The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-08
AFTER FREE-PASS LAWMAKERS
JEROME SAID TO HAVE ASKED
FOR N. y. CENTRADS FREE LIST.
story Comes From City Hail. Where Alder
mn Are Interested. because. Like
Senators and Assemblymon. They
Lose Their Jobs II They Takc Passes.

Senators and Assembiymon. They
Lose Their Jobs II They Take Passes.
1t reached the ears OF lawmakers at tho
City Hall and Albany yesterday that Dis
trict Attorney Jerome is after them II they
have accepted railroad passes. Mr.. Jerome,
when questioned on the subject, wouldn't
say a word.
It was said at the City Hall that officers
Of the New York Central Railroad had been
informed that Mr.. Jerome wanted to know
the names Of the members OF the Legisla-
ture, II any, that annually got passes either
for themselves or their friends, and that he
wanted TO see the representative OF the
company who had charge OF handing out
passes, so thai he could sorutinize the FREQ
List,
It La understood that Mr.. jerome has no
intention OF bringing criminal proeeou-
tons. A legislator who accepts passes,
thereby violating the law, forfeits his office,
II Mr.. Jerome carries out the plan, and
the lawmakers fear he will. he will present
whatever evidence he gets to Attorney
General Mayer. 1t is expected that the
man who has charge OF tho passes for tho
New York Central will be at the District
Attorneys Office either to-day or tomorrow.
This Ia the section OF the Constitution
under which Mr.. Jerome will act:
No public ofncer or person elected or APP
pointed TO q public of1ce under the laws or
this State shall directly or indirectly ask,
demand. accept. receive or consent to re-
ceive for his own use or benefit OF another
any free pass. free transportation, franking
privilege, discrimination In passenger
telegraph or telephone rates from any per-
son or corporation, or make use OF TIE Same
himself in conjunction with another a
person who violates any provision OF this
| section shall be guilty Of misdemeanor
and shall forfeit his Office at the suit OF the
Attorney General.
Another section OF the law says
No person or officer or agent OF d corpora
ton giving such free pass. transportation
ranking privilege or discrimination hereby
prohibited shall be privileged from testifying
In relation thereto. and he shall not be liable
to civil or criminal prosecution II he shall
testify TO the giving OF the same.
1t was said that Mr.. Jerome might not
be able TO obtain the information he wanted,
as the passes were never issued In the names
Of the Albany lawmakers. Mr.. Jerome
seems to think, however. that the records
OF the New York Central will show that
certain legislators have accepted passes
When the session opened he suggested
that it might be interesting 10 find out how
many Assembymen and Senators journeyed
TO the capital on passes. Various ways OF
getting this information were suggested
even to spotting the lawmakers on the
trains
Mr. Jerome has been in Albany recently.
His excise bill Is now before the Legislature
II could not be learned around the Crimi-
nal Courts Building that Mr.. Jerome oon-
templRted putting the Aldermen on the
griddle and finding out If they accepted
passes. Yet it appeared that the first news
OF Mr.. Jerome's move leaked out at the
City Hall.