The Washington herald., 1907-01-22
BURTON UNDER FIRE
Plaintiff in ElkinS Case Is
CPOSS-eXamined.
SCORES BALTIMORE OFFICIALS
Says West Virginia Senator Called
ex-MayOr Hays "a FOOI' and City
COuRciImen "Set of Thieves''-Tells
About His Holdings In the West
ern Maryland Railroad.

BaiIlngreS CITY council IS puStllaht-
NOUS" in the estimation of Robert Bur
ton, who testified yesterday in the suit
Of Robert Burton and George \. DUbTueil
against Senator Ell1ins to recover $500, 900
for services alleged 70 be due them from
the West Virginia statesman. This Opin-
ion of Mr.. Burton of the city fathers OF
the Monumental City was given by him
to Senator Ell1ins In the course Of a con-
veFsation Mr.. Burton alleged they had in
connection with the purchase OF the West
ern Maryland Railroad by the Fuller syn
dicate in 1902. To this none TOO nattering
opinion Of Baltimore's wise men. Senator
Elkins according to Mr.. Burton's testi-
mony yesterday is alleged to have re
piled:
"Pusillanimous is not the word; they
are a set Of thieves. Why, one man now
wants $4,000 for his vote"
Senator EIkins is also alleged to have
termed cx-Mayor Hayes. Of Baltimore,
"a fool"
After Attorney Yellott. for the plaintiffs,
had finished his examination Of Burton,
late in the afternoon, Attorney 4. s.
Worthlngton, counsel for Senator EllCns.
began his cross-examinatiOn Of Burton,
which viii be continued this morning at
10 o'clock Senator Elkins, it is now
thought, Will not be placed on the stand
before the end Of this week or the be-
ginning of next
The testimony of Mir. Burton yesterday
consisted largely Of interviews he is al
legged to have had with Senator ElkinS
personally, as we'll as over the telephone.
Mr.. Burton testified that Senator Elkins
had always received him most cordially
until after the Fuller bid had been ac-
cepJed. when. he said, the Senator treated
him coldly- Mr.. Burton said that upon
one occasion. when he saw Eikins in
Washington in front Of his residence, the
latter drove away At q rapid pace In his
automobile 10 escape him. lie testified he
performed some work for Senator ElkinS
in connection with having the Fuller bid
accepted by the Baltimore city council
He said that one Of the members of the
second branch, George Stewart Brown.
told him that If he could be made TO be-
lieve that George j. Gould was behind the
proposition he would vote for IT, as
he was IN favor of getting Could 10 come
10 Baltimore with his railway systems.
Head or Fuller Syndicate.
At this juncture Attorney Yellott offered
in evidence a letter Of introduction from
Senator Elkins TO Z. /. Fuller, who he
said was the nominal head Of the Fuller
syndicate. In this letter Senator Elkins
said he could tank freely with Burton,
and that he would be Of use "tO us"
meaning the syndicate. Burton testified
he talked freely concerning the matter
with F. /. Landsreet. who was in the
syndicate, and also talked with Fuller
concerning il. He had talked with Sena-
tor EIkins Mr. Fuller and Mr. Land
street about the work being done in the
city council. At one Of his interviews
with Senator Elkins he told him he was
having much trouble in getting the ordi-
nance through; that is. the ordinance pro-
viding that the city should accept the
Fuller bid, in return for which the city
would convey TO the syndicate its full
interest in the Western Maryland Rail-
road Company.
THE city council is pusillanimous. Mr..
Burton said he told Senator Elkins, 10
which the latter replied: "Pusillanimous
is not the word. They are set OF thieves
Why. one man now wants $4,000 for his
vote"
At this interview. Mr. Burton testified,
Senator Elzins declared that Mayor
Hayes was a fool. At a later interview.
Burton said. he reported TO Senator FL
kins that ne believed the Fuller bid would
be accepted, provided the sum Of S2fO
claimed by the city as interest was paid;
that Elkins told him to see Mr.. Fuller
and Mr.. Landstreet about this but he
found they were both out Of town where
upon Senator Elkins told him TO see Ne
Comas, Gather, and GreenbaUm, and tell
them they had his authority 10 make this
increase in the bid. The bid was suhse-
quently increased to that amount, Mr..
Burton said, and il was accepted on that
condition.