The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-22
HOOKER HEARING UNDER NAY
WRITTEN REQUESTS FOR FAVORS
PUT IN EVIDENCE.

the Assembly Committee Hears Ex'PoS'"
master Moore Of FredOnla-FiVe Law
yers Defend the Accused Justice
His Thanks to G. W. Beavers
ALBANY, March a.-The investigation
into the charges against Supreme Court
Justice Warren b. Hooker OF FredonlA
has commenced, and the first session OF the
Assembly Judiciary Committee, which IS
conducting the inquiry, brought out dam
aRinR testimony. Hooker was not present
At to-day's session. He had intended
being here, but was unavoidably delayed
However, he Is represented by such an
array Of counsel that II Is evident that
he intends to make a determined hight
In addition to Attorneys Lewis q. Carr
Of Albany, John B. Stanchfield OF Elmira
and e1-Justioe Goodrich Of Brooklyn
former Deputy Attorney General W. f.
Klsselburgh and W. B. Hoyt, both OF Bunalo'
appeared for him. However, Mr.. Carr was
the active spirit In the defence.
Ex-Deputy Attorney General Henry b.
Conan, assisted by Frank Stevens OF the
Jamestown Bar Association, conducted
the investigation for the Judiciary Com
mittee, and the matters progressed to the
extent that ninety-two exhibits In relatlon
TO the Fredonia post office, secured from the
Post ONCE Department in Washington
were placed In evidence.
These exhibits tend to show that justice
Hooker had secured the employment OF
FrSnE g. Rail as a laborer at the Fredonia
post ONCE and also had had him taken
from the unolassihed service ana mace
clerk at a higher salary, 80 that ne Drew
$500 from the post oihce. lhIotsn . tne
testimony OF 4. r. Moore, the PoasC aT bad
Of FTedonla. It was shown that BAH hAu
never rendered any services.
Other matters brought out in the e1-
hibits were the appointment Of Miss Rather
inc c. Clark Of Fredonia to the post once
at Fort Plain through an appeal from jus
tioe Hooker 10 Congressman James $.
Sherman, and her transfer to the tredonla
post office, where she received 81 200 until
the Bristow investigation was made; Then
she was reduced to the place OF substitute
clerk This was done in order to avoid the
Civil Service law. Miss Clark never served
a day in the Fort Plain post office,
No opposi ion was made TO the ADMISSION
Of these documents as evidence, as the
attorneys had stipulated they should be
received Justice HookeT's requests were
IN writing, and all were made since he
was a Supreme Court Justice. On Jan. 49,
1899. he wrote to George W. Beavers, ashn
that Frank c. Ball be changed to the classl-
hed service. Ball was connected with the
fTtQOnlh post OihOSt vi o"AAb o'As@i5 NP
In one letter to Beavers Judge Hooker
wrote: Thanking you for the many good
things you have thrown in my way. This
was dated April ~, 1899, and was In relation
to Ball.
Another letter in evidence was to Con-
gresham James s. sherman, in which
| Justice Hooker wrote: let Beavers APP
point Miss Clark to the Fort Plain post
ofice, 30 abe can be transferred TO Fredona'
Ali Of the letters showed that Justice
Hooker was taking an active interest IN
| matters pertaining TO the Fredonia post
| Office. Miss Clark was niece OF POSTMASTER
| A. r. Taylor at Fredonia, who succeeded
! A. r. Moore In 1899.
Mr.. Moore was the first witness called
| He was on the stand about an hour, and
| will 90 on again tomorrow. He told much
| about the affairs Of the Fredonia post ONCE
! showing that he, as postmaster, had roth
! ing whatever to do with the appointments
| thew coming from Beavers or from Perry
! 81 Heath, the First Assistant Postmaster
1 General. II was on an order from WASH
ington that he appointed Ball.
| sDid Justice Hooker speak TO you oon'
! corning the appointment OF Ballf' asked
| Mr.. Conan.
yes he said he would like to have hin
appointed, answered the witness.
| Mr. Moore said that during his tern
as postmaster Ball had never rendered
any service, but had always drawn hii
pay. He saw him a couple OF times month
| but Il was usually In Dunklrk, where Bal
| had a ticket Office.