The Washington herald., 1908-04-25
HUGHES TO WIN OUT
Senator Cassidy to Join Anti
gambling Forces.
WILL VOTE FOR THE BILLS
Mistake in Telegram Sent fram
Washington Caused sOIon to Vote
sender-Telegraph Company En-
pIOye Promptly Dismissed.

| Special to The Washington Herald.
New York. April 24-The anti-race-
track gambling bills viii be passed at the
extra session of the legislature in May.
Senator Owen Cassidy, of Schuyler
County, one Of the eight Republicans who
voted against the bills in the regular ses-
sion. viii. ia response TO the overwhelm-
ing sentiment Of his district. and on the
advice of Representative J. Sloat Fassett.
the local leader. change his vote to the
Affirmative.
This change is the result OF a most
sensational discovery made bS Senator
Cassidy that a telegram sent to him from
Washington by Representative Fassett
was falsifed in transmission.
The telegram naturally aroused suspi-
cion that friends of President Roosevelt
were working against Gov. Hughes and
trying to defeat his most important meas
ure.
During the fight on the anti-race-trac
gambling bills Senator Cassidy was one
of the few men who refused to take sides
When the fight became so close that it
was apparent single vote would be de-
cisive. the interest in Senator Cassidy's
attitude became widespread.
On the day of the vote Cassidy received
telegram from Representative Fassett
in Washington. He thereupon voted
against the bills, and their fate was
sealed.
Telegram Cassidy Got.
The telegram that Cassidy received ad-
vised him to vote against the bills He
showed the message to friends, and the
report was Immediately spread abroad
that the influence of the Federal authori-
ties was being used to kill the measures.
Nor did many emphatic disclaimers re-
lieve Albany Of this impression. Even
the letter Of Representative Cocks, of the
Presidents home district TO Senator Ag-
new, saying that the President was not
interfering in the fight, was without effect
in view Of the Fassett telegram.
But now IL turns out that Representa-
tive Fassett wished Senator Cassidy TO
stand by Gov. Hughes and support the
bills. The telegram was changed some
where between the Capitol in Washing
ton and the capitol in Albany so that
when Senator Cassidy received it the
meaning was precisely the reverse OF that
intended.
According to report the message was
changed in the telegraph Office in Wash
ington by the insertion of the word not
A thorough investigation is now being
made. and the result Will soon be known.
Roosevelt for Bills.
Friends Of President Roosevelt who have
been falsely accused Of bad faith in con-
nection with the anti-gambling bills are
glad that an unfortunate misunderstand-
ing is being cleared up.
Congressman Fassett said that resolu-
tions will be passed indorsing the admin
istrations of President Roosevelt and Gov.
Hughes. with a strong anti-gambling
plank.
No one undertakes to say whether the
change IN the telegram was made by de-
sign or by accident. But according TO
the rumor, the message that Representa-
tive Fassett sent contained eighteen
words whereas the message received by
Senator Cassidy contained nineteen, the
fatal negative presumably being the ex-
ira word.
Representative Fassett, who was at his
home in Elmira to-day, was interviewed
over the long distance phone in regard
to the falsified telegram
All ! care to say about it at this