Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-18
'C0NGER Names late SEM
AT0R nixon AS THIRD MAN
Who Received Bride Money from Bridge
Companies===Allds' Counsel Keeps Con-
ger Going On His Own Connection
With the Bribery At Albany, N. Y.

representative of the bridge interests
IN the Legislature and as being ac-
tuated by revenge in bringing against
Aids the charges the Senate is now
investigating. because of Aids hos
t'lfy to the business interests wherein
Conger had money invested. Conger
followed their lead with q readiness
that can be explained by a desire to
convince his colleagues that he would
not nave handled bride money unless
ne and his business associates had
peen held up" by legislators and the
bridge interests in the past had had
70 choose between hlackmail and ruin.
Ehe efforts OF Aids counsel to dis
credit Cenger and prove his motive
was revenge brought the witness down
to his 9rese mt term as a senator, which
began last year. They showed Conger's
eEortS as senator to have the high
way law which had injured the bridge
companies mended. Conger helped to
draft a bill which sought to alter the
law by raising the referendum limit
regarding bridge building to S2500 and
$4,000 in accordance with the size of
the town affected. Senator Heacock in
PRODUCED the bill and it passed the Up
per House unanimously But in the
Assembly it fell into the hands of the
committee on rules and there it died
in the closing days of thesession. "
The defence expects to put witness
es on the stand to prove that the rules
committee was urged by Aids not to
let the bill pass. When this phase of
the case is reached Speaker Wads-
worth, chairman of the rules commit
tee, is expected to take the stand.
This stage in the proceedings today
was enlivened by Senator Heacock of
Herkeimer county, who rose in his seat
and directed a series of questions at
the witness which contained violent
attack upon the autocratic power Of
the rules committee.
The announcement of Speaker Nix
on's name came within five minutes
of adjournment and apparently had
no relation to the testimony which had
preceded. AS when he revealed Bur-
nett'S name. Conger refused to answer
the question propounded by Attorney
Carr until the chairman had directed
and his own counsel had so advised
Today, Conger. IN answer to Cars
question, declared definitely that Bur-
rctt'S name was on the envelope that
held the $4,000. He said he watched Moe
deliver this package Of money to Bur
nett, but did not witness the transfer
of money from Moe to Nixon.
II took Mo to the Speakers room"
s2id CCnger. land introduced him to
Nixon, then went outside and closed
the door
S. Fred Nixon probably held more
power than any other member Of the
Assembly who occupied the Speakers
chair. He first entered the lower House
in 1887 and served almost consecutively
prior to his election as Speaker in 1899.
He ruled the Assembly continuously
up to the time of his death in the fall
of 1905. Il naturally wanted to protect
my business" remarked Conger in the
course of His examination. This was the
attitude he attributed to the bridge
companies when he admitted that they
raised a Legislative fund"
Co1ger struggled hard against nam
ing the bridge concerns which contrib
uted to this fund in 1909 and which
were represented at the meeting in
1905 at Syracuse, which resulted in a
stand against further legislative
"blackmair' as Conger called it.
One of the surprises of the evidence
was the small amount of the legisla-
tive fund raised by the bridge compa-
MES N 1909.
Congcr swore that it was only $4,000
and that nearly dozen concerns con-
tributed.
The name of Col George W. Dunn,
chairman of the Republican state COM
mittee in 1902, was brought definitely
into the evidence today, thus making
him available as a witness in future
Investigations. Conger said that he
called on Dunn at his office here and
made a contribution for both himself
and the bridge companies. He did not
say how much it was.
Another possible. future witness
brought to light today is the former
manager Of the Groton Bridge Co.
Congcr said that this man, whose
name is I.andon, acted as treasurer of
the fund which the other bridge COM
panies turned in to the Groton concern
for their legislative protection. Mr..
ai.ior Is nos; III the grocery business
in E:otor.
Tn" failure = the Republican leaders
t. act ulon either Of the measures row