New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-15
IBy Telegraph to The rribune.l

-setriot Attorney Jerome in a conspiracy 10
-.,,euash the offenders were made against the
,,s.,opolitan Street Railway Company and its
o1aas at & hearing before tho Assembly Com
,r..e on Ways and Means to-day These
.hsrres came from two different sources
william \. Anany. who has been fighting the
metropolitan for several years. made a virulent
stack on District Attorney Jerome A E.
woodruff. who recently appeared as counsel for
sorne poncyholders in an Equitable lawsuit, sub
nitted an affidavit in which former empIoye
NJ the Metropolitan told In detail Of jury fixing
n damage suits and bribery Of witnesses This
information. Mr.. Woodruff said had been in
District Attorney Jeroue's hands. but nothing
had been done about It
Amory submitted figures which he said proved
that frauds amounting TO millions of dollars had
been perpetrated bv the officers Of the Metro
politan system on its stockholders and the pub
lie The company. he charged. bribed Judges,
,uries and witnesses. Information OF this in
many cases. and especially in one case where
he himself furnished the material. had been sent
to the District Attorney. said Mr.. Amory. but
instead of acting TO convict the offenders he had
entered into conspiracy 10 let them escape.
Because Of this. Mr.. Amory declared, he in
tended n ask Governor Higgins 10 remove the
District Attorney.
The F0elker resolution asking for a legislative
Investigation Of the Ryan Belmont traction
merger brought out these charges A legisla-
tive investigation. Amory saiu. would force Ryan
and his associates TO -disgorge' thirty or forty
millions. StilI. the Metropolitan was so rotten
financially because Of its frauds that not even
combination with the financially sounder Bel
mont road, almost its equal IN moral iniquity
could save the system long.
CALLS STATEMENTS FALSE.
Saying that financial statements issued by the
Metropolitan company and its representatives
ana fled with the various State and city de-
partments were false and misleading, Amory
went or:
Somebody made S45O0000 profits IN 1903 in
olscoGnting S660o00 Of the 3 per cent notes of
the New-Hork City Railway Company owned
b. the Metropolitan Securities Company. For
Official proof refer 10 Page 1.06l Volume XII
report of the Railroad Commissioners for 1903,
showing that 10000 cash was paid out in
discount on the , Per cent ten year notes o. the
lnteTurban tor New-York City Railway Com
panyl. Then refer 10 Page 1,042. Volume XI,
report of The Rallroad CoFIInissi ionsrs for 1904,
Rnd you VIII find that only $500 0O0 OF these
notes have been issued, ana that only S462 900
have been realized them. But somebody got
S4J1JO11 Pretty big banking commission,
wasn't .te Who got the money? Don't you
think this among other things is worth while
irvestigauDg2 II you do investigate, I viii
show you bigger steals than this one.
A couple Of months ago I asked the Railroad
Commissioners for an explanation Their answer
was as follows We can furnish no further
explanation q the items your letter refers 10
than appear in the printed annual reports" But
i seems 70 me that IL must be the duty of
some one 10 investigate these matters
In another instance in 1903. Mr.. Arnory charged
that President Vreeland obtained s11.o00.O0O
from The stockholders Of the Interurban "to pay
tor the Third Avenue stock" which had been
paid for years before. Proof Of this which he
laid before Jacob Il Schiff. he said. enabled
M Schi1 10 force restitution of s600O000 from
Thomas =. Ryan. n 1903. OF s12000,000 col
sc;ed al The same time for electrifying the road
about 100000 was spent for that purpose. he
sad lie went on in sharp attack on the Dis
tict Attorney, saying:
Jerome says there are Supreme Court Judges
IN the county Il New-York that lawyers in
.aFge practice would rather not be before if. the
interests ~ the Metropolitan company We're in
vowed. jerome says he viii give the names Of
ne Judges II pressed too hard.
think 7 can furnish information tending 10
hloW that on 4 certain occasion Thonles T. Ryan
pN VI $1,000 of Metropolitan stockholders
money as part of the political assessment re-
t' tt-' l-DilllildLlpll o. d certain
Court justice.
SAYS CHARGES CAN BE PROVED.
Tamperrg with juries bribery and kindred
SS.4A'es have been The regular practice OF the
~ +opo-taH mana cement. These people are 50
11y-sloined 20 crime and immunity from punish
--eLl maj they have become exceedingly bold
90 ON Investigation there viii be no difncuIty
-I proving these charges 10 be true
RI NE District Attorney OF the County or New
-, Itk were honest and fearless as ne hlmsef 50
oleii has declared. il would not be necessary for
- 20 appear before this committee II ne were
-,-,el enough 10 fulfil his campaign pleoses OF
90 and follow the trails Of wrOngdolng anu
ee-l-g--n INTO the Office Of the metropolitan
nlr-et Railway Company quote his own
.Siltt5 II be- possessed the courage TO -'arralsIl
sSaslsi himself the most dangerous. the most
,-Ii.-Cff and the most powerful lnnuehces At
y vS.H IN The community again quote MS own
l4sAe NJ necessity for an investigation 10y , me
sesatgre ~ the acts of this band Of hearuesS
'r5llaas would not exist to-day
.,-L Because the chief criminal prosecutor has
,-t a Premium great crimes. because ne mas
49, NE power Of MS Office 20 protect ratheI
- PUNISH llg criminals. ana because lle CIV
u's are Inadequate TO supply the remedy /
tt+A To This committee IN the interests OF
80, BUSINESS. 70 investigate the proposed street
.ts-Nay merger. to expose wrongdoing, 10 cause
- punishment of the guilty and to correct the
'ilsFols evils which exist
SAYS JEROME SUPPRESSED FACTS.
80 O. .are that Jerome is fully advised Of the
~ ~ '-e Metropolitan managers declare
be- has il his possession legal evidence suf-
,'eAN H. convict them Of grave crimes. I de-
- --st he told James W. osborne and me
80 -- vas satisfied as 10 their guilt, and that
- l-en0~ was sufficient 10 convict. declare
,- -ts chief assistant also admitted as much
Eugene A Philbin and myself declare that
= i. sLIseG uqenty entered into a conspiracy
a-.S" these criminals 10 escape. ! declare
=. l- iIrfherauce Of this end he suppressed
s ana deliberately issued an official state
80 ticn is proved by the records 10 have
- NAfCly false.
the Metropolitan managers saw III to offer
hs4 ~, St-,,9,oYg IN 1903 10 withdraw the charges
- Ae1 with the District Attorney, which thev
VI VIII hDa- TO Iera 70