The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-10-07
BANKER SNYDER BEFORE JUDGE
RYAn'S COURT
CENTRAL TRACTION BILL
A Former Member OF the City Conn
ell Was Put on the stand. and He
Testified That snyder Had Called
at His Home, by appointment With
Him. and There Made Certain
and O~fers-Lnrge sums
conference.-the Prominent Men
Are Involved.

st. Louis, Mo. , October when
Judge Ryan's court met today. the
trial of Robert NJ. Snyder, banker and
connection with the passage Of the
Central Traction bill. was resumed.
Frederick G.. Uthoff, who was a mem
Der Of the city council in April, 1893,
was put on the stand by the state.
In answer to questions put to him by
Circuit Attorney Folk, he testified that
while a member of the city council in
1898, when the North aad South Trac-
ton bills were pending. Robert N.
Snyder called on him ut mis- residence,
Dieckmann by appointment. Uthoff
continued:
After talking socially about half All
hour, Snyder spoke OF the Central
Traction bill. l TOLD MIN / di! not want
to talk about the matter. He said we
were both Masons and We could dis
cuss the same as Lodge matters. He
said 1 ought to favor him with his bill.
Il old him 1 had been approached
and offered $4,000 for my vote. I will
get that amount and SEND it by DECK
Manu. said Snyder to me-"
Witness said Dieckmdnn bought the
package next day.
Uthoff said he neX saw Snyder at
he Planters Hotel. At this meeting,
Snyder talked of the Central Traction
bill and also Of a gas bill. Uthoff said
Snyder told witness hat if he would
introduce this gas bill as a rider to
the Central Traction bill and work for
its passage, as we'll as vote for the
Central Traction bill, he would give
witness 500, 900.
He said he would give me 300, 00O
next day." Uthoff explained; SIS, 600
when the gas bill was introduced and
5000 when the gas bill was lassed.
Then Snyder took up the handfuls
of bills, witness stated, land said,
'Uthoff, here is S25, OO0,' Dieckmann il
on the floor of the council with $40, 00C
more. l would have had $50, 900 for
you, but Charlie Carroll got S15. 00C
from me today"
Uthoff said he refused to AXE any
Of the money then offered HIN by the
promoter.
Witness next saw Snyder at the Wal.
dorf Astoria in New York, where de.
fendant said he had $1,000 belonging II
promoters which he was ready to give
OlIIOiI ne SOl SZO,UUU On I11S WISH anC
81, 500 more three or four months later
Witness told of Snyde-'s attempts II
get the $4,000 from Meir. Snyder sail
he would turn it over TO Uthoff.
Circuit Attorney Folk then proceeded
to question the witness as 10 the posi-
ton which had developed to the Cen
trail Traction bill and sprung the mos
interesting bit of news which tn,
Snyder trial has disclosed, involv
ing the names of John Schuliin, ex
street railroad magnate, and Edward
Butler, a local millionaire politician, il
what the witness characterized as al
attempt to defeat the Central Traction
measure by the use of a big sum o
money distributed in relays of $40
each to the certain councilmen ever,
month.
In March 1898, Mr.. Schullin gave m
a bill to introduce called the Units
Traction BILL" Uthoff stated. Il wa
designed to head off the Central Trac
ton bill.
4 met Mr.. Schullin and he paid m
$25, 900 to push his bill and defeat tn
other one"
What did YOU do with the money?
Il returned it to Mr.. Schullin through
Ed. Butler"
After some further testimony in tn
course of which witness said Snyde
a told him he paid councilma-
Charles E. Carroll SIS, 600. Judg
West, for the defense took the witnes
in hand and began the cross exami