasion 10 spesk 10 Gray
about derelction Of duty, he said: I've got LET
ter Of yours that will take care OF me, and prevent
you making any changes lie gave me to under
| stand that It Was the Bar-HarbOr letter. | told
| him that that gave him no hold over me and Do
manded its return as a confidential eplstle. lie
said had torn IL up and thrown it In the waste
| basket. ! said that was no way 70 destroy pa
| pers. After Gray was discharged his counsel
! ex-Judge Di1tenhOler, threatened me with the
publication Of the letter and offered to give II TO
| me II wOuld settle the threatened suit. Gray
| himself tried 10 blacsmau me-
The letter Of dismissal that Colonel shepard
wrote Gray was rehd. In Il the Colonel informed
| Gray that he had been dismal allure; thai lt
| WAS "too nashy and too 1ckle": that " his
| father and his mother would be glad % have him
| back with them again. and that the climate
| Of New ork dId not agree with him"
At A o'clock the cOurt adjourned until to-mor-