Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-14
INDUCEMENTS ACCUSERS
EoIonel Burpee Says Trolley o. ficiaIS Got Evidence and Gave
 if to Citizens Alliance.

turns out to be true, that is, that tue rolley company is back ot the move nent bringing charges agalnst cerlaAn members of the police force. ColoneA 3urpee, as counsel for the trolley com bany, admitted this this morning, so that 1t is evident that the powerful aTu bf tho trolley company in the very ca bable hands of Colonel Burpee will nor stop at taking possession of the streets bf Waterbury with the aid Of the legls- ature, but aims to direct the conducC or The police department. If this will not make Chief Egan the sickest man Ill Waterbury, he will enjoy the pest or xood health for the remainder of nls daYa. If was bad enough for him to liyo under the impression that a YoAun- tary band of citizens had arisen In US might and indignation to take rom him for a time the reins of the pol1ce department and tell him where he has heen faulty and weak, and his men ssnegligent, tyrannica1 and oppressive, 8tO quote Judge Peasley, who will dl- rect this examination of the "certalh 2nOlicenen." But if those whose sur misses that the trolley company was back of this movement were true, they were wrong in supposing, as they did, that the movement calling itself the Citizens alliance had it's origin in the 8 lobbies of the legislature, or that Ool' onel Burpee edited some of the speech es that were made at its last meeting. ! According to Colonel Burpee, 1t is not z true that the Citizen alliance was ! bora ill Hobbies of the legislature, or lusll Senator Tracy invited Governor chamberlain, and nepreSentat1Ves Cross and Lines some one else. Ine Colonel laughed when asked if th1s were not so, or that he had edited some of the speeches that were made at the last meeting of the Citizens alliance. He said, regarding tue last point, that some one did bring him a speech and asked him something to the effect Ii It were all right or satisfactory, and he merely told the person that he did not care to inquire into it's merits, that he did not wish to have anything to do with it. And he did not have anything to do with 1t. So that disposes of the colonel's alleged connection with the Citizens alliance movement.
 ''Why, there was 8 report that the trolley company was the head and heels of the Citizens alliance and that you were its editor in chief"
 VII, SupROSG SOn AOAA c% SSA~&~o many things these days," said the Col onel, s'but the fact is nothing more than I have told you"
 s'Ever since this strike" he went on bo say, in the same tone of voice that said some years ago, Before intend ed to get through with the Second regi- ment I had hoped to bring it to Water bury" and which startled the state, five have kept our eyes on the police 6orce.'
 'fwho didT' gasped his questioner. sAnd we have secured a great deal of information, he continued, needless of the condition his disclosures were throwing the reporter into, for the col onel's words were confirming general s report which those In office would not give ear to on the grounds that it was too outlandish for belief. The idea of the great Connecticut Railway and Lighting Go interfering with the police department of the city. stepping into ward politics with a vengeance that was scarcely creditable. Yet here was the verifcation of the reports.
 tAnd we have secured great deal of information" said the colonel, (which we intended giving over to the proper authorities"
 .sWho did? Who are 'we'T' he was asked.
 we" was his reply, tersely.
 ''You mean the trolley company
 Its representatives. As have said we secured considerable information, after waiting and watching some time, and it was our intention to give this matter over to the proper authorities but this Citizens alliance, or whatever 1t calls itself, came along, and we gave them this information"
 sfBut the Citizens alliance was the outgrowth or endeavor on the part of the trolley company, was it not?"
 'Not at all. Had nothing to do with it..
 ssWhy, there were reports in cirou. lation that the trolley company was the head and the heels of the Citizens alliance. That 1t was engineered by Mir Sewell and MT Kelsey and few others"
 { ''T don't think MT Sewell had any tting to do with it.'
 Everybody said at the time tfSat Kelsey was flying in and out of youl office every day. suppose you saw the interview we had with him fl which he at first denied receiving 2 GOTufuuHIcdIIOu ITOHl IH0 JfOi1ey CUlA pany. but afterward admitted receiving an envelope. believe he said?'
 sYes, I remember seeing that. Btu We had nothing to do with the Citizens alliance We simply gave them tht information we had secured ngafns certain policemen and that is all w know about 1t"
 The colonel was asked if there wer' any new developments in the Bridge port trolley situation, and he said thert were not and that he was not awar' that the company was engaging large number of new men, He repeated what he said yesterday that he did no believe there would be a strike there.
 Speaking about the charges, Judg' Peasley this afternoon said the com plaint was not yet drawn up and h. did not think it would be ready fo presentation to the board of pubIi safety this evening, 'but," he added stwe will have to do something thi evening to keep our word with tn board, and we will probably have th entering wedge ready"