The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-28
Broadway 5akH & Gumpaty
SCANDAL IN CHAUlAUQUA co.
JUSTICE HOOKERS MAN, LESTER
r. STEARNS, INVOLVED.
He swears He Received $4,000 for His
influence in Getting Harbor Improve
ment Contract When Hooker Was Chair
man Of River and HarbOr Committee.

lnnuence In OettlnS haTDOr iHpTONo'
ment Contract When Hooker Was Chair
man Of River and HarbOr Committee.
BUFFALO, Oct. 27.-Chautauqua, that rock
ribbed Republican county, has a scandal
that dis gusts the rank and file of the party
and bids fair to drive thousands of the voters
to the support Of the opposition in State
politics this coming election. Gov. Odell's
State Tax Commissioner, Lester F. Stearns,
brought into the county court in. "a civil
action has declared that he received $4,000
for his political influence at Washington
in getting a water front contract. The
money is alleged to have been paid by Mr..
Kingston, a contractor who has done many
Federal jobs on the harbors Of the Great
Lakes.
Steans is Odells man in Dunkirk. He
is the same man who was so prominent in
the Bristow report on the post Office scan
dals. 1t was charged that he obtained a
great rental from the Federal Government
for building owned by himself and Justice
Warren B. Hooker, used as a post Office.
Lester F. Stearns in 1891 was an ordinary
Dunkirk lawyer, with political ambition.
In the spring Of that year he formed a
partnership with Elton d. Warner, another
was to be split, two-thirds to Stearns and
one-thLrd to Warner. The firm did well.
Two years ago the harmony in the firm
ended and the partnership was dissolved.
The old agreen ent as to profits had been
chan ged so that the receipts would be
split equally. MIR Warner is now asking
for an nc counting Of the funds Of the
firm, and among other things alleges
That in or about the year 1897, while the said
defendant was member Of TIE "a firm OF steaIns
j. Kingston to render services for him. the
said Kingston. in and about the procuring
OF the United States for the making OF GER
tain improvements in the harbor OF the city
That the defendant rendered services, in
the said matter for the said Kingston; that
after the rendition Of such services he made
charge therefor to tie SAID "a Kingston; that
plalntifr is informed and verify believes. for
the said services a very large sum OF money,
plaintiff is not informed as to the, exact sum
so charged and so paid but he, alleges. upon
his information and belief. that the sum
IN member OF said frm OF Stearns 4 Warner,
was entitled to his share in the said sum paid
by the said Kingston. defendant.
In 1897 the Hon. Warren B. Hooker was
district in which Mr.. Stearns lived. He
was chairman of the Committee on Rivers
and Harbors These facts seem to bear
out somewhat the bold answer that Mr..
Stearns makes to the request OF his law
partner for a share Of the $4,000 In his
answer Mr.. Stearns swesrs as follows:
Defend ant denies the allegations contained
in subdivisions nine and ten, OF the complaint
herein except defendant admits that IN and
Edward J. Kingston to render services for
him in and about the procuring Of a certain
contract from the Government of the United
Sfata
ments in the harbor Of the city OF Dunkirk,
and that he rendered services under such
therefor TO the said Kingston and was paid
by said Kingston for such services. and in
service aforesaid which defendant rendered
for said Kingston were not legal services in
any manner: that the employment Of the said
Stearns by the said Kingston came TO him.
grew out OF and was the result OF his per-
sonal and political scouaintance and rel9-
h G ne Of
on behalf of the Government of the United
States and others and the personal services
Guired that under the terms Of the copart-
nership between the parties hereto, as herein
before e. hs as r bsd NOR the
title or interest in and to any compensation
or remuneration that this defendant might
or did receive for the services rendered to
the said Kingston. AZ aforesaid
The sum of sls 900 was received by Stearns
not for law business, but for his personal
influence with the men who had the irving
Of the contract. Odellism thus mr. ans
the sale Of personal poliical influences
with the government Officers in the securing
of law contracts. Stearns never showed
env symptoms Of having crown suddenly
richer by SIS 600 or 40, and as none OF the
money went to Warner. the other partner
in the law firm, could any Of 1t have zone
to partners in other firms. political and
personal' Did he diyi with other poll
iicians who also had PERSONAL inhuence2
The case will come to trial unless Warner
rota hia aharc