Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-18
JUGGLERY| TRACTION
New York Paper Railroad
That Cost a Million.

| NEW YORK, October 1S.-The public
service commission, upon the resumption
yesterday Of its investigation into traction
affairs, disclosed two new payments
amounting to $4,000 on account of the
purchase of the Wall and Cortlandt Street
Ferries Railway Company. These pay
ments bring the total cost to the Metro
poltan Securities Company of Anthony
N Bradys $250,OO0 paper railroad up to
| 81 ,O1O, 600
| The $4,000 was drawn from the treas
ury of the company upon the authorize
| ton of President II. H. Vreeland. who
| got the cash and accounted for it by say
| ing that it was to be used in taking up
certain claims against the Wall and Cort-
landt street company. Mr.. Vreeland got
| the money in October. 1902, which was
| about six months after Anthony N.
Brady had divided large part of his
$965,OO0 check among the Metropolitan
| insiders. The commission was unable to
| find out to whom President Vreeland paid
| the money.
Lawyer William NJ WINS was apparent
BY under the impression that he had I'M
covered sensational payment of $780,.
| 600 to somebody or other from the treas
ury of the Metropolitan Street Railway
| Company back in October of 1900. Mr..
WINS was particular, as he has been in
| many other cases, to call the commits
sion's attention to the fact that the check
| was drawn in a campaign year. The
check was drawn on the Morton Trust
| Company. payable to the order of the
| Metropolitan Street Railway Company
| and was signed by Mr.. Vree!and, as pres
| ident, and Charles R. Warren, as secre-
| tary. The check was Endorsed by both
| Mr.. Vreeland and Mr.. Warren. 1t had
| not been taken from the MetrOpolitan's
| regular perforated check book, but from
a pocket or private book.
We find no reference to the transac-
ton in any of the documents that are
still extant." said Mr.. Iv.ns. Most Of the
Metropolitans books prior to 1903 have
been destroyed.)
E. w. Sayre, the company's secretary
could throw no light upon the payment by
the company to itself Of $250,OO0.
Paul D. Cravath, the Metropolitan's at
torney, called Mr.. WINS attention to the
fact that the company's passbOok shows
a deposit to the company's credit of $780,,
600 on the same day. Mr.. Cravath was Of
the opinion that the money had gone out
and came back into the bank on the same
daY.
Mr.. WINS said he wanted more light on
this transaction. There is no stub entry
in the companys BIO )ks of this check. and
nothing to show when how the sum
was Used or into whose hands it went
Fortunes for Lawyers.
Marvin Scudder the commissions ex-
pert accountant, testified that the Metro
pol;tan system had expended in lawyers
LES from February II, 1902, to September
80 of the present year 81, 154, 0J6.G4. OF
this amount $916, 1856 was paid by the
Metropolitan Securities Company. These
totals include the S21-,CJ0 that went to
Lemuel E. Quigg.
OF the 81. 154.OOO pad out by the system
Cut h,ia Han1arSnn r. ixynH
$40, 54S.6 from which $SS,4iS.6 SO is
to be deducted for expenditures by them.
They received fee OF $4,000 for draw
i;.g the lease under which the New YORK
c4ty railway controls the Metropolitan and
SO. 600 fol services II connection with
tire Ainory case. For their general serv-
ICES the firm received between $4,000 and
$GO.Ctv {. year from the Metropolitan sys-
tenn.
Here are some of the other disburse-
ments made by the Metropolitan system
to lawyers since 1892:
L. E. Quigg, s2l7.30I.77.
H. D. MACEDONIA. S3S, o36.2S.
William H. Page. jr., SI7.O43.89.
J. L. Quackenbush s32 0S3. 80.
Delaney Nicoll. $4,000.
Nicoll. Annabell & Lindsay, so. 427.66.
Elihu Root. $4,000.
]. Sergeant Cram. $4,000.
Edward Lauterbach $4,000.
Hoadley, Lauterpach & Johnson, $23 $50
Daniel F. Cohalan. 5000.
Boardman. Platt q Solely, 5000.
Charles F. Brown, $50. 800.
Elihu Roots Fees.
In answer to questions as to payments
to various lawyers. Mr.. Cravath. who
took the stand. produced a letter to Mr..
WINS, which said, among other things:
THE fees paid by the Metropolitan
Securities Company and the Metropolitan
Street Railway Company to Mr.. Root
were for services rendered during the
period of one year and five months inter
Vening between his retirement as Secre-
tary of War, on February 1, 1904. and his
appointment as Secretary of State, on
July l, 1905, during which period he had,
as you will remember, resumed the active
practice of his profession.
During that period Mr.. ReSt took part
in the argument Of the special franchise
tax cases in the United States Supreme
Court, and performed other important pro-
Pfessonal services. The payment to Mr..
Root of 5000 on January 10. 1905. was,
as the voucher shows. for services for the
half year ending with July, 1905, during
which month he re-entered the cabinet as
Secretary OF State.
The fees Of $1,000 to Edward M. Shep-
ard were for professional services which
mo hS aft