Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-31
BR|BE TOR ALDERMEN
Inquiry Into Votes Of Municipal
Ownership Leaguers.
MEN SHIFTED TO COMING
Case Of Clifford Accused of Taking
Money for Supporting Candidate.
TESTIMONY OF JOSEPH ToRPEY
Could Not Remember How Eleven n.
o. Alderman Were Swung From
Voting for Palmieri to Another.
TESTIMONY OF JOSEPH ToRpEY

NEW YORK, January 31-The reason for
the sudden reversal of form on the part of
the Municipal Ownership League eleven in
the board OF aldermen on January Is was
explained yesterday. Alderman Joseph NJ
Torpey explained 1T when he was called to
the witness stand on the examination of
Alderman William 8. Clifford, who is charg-
ed with having accepted bride of 5000 to
swing the votes of the NJ. o. L. eleven from
John Palmieri to Rufus B. CowinR for re-
corder. The votes were swung
THE change to Judge Cowing was made
| to test the sincerity of the republican par
ty," said Alderman Torpey.
The case of Alderman Clifford came up at
II o'clock before Magistrate Whitman, who
sat In the little court room on the top floor
OF the criminal courts building. Clifford,
who is out on bail that Little Tim Sullivan
got for him, sat with his council, Abe Levy.
All of the M. o. L. aldermen were in court
including Henry Clay Peters, the leader,
looking very grave. Mr.. Peters is leader
In every sense of the word. All of the
other NJ. o. L. city fathers looked at him,
and when he smiled they smiled. On one
occasion an alderman notified the leader
that he was going for a cigar before he
went for cigar.
Story of the Deal.
Earl Harding, the reporter who caught
Clifford in a trap, was the first witness
called. Mr.. Harding was the Mr.. Haskell
that figured in all the deals with Clifford
and who finally passed to Cliford's stake
holder the $1,000 on the morning of January
To- Harding merely recited what had been
told before-how he had dickered with Cliff
ford at the latter's home in Long Island
City for eleven votes at $500 each and $500
| 1nr av,1 20 DO,
stakeholder in a saloon at 34th street and
Sd avenue. An hour so later the votes
were delivered in the chamber of the alder
men.
A laugh was raised when Harding testi-
fled that he had made Clifford agree not to
allow Peters to make one of his Oratorical
efforts in nominating Cowing, but to have
the vote cast without any oratory, lest de-
lay bring disaster Clifford had told him
that the eleven were being approached by
the Tammany crowd (which caught them
on the rebounO and that already he feared
he couldn't keep one OF his men from vot-
ing for McAvoy. If any of the eleven votes
got away $500 was to be returned to the
purchaser by the stakeholder
At the afternoon session Alderman Tor
pey was the first witness. Mr.. Torpey is a
round man with a ford complexion and
filled the witness chair to overlooking.
Torpey admitted that he had voted right
along for Judge falmieri until the day the
others voteu Ior lowing. and that he did as
they did. Torpey was positive that he
hadn't seen any one in regard to the re-
cordership; that no one had spoken to him
ut was the impression that we should
vote for COwing. l got 1t and did as the
other boys did. Clifford was first on the
list numerically among our set, and when
he voted for Cowing we all took 1t for
granted that it was Cowing whom we
should vote for, and we did"
Torpey's Impressions.
Alderman Torpey denied absolutely that
he had conferred with anybody, and stuck
to his story that he merely voted for Cow
ing when he saw Clifford and the others
doing so. He explained that he-was the last
to be called among the M. o. L. aldermen.
did you talk to any one about voting
for Judge Cowing?" was later question
asked of Torpey.
II can't say exactly that I did Some
one might have spoke to me in passing.
I can't remember, I-I-well. the impress
sion seemed to be around"
Magistrate Whitman cut the alderman of
"Now see here" said he. "you can an
swer that question. Did you talk with any
one about Judge Cowing?"
TOrpey squirmed, twisted his hands and
body turned red. and finally admitted that
he had spoken to Alderman Leverett.
Il told him Cowing is the one we are to
why did you tell him that?"
"Well 1t was the idea. the impression
got. 1 mean a sort of inward impression
(tapping his chest with his fngers). I got
the comprehension that we were to vote
for Cowing to test the sincerity of the re-
publican party
Torpey finally admitted that he had heard
Clifford say vote for Cowing." He made
this admission after the grand jury minutes
were sprung on him and his testimony there
was shown to be badly contradicted. He
finally remembered more and thought that
a lot of the NJ o. L. aldermen had got to-
gether and agreed to vote for Cowing in
the committee room before the roll was
called In the aldermanic chamber.