The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-06-12
PENNSYI VANIA ROADS
Chief CLERK TOOK GRAFT
Joseph Boyer Kept All Of the
Money For Himself.
SUM OF $4,000 FROM MINERS
Others Began the Practice and
Boyer Says He Continued Ii
Because He Thought tt Was
Customary.

Because He Thought tt Was
Customary.
Philadelphia, Pa.-That he accepted
gifts Of stock amounting to $11, 900 and
money aggregating more than $4,000
from coal mining companies during a
period of three years was admitted by
Joseph Boyer chief clerk in the Office
of A. w. Gibbs, superintendent of mo-
tive power of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Mr.. Boyer purchases the fuel
coal used in the locomotives of the
company, and the donors of the gifts
were the coal companies which furnish
the fuel to the railroad. Mr.. Boyer
named five companies which allowed
him from three to five cents on each
ton sold to the railroad company. He
said he never asked for the allowance.
but accepted it because he believed he
was following custom of the depart
ment.
A. w. Gibbs, Mr. Boyer's superior
officer, on the stand said he was I'M
aware that such conditions existed in
his department
Mr. Boyer said he was at first disin-
ciined to accept the money, but after
thinking it over decided that he was
doing nothing unusual
How long did you wrestle with your
conscience?" queried Commissioner
Clement. The witness did not know.
Mr. Boyer said he had 200 shares of
stock in the Jamison Coal Company,
given to 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 fifteen
in the Edri Coal Company, which We're
presented to him by Captain Alfred
Hicks. Ten shares OF Preston Coal
Company stock we.As sent to him in
an envelope. He was not certain who
sent it, but thought it might have come
from Joseph Aiken, a railroad man. or
H. A. Kuhn, an operator All of these
stocks paid dividends. Mr.. Boyer said
also that he holds an interest amount
ing to $4,000 in undeveloped coal lands
on the West Penn division. He paid
for this stock
Mr.. Boyer's stock holdings were only
a small portion of the gifts he admitted
receiving from coal mining companies.
coal he testified that he had received
from five companies an allowance of
from three to five cents a ton on coal
used by the railroad for fuel pur-
poses From the latter part of 1903
to date he had received a total Of more
than $4,000 The money had been
first sent to him in cash, but later
cashiers checks had been sent to
Cashier Hastings of the Second Ma
tional Bank of Altoona and placed on
deposit for Boyer
He was asked why he Disseminated
in favor of Blythe & Co. He replied
that he did not discriminate, as the
money came to him without solicita-
ton or any effort on his part. He be-
lleved that the money had been paid
in the same manner to his predecessors
in office, and believed that he was only
following the custom of the depart
ment.
The companies which made him the
allowance were the Graft Coal Com
pany. the Clearfield and Granton Coal
Company, the Dunkirk Coal Company,
Boyer, Smith & Turner and Thomas
Blythe & Co. The Graft Coal Com
pany allowed him five cents a ton
and the Clearheld and Granton Com
pany gave him share in the profits
which amounted to not less than four
cents ton. Blythe & Co. gave him
three cents a ton.
What did you do with the money!"
asked Attorney Glasgow.
Il kept it ALL"
"Did you not share it with others in
the employ of the railroad?'
mo, sir; kept it all.
How do you account for getting it?"
Il imagine somebody had been get
ting it before me-"
Roughly estimated the money re-
ceived by Mr.. Boyer from the COM
panies mentioned was as follows:
Graft Coal Company, $4,000; Clear
field and Granton Co., $1,000; Dunkirk
Company, $3.50; Smith & Turner, $751;
500; Thomas Blythe, $1,000