The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-02-24
Aids Counsel AssailS Bridge
Companies
CHARGES CORRUPTION
The Name Of Platt Logged into the
Inquiry-The Accused Gives up
His Place as Pro Tenn.
President.

Albany, N. y, Feb. 24.--A savage e,
tack on che bridge thieves, lea BY a
man who confesses he is a bride giver,9
marked the opening yesterday Of senator
lothian P. Aids defense on senator
Benn conger's bribery charges.
The bridge interests with which Aids
accuser and his family were prominently
identified were declared by Allds chief
counsel, Martin W. dttleton, to con.
stitute the most contemplate and yet
tho most perfect business organization
that the country has ever known.
Littleton charges that the bridge com.
panies not only corrupted tie little town
officers ia the state, but that @the trail
Of their unspeakable villainy spread over
FIVE commonwealth and he reminded
the Senate that after they were indicted
for conspiracy in Boston President
Roosevelt appealed 70 Congress TO curb
them.
II developing these charges Lttletor
produced a copy Of the famous "Clege-
land agreement" BY which the bridge
companies Of New York. Pennsylvania,
Maryland. West Virginia Kentucky.
Ohio, Indiana and Michigan planned in
1901 to pool their interests.
There we're some anxious faces n TIE
state capitol Yesterday, when Senator
Aids opened Is defense on the Conrer
bribery charges During the cross-ex.
animation Of senator Conger's witnesses
through big attorneys Aids showed
disposition to tear things wide open, and
IL was easy TO conjecture what he would
do when he got the investigation in bis
own hands.
Aids hopes 70 prove that the bridge
interests exertad such a corruptur inau.
enee upon state politics and legislation
that their allegations are unworthy oil
belief.
Aids Is not expected to fake TIE stand
until next week.
The first sensation came AZ the very
opening Of Littieton's address He an.
nomced That Aids had filed with the
clerk Of the Senate bis resignation IS
president pro tenn Of the Senate
Littleton said that BIS client resigned
in order that no valid question might
arise, and that the senators might deter
mine the charge against him without r
strietions. couger was not az rs coun
sells table when the Investigation opened
Mr. Littleton outlined the history 81
highway legislation Re promised g
show that the bills which have been THE
confer Of the present inquiry were sent
out Of the assembly internal affairs com
mitteo with amendments favorable to |
the bridge companies on April 3, 1907 on
the orders Of Senator conger, n the
absence Of the chairman Of the commit
tee. Assemblyman Doughty.
q shall attempt to prove" be vent
on that there was s scheme 81 swnd
ling and Iootine BY the bridge companies (
81 which Senator Conger and his brother
were the chief heads; chat the corrup |
tion fund was for the purpose Of protect.
ing them from the conspiracy they had
formed and for which they were proved
guilty in Boston,
Mr. Littleton's address eontrasted
situation and set speculation At work
with ruinor that Mr.. Littleton's charges
may b called 70 the attention Of tie
state and county prosecutors As soon a.
the developments 81 tho present inquiry
furnish sufficient evidence. Besides prom
ising 70 show the Senate that any
charges emanating from the bridge IN
terests were net worthy Of considering,
Mr. Iittleton told the Senate that Re
would show that his client acted al be
did regarding the bridge bills 81 1901
on The order Of Thomas G. Platt, who
II that time was United States senator
and recognized leader Of the Republican
party il The state. Telcmams and let
ters from Platt were produced to show
this
Mr. Iittleton closed his address at one
o'clock with this challenge
This Is to be a war to the knife. and
Snife 70 the hilt; and let the fttest
survive
The Senate then took a recess.