The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-23
BAD FOR JUSTICE HOOKER.
TESTIMONY TAKEN BEFORE THE
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
ms Nephew Admits mat He Drew salary
- LAbOrST Ter TIVE Years and DID
No Work.. p. BalI USsS His UnesFned
salary 70 Pay Note Due Mrs, HOOker.

ALBANY, March 27.-N was apparent
to-day, after listening for nearly seven
hours to the testimony OF a. unwilling a
iok Of Witnesses as were ever called TO tes-
tify In a case. that unless former Deputy
Attorney General Henry B. Conan pro-
ceeds In . harsher manner to drag evidence
from the witnesses the investigation into
the charges against Supreme Court Justice
Warren B. Hooker will have to rely on the
documentary evidence 10 q certain degree
TO provo the case. But, unwilling az the
Witnesses were to testify against the man
who has BEEN inGtrumontRl In helping
them TO positions IN which they did no
work, OF 60 evHde the civil service laws,
euficient was brought out TO show that
Justice Hooker was connected with the
Post Ofloe scandals in a manner that will
undoubtedly bring about soms action
by the Legislature. unless no should in
the meantime resign.
The oral testimony to-day was not a.
strong a. the Assembly judiciary Com
mittee had expected, but this was not at
all surprising for 10 waa anticipated that
tho Witnesses would not be willing to testify
frankly. But the defect in memory which
seems to DO 80 prevalent among the rOsl-
dents Of FredOnia caused not q little COM
IuNlJs ~ 0oNGA0IoQ NuAt Nuo WITNESSES
would like TO help out Justice Hooker.
Sympathy was freely sxpTussed for
Justice Hooker's nephew, Morris Hooker.
He had given damaging evidence against
bis uAcie before the grievance comm itteS
Of the State Bar Association, and the youth
to-day was confronted with the same ques-
hons and the answers he had given, and
all that he could say, IN his helplessness
NkgA - - H.
made such q poor witness for his uncle
through this that even Judge Hooker,
who paid close attention 10 everything,
looked pleased when be was permitted 70
step down. The boy had sworn to an afl-
davit which had been prepared by Arthur
G. Wade and which was 70 have helped
out bis uncle. but which reacted. He
frankly ASSERTED that b had been appointed
as laborer In the Fredonia post of3cs at a
salary Of 500 a year and held Il for over
two years while he did no work.
The most important testimony OF the day
WA that given by Frederick r. Green,
cashier Of tho Fredonia National Bank.
Nh. Green showed that, through the means
% the $50 Q month Job Judge Hooker So
cured for Frank p. BAH, and Tor which ho
rsndered no service IN the Fredonia post
MAANaaA-A
fE 5000 which Mrs. Hoohsr, wife Of the
Judge. had tndorssd for him. The cashier
testified - TO the dates the moneys were
paid. they sYSn betng paid by the ohsokn
2lIRt HI had SooglNa4 nom fho postmaster.
~, Gre6n Vas % the stand Wtan Adior:ru-
msut was'taksu until FidEy morning.
The COMMITTEES viii not sit Tomorrow,
IS its members viii attend the funeral
Of the late AssemblymAn Frederick E.
PeThAm In New York city, who was a mem
her Of the Judiciary COMMITTEES. Mr..
Perham had been one Of the most vigorous
in demanding that an Investigation be made
into the charges against Justice Hooker.
The committee IL TO cit all Of Friday
and Friday evening. and il is expected
that all Of the testimony In connection
With the Fredonia post once scandal will
he In by that time. Next will come Judge
Hooker's connection with the Dmkirk
post ofioe scandal.
The star witness Of the morning session
was Morris Hooker the twenty-year-old
nephew Of Justice Hooker. His home is
IN Perrysbmg. which. Is eighteen miles from
Fredonia. The young man was appointed
a lRborer in the Fredonia post office while
he was attending the Fredonia Normal
years without rendering any service. Be-
fore the grievance committee Of the State /
Bar Association he said that his uncle told
him that he would get him position. But
to-day he could not remember anything !
to which he had then testified.
The young man was very much embar- |
raised and hesitated in his ans wers. Be !
fore the Bar Association committee he had |
al - - ali rkc 10 -
had spoken TO him concerning the appoint |
ment, To-day, however, he said il was !
the postmaster. Before the Bar Associa- |
ton committee he testified that he. the |
postmaster and his uncle talked the matter |
over 10 his unoles ofioe. To-day he said /
that he and the postmaster talked over
his appointment, but that bis uncle went /
out Of the ofioe. Finally Assemblyman
Kahn asked the witness II when he testified
TO these things on the former occasion
he had testified to the truth, and he an
svSred, Il don't think IL was
A. r. Moore, who served as postmaster
at Fredonia from 1895 TO 1899, was cross
examined by Attorney John B. stanchheld
Judge Hooker sat by Mr.. Stanohheld and
listened 10 the testimony. Mr.. Moore said
that Judge Hooker had not said TO him
N"AA ann - oeAAl was W hANN a Pu.ANlOu
ir the FredoniR post ONCE and do no SER
vice
On redirect examination Mr.. Moore said
that Judge Rockers law Offices were In the
Fredonia post ONCE building. Mr.. Moore
laid that in the fall Of 1908 a demand was
made on him by the Post once Department
TO refund the salary paid to Frank C. Ball
and Minerva C. Jeffries. He refused to
pay the money. Minerva Jehries's checks
had been sent 10 the Post Office Depart
ment, although she was supposed to be a
clerk In the Fredonia post ofioe
Thomas 0Een was neIt called. He Il a
mail carrier connected with the FredoniA
post ofiOe. Prior 10 being appointed a mail
carrier, he said, he had been employed by
Judge Hooker as q laborer. He had never
done any clerical work. He couldn't tell
when be lsft school
oNen got a place In the FTedonia post
omoe - a laborer 20 that he could be APP
pointed q mail carrier without taking the
civil service examination, the Fredonia
m - z.-~..- -. -. |