New-York tribune., 1907-10-02
BIG CHECK A PUZZLE.
UOOrch6ad Can't Tell about One
for FiUc Million Dollars.

Surprising all in interest at the Public Ser
vice Commissions inquiry into the Metropoi-
itan Street Railways affairs was the testimony
Of Lemuel Ely Quigg. self-cOnfessed LOBBYIST
and puller of strings for the Ryan transit con
Germs Quietly, calmly, "a matter-of-fact way
as If he were talking of a pleasant trip on the
Sound in his motor boat. Mr.. Ouigg admitted
the receipt of more than 100000 from the COM
pany from the latter part of 1908 up 10 date
and the expenditure of most OF that sum for
promoting or Tetarding the advancement OF
legislation and for the advancement of the
Ryan Company's subway plans and interests in
opposition TO those of August Belmont. For
himself. Mr.. Quigg testified that he received at
first $4,000 year. later $1,000. "and fees
on special occasions. He hired as ''ad-
wiser generally TO the company by II II.
vreeland even before he was admitted to the
bar. and Mr.. Vreeland passed on his bills.
II was late in the afternoons work before Mr.
Quigg called to the stand. and already
sensational testimony regarding the amount OF
money paid to him out of the special coustruc-
tiOn account and the subway construction aC-
count had been given by d c. MOOrehead and
Msrvyn Scudder the commissions consulting
accountant To all of it Mr.. Quigg had listened.
sometimes breaking into hearty chuckIe at
some whispered comment made by Delaney
NicoI who sat at his side Then finally William
NJ WINS called the lawyer-lobbyist To the
stand.
Every in the crowded room stared as he
walked deliberately 10 the chair at the end Of
the semi circular desk where sat Chairman
Wilcox and Commissioners Eustis and NcCar-
roll Quite slowly. without the slightest symp-
tom of nervousness. he took the oath and then
settled himself comfortably into his chair. glanc
ing through a bundle OF cancelled checks and
memoranda which he carried. He was strik-
bronzed skin. His close cropped grizzled mus
tache had been shaved off. leaving completely
exposed the play OF an expressive mouth. with a
peculiarly sarcastic smile He dressed
immaculately-a dark gray suit. standing collar
and black necktie
The only things IN the witnesses entire bear
ing which indicated that he himself felt he was
undergoing a trying ordeal when Mr.. Ivins began
To ask him about his services for the transit
company were a scrupulous nicely in the choice
of words as he answered and an elaborate care
in enunciation. His manner was thrown into
strong contrast with that of D. G.. MoOrehead.
the first witness. who had been palpably ner-
vous Mr. Qulgg. in reply to Mr.. Ivins's intro
ductory question. said without hesitation that
he received S217SO7 a from the Metropolitan
Street Railway Company from November -
1903 up 10 date. Also without doubt this
amount might be divided into two classes. II
Mr. Wins chose-one group of payments amount
ing to S151 ,246 3S vouched FOR in general state
rnent: the other, $66.O61 AZ. for which separate
vouchers had been rendered at various times
Mr. Quigg was an attorney at law he testi-
fed. admitted to the bar in February 1904
Prior TO that time his services for the street
railway company had not been those of an at
torney. He had been a newspaper mamie
would not admit that he was Journalists
reporter correspondent and editorial writer: a
member of Congress from 1898 10 1899 and a
member Of the New York County Republican
Committee from 1897 to a year age. He was
president of that body from 1897 until the ad-
journment of the national convention in 1900.
Then. seeing the meaning which Mr. Ivius might
try later TO attach to his political activities
Mr. Qugg volunteered:
BEGAN WORK IN 1889
May l add right there-my relations with
the Metropolitan Street Railway Company be-
gan. l think in the fall of 1899"
When first employed by the company he went
on sereneIy, he acted as adviser generally on
the affairs ef the cOmpany-nOt as a lawyer
vet employed much though I had been"
Mr. vreeland employed him. Later. when ad-
mitted to the bar. he became practically one OF
the company's staff
Next Mr. Wins wanted explanation of a
bill rendered to the Interurban Street Railway
Company for s476 So. the voucher for which
specified office rent. telephone calls teIegrams.
telephones and expenses to Albany Mr. Ouis<
recognized his handwriting. and in reply 70 a
little passag -at-arms between Mr.. WINS and
Paul d Cravath admitted that vouchers of this
sort would have been found if the older books
of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company
had not been destroyed from the time of his
AFTER ALL. UShER'S THE SCOTCH