Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-17
ALL DENY THE DOODLE
eight Aldermen Before Grand
Jury in New York.
CLIFFORD AWAITS HIS. BOND
He Denies Receiving $4,000 for In
fuencing Brother Solons.
PLAN FOR AN EXPLANATION
Statement Will Be Issued Showing
Just How It All occurred-Trou-
BILE About Bail.
PLAN FOR AN EXPLANATION

NEW YORK, January 11.-Making every
effort to clear themselves of suspected COM
plicity with William S. Clifford, Hearst
alderman, who is charged with taking a
$1,000 bride to coerce ten Municipal Owner
ship League members in their vote for a
recorder to succeed Judge John w. GoH,
eight OF the ten appeared at the district
attorneys office yesterday in answer to
subpoenas to appear before the grand jury.
1t was said the other two would answer
the summons soon.
In the meantime Clifford is still in the
prison attached to the west side police court
in default of $4,000 bail, placed by Magis-
trate Whitman when the arrest took place.
Each of the eight aldermen who appeared
had something to say. Some of them tried
to laugh off the idea that they had had any
thing to do with an alleged bribery plot
and others, viewing the affair in a more
serious light said they had voted according
to an agreement made several days before
the alleged bribery arrangements had been
suggested.
The eight who appeared were Henry Clay
Peters, Joseph Falk and William Rowcroft
of Brooklyn; Thomas j. Mulligan OF the
Bronx; John j. Cronin Of Manhattan; f. j.
O'Neil of the Bronx: Joseph NJ. Torpey of
Manhattan and Charles Kuntz of the Bronx.
Preparing Statement.
1--WE are preparing a statement to the
public, said Alderman Falk. who was the
first to arrive. cit will clear US all of this
terrible charge Until then 1 have nothing
to say"
Alderman Rowcroft's face was wreathed
in smiles when he was asked what he had
to say.
"Oh, it's all a mistake, a very silly mis-
take" he said. 1T is absurd to think that
we gentlemen would stoop to anything like
that. Don't you believe it
Alderman M11lligan was asked who Sug-
gested the name of former Judge Rufus B.
CoWing a candidate.
Il don't remember who suggested the
name" was the reply but we had decided
to vote for him to break the deadlock We
knew that Judge Cewing was a good repab-
lican and we thought we would cause a
break in the republican ranks by voting
for him and turn the republican votes over
to our side. 1t was perfectly legitimate
plan and none of us had any knowledge OF
this Infamous scheme. OF that am sure.
Alderman Peters was incenSed When ne
heard that other members of the board had
been talking for publication.
They had no right to do So he said
II am the only one authorized to speak for
them. There will be nothing to say until
our statement is prepared.
Did Not Answer.
rs it true that you offered to bet a new
hat with an alderman that Francis S. Nc
Avoy would not be elected?'
He did not answer tHat.
Abraham Levy of Levy & Unger, has
been retained as counsel for the ten men
as well as by Clifford.
In speaking of Clifford's arrest, Alder
man Wentz, a republican member from
Brooklyn, said:
I'VE always knew what to expect, and
we ought to have been wise enough to stall
off all grafters and prevent them from DIS
grazing the board. But they've done what
might have been expected of them and the
l. oil han I y-fA1I a
to see the board do something to purge it
self and l Will vote for any measure that
will help to do it.
Cliffords brother, man representing
himself to be such, called at the court
prison and tried to see the prisoner. He
went away angered when he was told that
he could not see him by orders of the dis
trict attorneys office.
Before Clifford was arrested David Mann
was arrested on the same charge. He has
known Clifford from his schoolboy days
and it is alleged the $4,000 was entrusted
to him to be held until Clifford proved that
his part of the contract had been carried
out Clifford and ten other aldermen did
vote for Mr.. Cowing yesterday, and then
Clifford went at once to meet Mann. The
money had just been handed to him when
detectives seized the alderman. Mann has
sworn to an affidavit affecting Clifford, who
declared that the money was given to MIN
as the result of a business transaction.
Clifford pleaded not guilty to the charge,
and said he was thirty years old and
builder. Before he was taken to another
room to telephone for a bondsmen he said:
They prepared this trap and tried to
catch US. l didn't receive cent from any
attache of the district attorneys office.
That $1,000 l got from Mann for
business consideration. l have had rela-
tions with him in the building trade for
years, and that money 1 got from him was
for business deal. When that man Hard
ing came to me and offered money to me
for my vote 1 told him l wasn't in that
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