New-York tribune., 1905-01-13
PRESENTED TO ASSEMBLY
DOCUMENT DIS4PPOINTS.
LiHd'nger's Vague Charges of Cor
ruPtiOH Subject of Ridicule.

AlaanF' Jan. 1.-THE long expected and much
herSloeo grand Jury presentrnent charging the use
~ money tn a shocking fashion 10 corrnnt ,,.-,
hers of last years legislature v-,s ,,-,sas -
ron Speaker NiNcn's desk IN the Assembly, n, 49,,
and subsequently referred 10 the Asse-,,,,l, 80
cary committee To the members OF the leeis-
lstgre the document a distinct dlsan,ofnt
rnent. j charged an Assemblyrnan well t,ou,,
for his prohibition tendencies Mr. Planl[ 80 9.
Lawrence. with being present and having ain,a-
when vine flowed all around" IT chareed that =
staten Island Assemblyman. George F2ecbt.l
whose father is reputed 10 he worth millions once
accepted loan OF $50 in a sambiinE house r.
tie rest il consisted In the long rambling ir
coherent testimony Of Fritz LindnEer and his
associates as 70 how they spent a sum approx
mating 5000 part or which was expended ,,
rauper7lg with the Excise Deps rtrnenr ft,,,,,,,
the Influences" OF a man named Goodwin since
deceased. who received Il is alleged son,a 60 coo
- make connections 10 soften pending excise
csEes or this sum. II IS further alleged thar g oo
went 70 8 certain EcGoniEle whose identity is 80
pocte6. but whose hrst Eame is not supplied n,
the evidence
The general character OF the testimony consists
u long recitsls Of personally conductesr to,rs -
ths Red Light districts OF Albany where fbo g
pensss incurred by legislators were paid bv J;ndn
re- who frankly accounts for his vast legislative
sxpenses IN this way, while Indignantly reflrirF
any suggestions OF immortality. and conveniently
forgetting the names OF the various nsrtie, q,
afteen or twenty legislators alleged 10 have acoor
panied him Similarly he deposes that he ..staked
legislators n gambling houses in Albany when they
had had luck. but other testimony makes It doubt
ful whether he lost the money himself or for the
legislators.
LISDTNGER AMI JEROME CALL NAMES
The testimony reveals sharp interohanges between
LEndInger and District Attorney jerome. in one OF
which Llndinger complains that M Jerome called
him "a - pighesd," or thick heades Dutcfman.'
and Mr. Jerome rejoins Yes, ! cursed you good
snd strong before the stenographer for lying 10
ne"
The testimony Of all witnesses agrees that a sum
o. about -3Oo Was raised largely by locals of the
liquor Dealers Association. IN New-York City. IT
develops The Interesting sdeIsht that these locals
s-e coiucideut with police precincts and are
changed 10 retain this uniformity. But OF the use
o. rfis money there is less unity OF testimony Lin
di-ser sVears that he turned over 5000 10 de
ceased Goodwin alleged 10 have been Republican
ast-Ict leader, who used II 70 soften the edge OF
,re Excise Departments enforcement Of vio-
latiors How Goodwin used it, beyond Civ
inE share McGonigIe. Who agreed TO
roruILsh wonders. does not appear Then s. 900
vsuJ 10 TWO individuals Campbell and Mason. for
U.s. in olecting the right sort OF upstate Assem-
hrr7er 1het is those who would vote for the de-
sired excise legislation. Frank Campbell OF Bath,
was e2-c1.iralan OF the Democratic state Commit
les and JOHN a Mason secretary Of The same body.
The balance Cf this sum was expended, according
90 I5aduEsr ia wirlng and fessting the legislators
IN taking them To gambling houses and houses Of
ii-fzue ana LindnEer declares he has spent
much as S55 in single night. But he forgets the
names or his guests and could remember
bur ez-Asseublyrnan Bechtel. OF Staten Island. 10
whom he had advanced any specific sum On the
subject o. gining, he does specifically recall Ger
tsin night when he sat e. table with Assembly
nan Plank. OF 81. Lawrence, ana on that occasion
there something 10 eat and wine flowed all
sFound."
PLANK RECALLS INCIDENT
Assernblyran Plank is and was chairman Of she
Excise Comnlitte and with difficulty recalled the
incident he tells il thus:
walked into the cafe Of the Ten Eyck one might
looking fer some one and Fritz Lindinger came up
and sad he wanted 20 talk 10 me about a bill We
sal down and ] think he bought cigar He ex-
me committee would hear him; then excused
Gdn't have q glass Of lemonade
The testimony about the tours Of the legislators
under Lindnger's guidance is salacious without
being specific. After relating long paragraphs Of
"details which unprintsbe. there appears in the
testimony this passage
They took me along explains Lndnger.
And stuck you for the biIs?" inquired District
ssrest thing you know S the nournful reply.
The orher members Of the Liquor Dealers Asso-
cation who tell about these night adventures care
fully maintain a moral alibi Another section OF
the testimony reads thus:
legislator. A ten spot here and twenty
Q-Eou gave money TO members OF the Senate and
AssarnnE On gambling houses ano poolroorns- a
got back.
ASSOCIATION KEPT 40 BOOKS
The evidence IN the transcript shows that the
Tiouo- Dealers Association kept books. When
money vas needed II raised by assessment and
lindinEer and his associates went TO Albany Sub
ssquenry Lindinger would make a verbal Etare-
nert that entertaining expensive and that the
money raised had gone Other witnesses testifying.
Including Michael p Farley Oindinger's successor
president of the Liquor Dealers Association.
Martin Kane and William Duge. seem 10 have
shared some pert Of the entertaining and
have accepted part OF Lindinger's story.
Nhether any balance remained for division at the
end o. the session IS q question. AT least It
not accounted for. One OF the witnesses mentions
talk with William Halpln in which Mr.. Halpin
talked about ai6ing their effort TO get legislation
money he would take his hands on" There is
similar vague reference 10 q talk with ex-GOv-
ernor Odeu.
This is The character OF the testimony. and the
prefentInent by the grand jury has already been
prnted- Il should be noted that there is nothing
specific definite the whole document. save
m the three exceptions already noted. affect
lng dead man. The general comment heard IN
tne Capito this subject largely in the nature
n rdicUie 81 the vagueness Of the charges, The
isi1Te of the evidence 10 develop any material
tor action and the apparent certainty that the
arger share % the money stayed In the hands Of the
liquor dealers themselves. Added 10 this the
genera Indignation that so many unfounded charges
affecting the integrity Of the legislature had been
circulated with so little basis
GOVERNOR HIGGINS on PREsEST1IENT.
ot the copy OF the presentment ana evidence sent
him. He said
a presentment as a means or as link in the
r+-i 70 lolC q person 10 answer Tor crime II