New-York tribune., 1907-01-18
TO CALL ALL III. 0. L. MEN
SAYS STORIES DON'T GIRE.
JerOme to Quiz Them at Clifford
HeG,lng-Peters Still "ErplQins."

There is every promise that the arragnment
OF Alderman William s. Clifford IN the Tombs
police court on Wednesday, on a charge Of
cepting bribe for delivering his vote and those
OF others for ex-Judge Cowing for Recorder.
VIII be most interesting session. District At
torney Jerome said last night. after Aldermen
Henry Clay Peters and ]. NJ. Torpey had been
examined at length before the grand jury, that
he proposed to call the ten Municipal Ownership
aldermen other than Clifford witnesses at
the hearing; of Clifford on Wednesday. From
what the District Attorney said 1t is believed
that he or one OF his assistants will ask these
interesting and perhaps Illuminating
Questions regarding the fight for the Recorder
ship.
II shall certainly call these aldermen" said
the District Attorney yesterday. These city
fathers have right to vindication before the
public, and this is the only chance they will
have. We shall certainly give them chance TO
explain how It that they suddenly voted for
ex-Judge Cowing"
Alderman Peters in the vicinity OF the
City Hall yesterday afternoon, and to some of
his friends declared that the he and his
colleagues had voted for ex-Judge Cowing for
Recorder on Tuesday that they had been
asked to do by the executive committee Of
the Independence League. This was fatty de-
MED last night by Alderman John r. Davies.
Alderman Grifenhagen and were with Mr..
Hearst on Tuesday afternoon" he said. 1--WE
were trying TO get him TO support our candi-
date, James Cowdin Meyers. for Recorder. He
stated explicitly and emphatically that he
1or an Independence League man for Recorder.
and that he would not support either Cowing or
Meyers
Earlier in the day. before he had been before
The grand jury, Peters in an interview explained
the vote of the eleven Municipal Ownership al
Sc for ey- CoC-iDey N a different
He said that before that vote the name OF
i5udge Cowing had been considered as COM
promise candidate. but no agreement had been
reached. on Tuesday he had come TO the meet
ing late. and Clifford had said it would be
good day TO bring out Cowings He told
Clifford to wait until the rest of the boys"
had been seen. But on the first ballot Cliff
sord voted for Cowing. AS It had been pre-
rious1y agreed that the others Of the faction
should follow tie lead of Clifford voting his
name being first on the roll all of the ballots
were cast for Cowing.
Alderman Peters said that after this ballot he
had argued with Clifford TO vote for Palmieri
on the next ballot. but the latter had said. he
Thought it best ito give Cowing another ballot
and put the Republicans IN a hole" Had not
I'm adjournment been taken Immediately said
alderman Peters in his interview. Il should
have seen the other men Of our faction after the
second ballot. and 1 sure that the third bal
lot would have shown at least ten votes for
Palmieri."
According to Alderman Peters, the only agree
ment he ever had with Alderman Sullivan. the
Tammany leader, was to notify him before the
Municipal Ownership men decided TO abandon
Judge Palmieri-
SULLIVAN MAY BE CALLED.
1t is possible that Alderman Sullivan may be
q witness before the grand jury to-day.
District Attorney Jerome. when asked if an
indictment for accepting bribe could be found
against an alderman IL il were decided by the
courts that the Board of Aldermen had no
power to elect Recorder, replied:
II think that an indictment for attempt to
accept bribe might lie. The penalty is half
that Of the full offence"
It is understood that the stories of at least
two of the aldermen examined by the grand
jury did not jibe with what the others had said |
These men on Wednesday will have the oppor-
tunity of hearing what the others have to saw
on the stand in the public court and, if neces-
sary. make their stories agree with those OF the
others. The District Attorney would not tslI
OF the possibility Of indictments for perjury yes
teTday, but he did say that il would be POSSIBLE
10 bring such indictments III case the story of
q man before the grand jury in material mat '
ters did not agree with that he told under oath |
Aldermen Peters and Torpey were the only
witnesses examined by the grand jury in the |
case yesterday. As the District Attorney had
q speaking engagement. the hearing was adj
1ourned early in the afternoon until to-day |
The examination of Torpey was concluded but |
Rfter Alderman Peters had been on the rack for |
fhree-quarters of an hour K was decided TO |
continue his examination to-day. Other i'm |
poriant witnesses will be examined, but AS !
Eistant District Attorney Smyth would not saw
who they would be. 1t is understood, however |
that Earl Harding the reporter who under the |
name of Haskell" arranged for the passage Of
the bribery money to Clifford. will be called |
Others TO be examined the detectives who
shadowed Clifford and Haskell" during a part |
OF their negotiations
Assistant District Attorney Smyth had a talk |
with Herbert Parsons, for whom subpoena had |
been issued, over the telephone yesterday, and |
said later that the Congressman. who is in |
could shed light on the situa- |
ton. {. II. De Bragga. a member of the Repub- |
lican executive committee Of Queens County |
has also been unable TO shed any important light
Dn the situation il is understood. |
CLIFFORD'S PATRONAGE DECKER.
Collin II. Woodward, deputy state superin- |
eendent OF elections, had a talk with Mr. Smyth |
yesterday. He said Clifford had approached him |
with a suggestion that the votes of the Munich |