The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-26

canvass of Congressman Francis Burton
Harrison, Citizens candidate FOR Leu
tenant Governor has to-day extended into
tho Odell province, over which State Senator
Benjamin M. Wilcox Is pro-consul. Mr.
Harrison, before the biggest audience he
has faced iu this campaign, bigger even
than that in Bufralo's great mass meeting
two weeks ago eXpoundcd the anti-odell
doctrines of the campaign amid unbounded
enthusiasm.
He referred particularly to the fish net
scandals which for two years have Kept
the Wilcox Odel Republicans cmbroiled
constantly with the rest Of their party,
In brief. this is the history of the fish net
scandals: The Legislature of lss7-os
passed law Offering reward OF IS for
every fish net under feet in diameter
brought to Justice Of the peace or Town
Supervisor to be destroyed. Then at once
arose q great manufacturing Industry;
thousands of spurious nets We're made out
OF barrel hoops and mosquito netting, ana
presented for destruction under tho law.
The law was repealed within year after
its enactment, but claims kept coming
in for payment on the basis of meta alleged
to have been destr Dyed under the law.
Gov Odeil's Attorney-General refused to
oppose the payment OF these claims. = Ia
all some SO, 0CO was paid out for fish net
certificates. 1t was discovered that thou
sands Of the certificates were based on
perjury and forgery. Some OF them we're
made out on blanks which had been printed
months after the date written IN tie Doay
OF the certificate. Prosecution was urged.
The Attorney General was appealed to
again. There was an open hght between
tho Grand Jury and the District Attorney.
James Lampheer, game Inspector, made
affidavip that Senator Wilcox had threat,
ened him with loss of his job II he assisted
in prosecuting the fish net swindlcrs. Gov.
Odell sept word to at least one honest Re
publican, who was pushing the prosecu-
tion, to stop creating dissehsion'fn the
Cayuga county organization.
swindlihg ring (which still holds l2,oO0
OF the uncashed certificates in blocks OF
from 500 TO 1000, were prosecuted
4 and sent to prison for seven years each
Other men against whom there was the
same evidence, but who had reaped far
greater profits, were not only protected
,from prosecution, but were rewarded with
soflices in the gift of the Wilcox machine.
: 1t was this state of affairs to which
Mr.. Harrison referred in his speech he
could not have formed a better text Tor MS
discourse on anti-Odellism.
The great auditorium, which seats 1000
persons and to- mig hit held nearly a Thousand
more who stood up, fairly rocked with tho
oqt6YTsts of aPpl;aHso which greeted the
the cleansing Of the Odell stables.
iFhe auditorium itself was an inspiration
for any speaker 1t Is 30 conttructed thai
the orator on its platform finds himself
within apparently easy oonversatio OF IN. dis
The only decorations were portraits OF
Judge Pa rker, which hung at the sides OF
the stage.
State Committeeman Charles F. Ratti-.
gan opened the meeting and presented
Charles G. johnson as presiding officsr.
Mr.. johnson Is running against wilcox tor
the Senate. The appropriately Of the odea
machine as represented by wilcox is 80
great that there are many who e1pect 10
see Mr. Johnson elected. There were many
which was raised when he took the meeting
from Mr.. Rattigan.
Mr. Harrison was saluted with roar after
roar of applause and with suocesAton OF
club which had escorted him to the hall IN a
cloud OF red fire and roman candles. Con-
gresham Harrison spoke for some time on
national issues He also told the Auburn
folks the story OF the Furnaceville matter.
or the fish net scandal he said: ..s : =
Congressman Harrison's Speech.
Regarding the fish net scandals and the
Republican machine, MIR. Harrison said.,
1T Ii easy enough to find examples tn
plenty OF that spirit Of extravaganza ana
recklessness and sometimes OF something
worse which long continuance IN office
{ There is no need to remind the citizens
OF Auburn and Of Cayuga county Of the
glaring example which for several years
they have had constantly before thedr
eyes: You know. o. course, that .na ! refer 1st
Il viii not 90 into details with an audi
ence which Is already familiar with this
CHARACTERISTIC and outrageous use OF power
Publican machine which is in such close
touch with the Odell machine OF the State,
and is in fact an integral part Of 1t.
Il You know, how in pursuance OF the So
called Fish Net law passed by the Legislature
In 1898 and repealed the next year, thou
stroyed under the law were paid out Of the
county treasury. You know who the forty
or fifty men were who participated in chat
grand fraud. 1t is not with that initial
fraud, shameful as 1t was that we have to
deal, but with the persistent and Prac-
, tically successful effort of the machine
: to- protect its members concerned in the
!, frauds from prosecution for their crimes.
thpplause.i 49,.
brought to the attention OF Gov. Odell =
Attorney-General,, Mr.. Davies he at
once expressed the greatest desire for
an immediate and aggressive pros
cution-a desire which disappeared and
became as nothing after he learned that
such "A prosecution would strike a vital
blow at some OF the more important instru-
ments of the machine in Cayuga county.
iATme and again efforts TO bring he
fprgers and swindlers in the fish net swindles
to justice We're paralyzed by the same
mysterious influence. AZ last such 81 orm
Of outraged public sentiment was reused
that the District Attorney was obliged
TO take some cognizance Of il. Laughter
"Out Of the whole number Of men impli-
Gated in the frauds he selected two men,
poverty stricken and without friends, who
were Democrats laughterl and made
scapegoats of them. The evidence against
them was in no essential way different
from the evidence against many anot her
man who was faithful and efficient servant
Of the local end Of the Odell machine. APP
lause. t. ~
= sixty thousand dollars has been taken
OUT Of the treasury by these frauds. Two
of the humblest offenders have gone to
jail. Others moro prominent in their
Wrongdoing have been rewarded by nomi-
nations and appointive offices by the ma
chine Here You in miniature reproduced
tho working Of the Republican faction
which has for four years had the State at
its mercy
"Its programme n the punderihg Of the
public treasury through extravaganza, ii
Il IL 81, Il 4