New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-26
BURTON NEEDED MONEY.
TOOK GRAIN COMPANY JOB.
He Wanted to Build Up Postofcc
Department Practice.

resting It's case to-day United States Senator
Joseph r. Burton, Of Kansas. took the stand in
his own benalf in his trial on the charge OF hay.
ing Illegally accepted fees from the Rialto GralA
| and Securities Company. of St Louis When
he had concluded he was excused without cross
examination by the government
senator Burton testified that he had accented
the offer Of the Rialto company 10 act "a its
general couhsei because he had lost heavily in
d lllaHclal panic and needed the $500 month
Tor which his contracc called He said.
was assured by the company that nv ser
wees would not be needed in Washfnpto~ =, any
capacity. II was explained tbat W9io- T,a,,-,is
president Of the Rialto company had become
| inNoIVed IN trouble growing out of the opera
uons OF the Brooks brokerage Con7no,v ana
that part OF my duties would be IN def--5 Li,,-
IN any criminal action that should be brourbt
against him. e'''
me fHaIto Company was also to have the use
S oL ny name. ana my services We're 20 have been
So So ~ Sol.Llectlor with a securities DEPART
ment Of the Rialto COMPANY which AZ tb1t -.
was projected | expected 20 farniliarize rnyeeIf
Win the condition OF the corporations Offering
the securities for sale and become aco,air,to{
with the officers OF the trust cor1nanias y,bib
character. " '''''
Senator Burton testified that he had received
on Novembe- 20, 1902 letter from Thomas
Harlan, local attorney for the Rialto Companv
informing the Senator Of his appointment as
general counsel He continued:
Reference was made In that letter - Tho IN
dictment Of Major Dennis and l called lpon
Chief Postofiice Inspector Cochran at Washing
Ton asked him whether Dennis had been in
olCteu ana toiu MIN that II IL was done !
expected TO assist IN his defence Cochran tCti
NE that he did not know anything bout IT, I
% not remember how the matter arose but I
explained 10 Cochran that Dennis owned the
Rialto Company and asked him ~ there were
any complaints against the concern.
Judge Chester II. Krum. senior counsel for the
| defence. who was conducting the examination.
! asked Senator Burton why he inquired about
the complaint Senator Burton answered:
had just been employed by the company rs
It's general counsel, and wished 20 satisfy my
self regarding its standing I'm the department..
AIhoush was then its counsel. I knew very
little about its workings I had been assured
that IL was all right but wanted 20 satisfy my,
self
In reply to question TO whether at the
time Of this preliminary talk with Mr.. Har-
Ian regarding his employment as counsel any
thing had been said about complaints Senator
Burton said
Harlan said that there was nothing against
the COMPANY and that I could go and inquire
| for myself"
Was that the extent Of your interview with
Inspector Cochran" was asked.
The Senator replied.
| I told Inspector Cochran that should anything
come 10 his notice In the nature Of a complaint
against the Rialto Company I wished that he
Would call my attention 10 IL. as ! could not
| afford 10 be connected with a company that
| did not obey the law.
Senator Burton was then asked II he had ever
| indicated to Inspector Cochran his intention
! to interfere with the processes of the depart
ment intimated TO Cochran to refrain from
taking any action in the complaints against
the Rialto Company.
He replied, Not at all"
Senator Burton explained his visit 10 the
postonlce with Major Dennis as follows.
Major Dennis came TO Washington TO consult
me in regard to the indictment that had been
returned against him by the federal grand jury.
We were driving past the Postofiice Department,
and / suggested that 60 in and that would
Introduce him the Fourth Assistant Post
master General Mr. Bristow. Mr. Bristow was
out however and as we were leaving the build
Ing passed the room Of the chief postoffice in
spector. Mr.. Cochran. suggested that we call.
introduced Major Dennis, and he and Mr.. Coch-
ran talked on several matters. The events that
transpired were substantially the same were
mentioned by Mr. Cochran I'm his testimony.
Judge Krum asked: Inspector Cochran
stated in his testimony that you had expressed
q desire 10 him 10 form practice 'rfore the de-
partment ir Washington. Did you do SOP
Senator Burton replied:
told Mr. Cochran that other Senators and
Representatives had built UP large private prac-
tiCes during their terms of office, and that l, in
a small way. desired TO emulate them. told
him that l was general counsel for the Rialto
company, Of ST. Louis. and asked him. as a
matter Of friendship. to tell me II at any time l
did wrong Mr.. Cochran and | are from the
same State
Judge Krum then asked Mr.. Burton to tell
the jury whether at any time he had ever said
ANYTHING which could be construed into meaning
that his purpose influence them in the
performance Of their official duties TO either Mr..
Cochran the Postmaster General. the Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General or the Assistant
Attorney General in charge OF postoffice affairs.
Senator Burton replied: Absolutely nothing
whatever"
Colonel w W. Smith. OF Topeka. Kan, Sem
ator Burton's private secretary. testified that he
frequently dictated and signed letters for Sen
ator Burton. and picked out one OF the letters
introduced by the government as one which he
had nrobably dictated. He testified that he had
signed three Of them.
Judge Krum took the stand in behalf OF his
client He said that the reason Senator Bur
ton had not appeared in the trial Of Major Hugh
g Dennis was that it would overweight the case
with counsel. The defence then closed its case
ana court adjourned until tomorrow.