Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-26
tot Improbable Gnsser viii Axain
BE Called by the Jury.
INQUIRY MAY END ERE LONG
Observation-Disclosures Riennra,
Riennrtfs
SON Say. Investigation Might End
with rhi. Term of court--r.1e-
phone and Street Railway Frame
chi.e Grants stnl Being Probed-e
Only One new Witness Summoned

The expected occurred In the grand
jury investigation OF rumors of municipal
corruption yesterday. The refusal OF Mr,
Patrick Maloney. representative of Al
Washington asphalt company to testify
on Wednesday until he had consulted
counsel. was premonitien that he wouh
make soma important disclosures when
required 10 testify, as It was foregona
conclusion he would have TO do.
The sequel showed that Mr.. MafoneH
did know some facts Of peculiar interest
certain paving contracts. In fact. ha
testified that money was used In cone
nectfon with the contract for the asphalt
paving around the City Hall. He even
specified the sums and g~ve the narne
Of the man who was allowed to deduct
the sums named from his bill for ma.
terial due the asphalt concern. Mr.. -ua-
loney told the granl jury that $3.50 on ona
occasion and SLOT on another had been
deducted from bills duo them by Mr.
Charles Gasser, contractor for the ass
phalt paving.
what became Oh luz
Just what was done with the money!
is not yet established, but almost cer-
tainly will be. If 1t was legitimately exc
pended. that fact Is susceptible OF cons
elusive proof II 1t was not; IL 1t was
illegitimately used to influence the vote
of q Councilman, or in any other I'M
proper way, 1t is liable to come out In
this burrowing search for hidden facts
MIR. John c. Robertson. former prasi-
dent of the Richmond Telephone Com.
pany, spent some time In the inquisittsn
process. It is understood his testimony
related to the efforts made in securing q
franchise for the Jenkins underground
system, and with a view to ascertainfnE
whether or not any unlawful "inauencea
had to be used in securing same.
Other witnesses Called.
Other witnesses called yesterday in-
cluded Mr.. Hunt Chipley. local super
intendent of the Southern Bell Telephone
and Telegraph Company: Mr.. James w.
Sinton. cashier OF the City Bank and
secretary Of the Clearinghouse Assoc
citation. and Mr.. Leroy Brown. of the firm
Of J. Thompson Brown & Co.. real estate
and rental agents.
Mr.. Sinton will be questioned, It Is
presumed as to the checks passing
through the bank he represents and other
transactions of persons who have been
involved In any way In the fnvestIga-
ton. He follows Mr.. d. O'Sullivan. who
has already testified and who carried an
account with the City Bank. Mr.. OSul-
livan was also an important witness In
the King case.
The calling Of Mr.. Chipley. it IS gene-
rally believed. means that the grand
jury Is to make full and careful inquiry
into the effort OF the Bell Company to
secure a franchise In this city, which II
did after a long. bitter and memorabfa
fight. There is reason to believe that
he will testify that the company did
spend money In securing its franchise
but that it's expenditures wero all legiti.
mate. Indeed. 1t has already come oue
that other corporations employed weli-
known men locally to advocate tha
granting by the Council OF the fran-
chises they desired. This money was ex-
pended in employing advocates, and I'M
other ways deemed legitimate.
Mr.. Brown. it is presumed. will bd
questioned concerning certain real estate
transactions, In which th. city, through
it's agents, was interested. Whether or
not this testimony will develop anything
remains to be seen.
aIr. Maloney Talks.
Mr.. A1aIoney. the star witness for tho
day, talked with some freedom with the
reporters after emerging from the jury
room. He is quoted as stating that he
will go from here to Newport News. and
thence to Washington. but that ha
promised to return whenever wanted. lie
he be needed In the investigation any
further. Mr.. Maloney admitted that HIS
firm had received two letters from Mr..
Gasser. stating that he (Gasser) could get
the contracts il the Washington firm
would furnish him sufficient money. Ho
was informed that he might go on and
fhn fr1o ofo yyySth3 ~,
suggested by him as needed No money!
was sent to Mr.. Gasser. however. In.
stead he was permitted to deduct from
his bill for asphalt blocks the two sums
named. and did so, according to Mn
Mafouey-
What Gasser did with the money the
witness did not know. and that remains
to be established. IL he can show that ID
was legitimately spent the incident will
end there But IL he does not and cannoe.
then there IS trouble In store for som{
one-it remains to be seen for whom. Ths
disclosures Of Mr. MaIoney bring the iu-
vestigation to an interesting point. and
further progress Of the inquiry Is awaited
with the keenest interest.
The Jury Had Figures.
Mr.. Maloney stated to the reportsrx
that the grand jury had figures corrobo.
rating his testimony. and that theg
Tailed with his statements with accuracw
This confession on the part OF the Wit
ness establishes the fact that the grand
jury had testimony as to these asphalt
contracts and that that OF Mr.. Maloney.s
was merely coroboratIve and cumuiative.
The statement Of the witness that his
firm had two letters from MIR. Gasser.
and the further statement that Id
promised to return when wanted. may
or may not seem that he has promised
to secure the letters for examination by
the grand jury
It Is not improbable that Afr. Gasser may
be called and given an opportunity II
show what disposition he made OF the
money in question. and IL so. to whom 81
went. This suggests other Witnesses
It Is interesting In this connection tu
know from the city engineers records
that the cost OF paving the Tenth ana
Eleventh street sides OF City Hall squaro
was but s5.O45.u. whereas the cost az
paving the Broad street. sido was 81.
1859. and that the area OF the mora e..
penstve work Is less than that OF the
Tenth and Eleventh street sides OF the
square.
All Pledged In Secrecy.
The utmost secrecy IS stin maintains0
Ihya all who have any informal fsan rfa