New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-02
HIS STORY ABOUT THOMPSON
SENATOR ROGERS SWEARS THE DUKE"
OFFERED HIM s75,oOo
IT WAS TO GET A RACING BILL THROUGH THE

1T WAS TO GET RACING BILL THROUGH THE
LEGISLATURE IN 1se1-THE GLOUCESTER
sPORTsMAN's CHARACTER IN QUESTION
Camden. May (SpeciaD.-For the first time under
oath, State Senator Maurice A. Rogers to-day told
his story of how ex-Assemblyman William j.
Thompson offered him $4,000 for three Republican
votes for racetrack bill in 1891 Though the story
has grown somewhat familiar through frequent rep
etitions. this is the first time 1t has been tod in a
public way and as formal testimony.
Thompson is suing The Philadelphia Press for
100000 damages for libel, because that paper has
printed exposures of the gambling resorts at Glou-
cester City, ard held him responsible for the general
Wickedness of that city. He the ground
that these charges false, that he had nothing
whatever do with the resorts, that he had obeyed
the law after 1t made and closed his racetracks
and that his reputation was good in the business
community. Thompson brought suit in the Phila-
delphia courts. For coupe Of months the hear
ing OF testimony has been going before Ulysses
Grant Styson. Master in Chancery in this city. and
ii remained for Senator Rogers to appear to-day as
the star witness for The Press"
After the Senator had testified relative to race
track being conducted at Gloucester before racing
was legalized by the New-Jersey Legislature. j. s.
Miller, counsel for the defence asked him If he
knew what part Mr. Thompson took in the passage
of the racetrack bill of 1898.
II do not replied the Senator. II was In the
Senate and he was in the House them
WAS it not the principal measure before the
Legislature that session.
ut was one of the measures that caused con-
siderable excitement"
"Was an attempt made to pass race track bill
previous TO that?'
Il don't think any bill was passed; but there was
a good deal of talk about it,
Did Mr. Thompson say anything to you per-
sonally about 1t. or have any conversation with
you?'
Yes"
"When was that?'
''In February. 1891
Under what circumstances?'
in February, 1891 while l was Senator. was
stopping at the Hotel Windsor. in Trenton One
morning when l got up waiter told me that
Thompson had been TO see me at 2:3o O'CLOCK put
ne would not awaken me After breakfast Thomp-
son called again. and said he wanted TO have
THOMPSON told me of the immense amount of money
invested in racetracks in the State and Of the
necessity Of having bill passed iegahZng pooh,
making He said that Governor AbDet would hoi
sign the bin unless three Republican Senators would
vote for il. Thompson said IL l would get three ne,
be placed in my hands. | told him that would not
Jersey. and could not conscentiously That ended
the conversation and we never talked about the
matter afterward. . an,
"That was all there was If it. them
What is Mr.. Thomrson's reputation as law
II should say it was bad"
Frederick A. Rex, of counsel for Mr.. Thompson,
asked the Senator If he made any statement
concerning the attempted bribery before the sen
ate and the Senator said he had not. In reply 70
further questions from Mr.. Rex. Mr. Rogers sa1
he considered a who racetrack IN the
way he was told Thompson ran 1t, and VINO con-
nived at having a racetrack bill passed Nioiitei
the law The Senator admitted that Mr.. Thompson
ohcved the law after the racctrack bill had been
repealed He had heard many runors derogatOry
TO his character since AS TO his reputation as
business man. the Senator considered II as good as
any mans he had ever had business transactions
with. He knew nothing against Mr. Thompsons
character morally. - ,,,,,
Rogers said he had heard that Mr.. Thompson con
trol,ei the municipal government of Gloucester, sold
llouor on SUNDAY himself. allowed gambling 10 so
on ami was a potent factor for good or evil
Thompson said tonight that 1t was hardly neces-
sarv 10 deny Senator Rogerss story. as he had de-
med II so often before He said there was truth
in the statement that he had offered to bride any
member of the Legislature. He had talked with
Senator Rogers about the proposed legislation Just
as he had talked other Senators and members,
irving 10 present his views OF the matter.
III ALWAYS seemed a little peculiar 10 me-. said
Mr. Thompson that Senator Rogers never said
word about this attempted bribery on the floor of
The Senate or made any mention OF II until two
years afterward when he was candidate for re-
election This is the same old story. told for cam
paign uses. The people know Senator Rogers now"