The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-09
FIERCE ATTACK
 IN THE SENATE One of Most Startling De- nuncIationS in History
 of State. CONSOLIDATED ON TIE RACK Senator Atwater Charges Road With Lobbying
 and Corruption. ATTY. ROBBINS, THE KING Senator Judson Makes Point ed Attack on Senator
 c. E. Thompson.
ATTY. ROBBINS, THE KING

Hartford, May S.-The most sensa- tional session of either branch of the present general assembly was that of the senate this afternoon, when legis- lators and spectators who damned the senate chamber listened to a bitter at- tack upon the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad company--an attack that goes down in legislative history in this state as one of the most startling ever heard at Hartford. The railroad corporation was fayed by Sem ator Atwater, of Meriden, and later by Senator Judson, whose scathing charges of lobbying and corruption on the part of the corporation were listened to in a death-like silence. The oratory of the senator from the Twenty-f1fth district and the remarkable charges brought against the road easily proved the sen sations of an hitherto comparatively uuiet session.
 Charges that the steam corporation absolutely controlled the assembly in certain matters were made time and again; names of men accused of being the chief lobbyists were handled with out gloves, and a pointed attack was made upon Senator Clarence E. Thomp- son, of the Fourteenth district, whose motion to have the resolution incorpor- ating the Meriden, Mddletown and Guilford Electric Railroad company recommtted to the Committee on rail- roads came as a shock to the hearers. This motion was made after the sen sational speech of Senator Atwater, in which he accused Attorney F. D. Rob bins, of Hartford, as being the king of the lobbyists"
 The session this afternoon was made the special order of the day in order to dispose of the nine trolley matters, seven of which were passed and two referred back to the railroad commit tee.
 When the order of the day was call- ed Senator Atwater rose and asked to be permitted to answer threat made against him. The privilege was grant, ed him on motion of Senator McGov- ern, seconded by Senator McNeil. MT. Atwater said:
 Threat Against Senator Atwater.
 "When prefer charge against the king of lobbyists in the state of Con- necticut I use the term advisedly. I did not come here as politicianS but was sent here by the people. I have never held' office before, but have al- ways worked for the interests of the people, and for that reason I was elect ed. The cities and towns of Meriden and Middletown for fourteen years have asked for charter rights to con- meet them. On one pretext or another this great octopus, the New Haven road, has been able to control the leg islature and turn down every bill ex- cept the two here (meaning the East Haven and Morris Cove, and Middle town, Meriden and Guilford bills, which were on the order of the day) Last summer I was appointed on a commit tee of five to confer with MT. Mellen. MT. Mellen offered to equip the old Meriden and Middletown line as soon as he got men to do the work. I asked him if road between Middletown and Meriden direct through Balleyville could be put through. He did not think it advisable, and he asked me If I would ask for a charter if the Con- solidated road would keep its hands off. When I came up here I was in- vited by Mr Roraback to meet the king of lobbyists MT. Robbins in the railroad commissioners office. MT. Robbins asked me if l would state who was back of the road l was interested in, and l told him. He asked me what interest I had in the East Haven and Morris Cove road, and I told him I had none. He then asked me to join with him to kill the project of the East Ha- ven and Morris Cove road. I told him would not. You have an interest in it, then he said. I told him did not, but the two roads would be able to interchange traffic and both would ben eft by it. He asked me to cut off that part of the road which would connect with the East Haven road, and I told him I would not He then asked me if I thought the bills would pass if did not favor the East Haven and Nor ris Cove road. I told him the bills would stand on their merits, and if the Consolidated road killed one of these bills I would strive to get reelected