The evening world., 1903-03-13
Street Railway Company Per-
mits District Attorney Jerome
to Examine Its Accounts and
Pry Into Its Affairs.
SEES SOME DISCREPANCIES.
These, Mr.. Jerome Says, Are Only
Apparent, but He commends Cor
poration for lie Action In Giving
Him Opportunity for Investigation.

Ddstrict-Attorney Jerome after further
consultation with De Lancey Nicoll and
Paul Cravath, of ounse for the Metro
pclitan Street Railway Company, gave
out his t~aikcd-of statement relative 10
the charges of corruption in the man
agement Of this corporations affairs,
now under Investigation by the District
Attorneys ONCE, and under excited dis
Nsssion IN the speculative part OF Wall
street.
In efbsct the statement says that the
chnrges were dirst brought to the IDS
fr1ct-Attorney's attention by William o.
Aznory. who was accuses by President
Vroeland OF being the instigator OF the
c1nrges.- From the Investigation made
% far the Distrtct-Attorney finds ap-
pnrent discrepancies in the reports made
~ officers of h company, but he adds
mat the company has offered all the
npcords OF the company to his ONCE
thar these discrepancies may be ex-
ulained away. This, he thinks, cstab-
ushes q valuable precedent, In that
other corporations in the future will
not dare to refuse proper requests with
out rendering themselves open to grave
sngpicion. The statement follows:
Mr.. Jerome's Statement.
'Several months ago Mr.. Amory in
formed me that he had a matter re-
hating to the Metropolitan Street Rail-
way Company that he desired to lay
bafore me az DiStrict-Attorney of this
county l had known Mr.. Amory for
several years through meeting han at
the Manhattan Chess Club. of which he
wa a member, and / had known fim in
10 other way.
HIS bearing and conduct, 50 far az I
had been able to observe, was always
5iIat OF a gentleman, and any opinions
that / heard him express on matters that
came under discussion were such as an
honorable n honest man would enter
tain. I made an appointment to meet
Mr., Amory and he produced n volum-
nous of statistics concerning the
Metropolitan Street Railway Company
and the hnes leased and owned by 1t.
These figures were confessedly complied
from the quarterly reports made under
oath by h officers Of the company.
THE State Railroad Commissioners,
seeing that the matter was one which
would require careful investigation 10
understand 1t, ! referred 1t to my as
eistant. Mr.. S~chu1dnan, who proceeded
10 make an examination.
"Air. Schurman had before him reports
made by h company to the State
abatement made to the New York Stock
Exchange by the officers, of the COM
pany and certain testimony given by
NJ, Vreeland IN z litigation. together
Teichman, who are accountants.
Mr.. schurman's Inquiries.
'tMr. Schurman's investigation was
eonfined entirely to the documents just
mentioned. as there We're no others then
accessible. Ut appeared from a close
) comparison OF these documents tina
there We're apparently Inconsistencies in
the stats Railroad Commissioners which
were not readily explicable from the
reports themselves.
II therefore sent for the counsel of
the company. Informed them that under
my direction this investigation had been
conducted and told them that these dis
crepancdes between main reports seemed
70 exist. and that / would have to call
on them TO give me an explanation
They at nee stated that they were will
ing to do this and that they would put
at my disposal all the books n papers
q the Metropolttan Street Railway
Company and Of the lines leased and
owned oy 1t for the purpose OF explain
ing these matters, and would in every
way facilitate me in making a full and
thorough investigation. That investiga.
non Is now In progress"
The statement then goes on TO explain
b delay about its Issuance. Mr.. Je-
rome wanted to be sure that the attor.
1eys for the company understood that
he understood that the company was
to furnish all the records in their pos
session. That they did so understand
he was informed by both Mr.. Ntcoll and
MI. Cravath, and so the statement waE
Forthcoming. AS 10 the company's atti-
tnde In this respect The Dissatisfaction
hey says: .
1T seems to me that this course or
the part Of the Metropolitan Stree
Railway Company establishes a prece'
Dent OF the greatest public value. II
q shows that great qu%asi-public corpora
tons are willing, when proper applica.
don Is made, TO give to public officials
q full disclosure OF their AFFAIRS so fal
as may be necessary for such officeri
10 Determine whether there has or h a
not been wrong-dolng In which the pub,
lie Is interested.
'afhe Metropolitan Street Raalwa.
Company. one OF the largest corporation
In the county. being willing to submit
its hooks 10 proper Inspection To prope
authorities. II Will now be very dlfficul
for other corporations 10 refuse to d.
% when proper request Is made, with
ri a4te a~nn~lR. shAwra m a-na ya ataaFAOtnn