Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-06-08
CRAFT IS ADMITTED
BY RAILROAD CLERK
EMPLOYE OF PENNSYLVANIA
SAYS HE RECEIVED OVER
$4,000 SINCE 1908.
GOT ALLOWANCE FOR
ALL FUEL PURCHASED
Joseph Boyer Testifes Before Inter
state Commerce Commission at
Philadelphia-Says He Only Fol
lowed Custom of Office.

fulldu6lpula, June IL lie luleISldlc
commerce commission Wednesday
heard startling testimony in its lnves-
tigatiOn OF the relations of the Penn
sylyania railroad officials and employees
TO various mining companies in the BIZ
luminous coal district.
The first witness was Joseph Boyer,
of Altoona, chief clerk in the Office OF
A. w. Gibbs, superintendent OF mo-
tive power. Mr.. Boyer said he had
200 shares of stock in the Jamison
Coal company given him for his one
third interest in the MacLaren Coal
company. The MacLaren stock was
given to him by Mr.. Jamison.
He also had ten shares in the Valley
Coal company, and Is in the Erie Coal
company, which were presented to him
by Capt Alfred Hicks
Stock Sent Anonymously.
Ten shares Of Preston Coal company
stock Were sent to him in an envelope.
He was not certain who sent it, but
thought it might have come from Jo-
seph Aiken, railroad man, Or H. A.
Kuhn, IN operator. All of these stocks
paid dividends.
Mr.. Boyer said also that he holds
an interest amounting to $4,000 in
Pennsylvania division. He paid for
this stock.
In its entirety, Mr.. Boyer's testi-
mony was of startling character. His
stock holdings were only a small por-
ton of the gifts he admitted receiving
from coal mining companies.
Good Graft on Fuel Used.
In his capacity as purchaser OF fuel
coal he testified that he had received
from five companies an allowance OF
from three to five cents ton on coal
used by the railroad for fuel purposes
During the period from the latter
part of 1903 to date he has received
total of more than $4,000.
The money was first sent to him In
cash, but later cashiers checks were
sent to Cashier Hastings, of the Sec
ond National bank. of Altoona, and
placed on deposit for Boyer. The COM
panies which made him the allowance
were the Graft Coal company, the
Clearfield & Granton Coal company
the Dunkirk Coal company, and
Thomas Blythe & Co.
What Companies Paid Him.
The Graft Coal company allowed him
five cents a ton and the Clearfield &
Granton company gave him share in
the profits, which amounted to not less
than four cents ton. Blythe & Co.
gave him three cents ton.
He was asked why he Disseminated
in favor of Blythe & Co. He replied
that he did not discriminate, as he
money came to him without solicita-
ton or any effort on his part. He be-
lieved that the money had been paid
in the same manner to his predecessors
in office, and that he was only follow
ing the custom of the department.
Avoid Immunity for Cassatt.
No effort voluntarily will be made
by A. J. Cassatt, president OF the Penn
sylvania railroad, publicly to defend
his corpOr al ton as result of the in
terstate commerce commission inves-
tigatiOn disclosures.
Despite the emphatic statement is
sued by the head of the big system on
his return from Europe, it is stated
on the authority of Francis T. Gowen,
general solicitor of the Pennsylvania
that Cassatt will not appear unless
summoned to testify by the commits
sion
Such proceeding on the part OF the
commission is unlikely, as it would
make Cassatt immune from prosecu-
ton shoulC the government decide tc
begin legal proceedings based on the
commissions report.