The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-21
A TRAP SET FOR ALDERMEN
WITH A MEGAPHONE TO TRANS
NIT GRAFT DEMANDS.
DIDN'T work and So . stenographer whose
Notes Have Been Burned Hid Behind
q Curtain while Some q the New
Rochelle CITY Fathers Talked Business.

ID. A. Reynolds, president OF the New
York State Line Telephone Company. told
On b witness stand yesterday, at the trial
in the Supreme Court nero Of Herman
Kallenberg. a New Rochelle Alderman,
his story Of what he says was an attempt
Of four New Rochelle Aldermen TO extort
from him $4,000 for a franchise. The
other Aldermen indicted with kallenberg,
who was chairman of the franchise com
mittee, were Charles W. HAldring, Alfred
Rudo, Jr., and Anthony W. Rivers.
In his opening Assistant District Attorney
Train said he would prove that Kallenberg
had several conversations with Reynolds
about the franchise and that the Aldermen
wanted $50 600. but came down to slo.ooO.
Mr.. Train said hat Kallenberg told Rey-
nolds that the Mayor would sign the ordi-
nance, or that IL be didn't nothing was
10 be paid. At the first conversation Kali
lenberg had with Reynolds. which was at
the latter's Office at II broadway. Reyu .ds
had a ~megaphone Arrangement whereby
kallenbergis conversation was TO be trans
mitted to a stenographer in another room.
But the megaphOne scheme didn't work
and the steDographer so reported, which
cut short the Interview. After thst a young
woman, Frieda Roesling, was concealed
chino a screen and she says she took
stenographic notes Of what went on. A
good deal will hinge on her testimony, as
il Is said that she isn't a very expert stem
ographer.
James Reynolds, who was q representa-
tive of the telephone compan at New
Rochelle when IT was trying to get a fran
chlse. told OF conversations he had with
the Aldermen about the franchise. He
said hat at first they wanted IS 40 apiece
and h they came down TO a lump sum
Of $4,000.
D. A. Reynolds was called and told OF
four visits made To his Office by kallen-
berg. Questioned by John B. Sranch-
field. oounse for kalenberg, REYNOLDS
described his career. He started out as a
farmer, became a miller. an insurance
agent, travelling salesman, reporter, editor,
a leading Pop in the Far West, a trust buster
and organizer Of the Loyal Americans. an
organization 70 dow trusts. He came 10
thus city nine years ago and went into the
telep hone business. Now he is an officer
in eight telephone companies and a stock
holder IN ten more and he companies he is
Interested in have tw enty-seven franchises
in Tour States.
MIR. Reynolds denied that be was inters
ested in a charge of bribery against the Dis
trict Attorney of Lansing. Mich. growing
put of a franchise application. He Said he
ALr NLnt ~ 10 I11A as OdA lOI a INA 10
give a brlbe as for a man TO accept one.
k~allenberg never made any direct over
tunes for money, and there was never any
agreement with kallenberg abou purchas-
ing votes. Reynolds also said that he never
offered kAllenberg a dollar.
L was trying 10 draw him out said the
witness. He added that he finally told
Kallenberg that be couLdn't pay n money,
but that il would cost bet ween $3.50 900 and
$50, 900 to install the telephone system. half
of which would be for labor. and that any
man sent by the Aldermen for work would
get first consideration.
Reynolds said he was not in the habit Of
talking bribery and that in getting fran
chises IL was not his a to threaten Alder
men. In his Office there were eight stem
ographers and lao clerks. The original
stenographic notes of the KalenberR con-
versations were destroyed. Il took them
To my home and burned them Reynolds
said. 1T was my habit 10 destroy The
original stenographiC notes Of that char
acter.'
did you know that the original notes
would be the best evidence?" Mr.. Stanch-
field asked.
Il did not, = said Reynolds.
he said he sent a typewriter copy Of his
talks with Kallenberg to kallenberg. but
not as a threat. The trial will be continued
TODAY.