Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-10-22
CONVICT TELLS
OF RACE BILLS
Schroeder Says He Did Not
Offer Foelker Money to
Oppose Measures.
TESTIMONY IN SING SING

New York, Oct. 22.-Frederick FL.
Schroeder, a convict la Sing Sing pris-
on, testifying before the Legislative
| graft committee, which had gone on
| purpose from New York to the prison,
| gave the lie to the statement of Con-
gresham Otto G. Foelker Of Brooklyn
that he offered Foelker $4,000 to vote
against Governor Hughes ~antirace
bills In the senate at Albany.
He admitted with an air of candor
that at the behest of Senator Conrad
Hasenf1ug, Patrick McCarren's man,
he urged Foelker to vote against the
measures.
He also brought into the history OF
this transaction Alfred T. Hobley,
sheriff of Kings county, who by a
strange quirk of politics is nov con-
testing for FoeIker's seat In congress
with an Independence League indorse-
ment, and finally be admitted that he
understood a big corruption fund had
been subscribed to beat the bills, but
he denied that he ever saw or handled
any Of the bride money or indeed of
his own knowledge that he knew of Its
existence.
The last few minutes of Schroeder's
appearance before the commission
were marked by acrimonious passages
among certain Of Its members, the two
Democrats protesting that the chair
man and a majority Of his associates
were trying by inference to accuse the
whole Democratic party Of conspiracy
to debauch legislation in favor of the
gamblers.
Schroeder Is a ruddy checked, griz-
zled headed, handsome man of sixty
FIVE, wearing the trim gray uniform of
a first grade prisoner with the white
badge of a probationer on his right
coat sleeve and carrying in his hand
the fiat topped convict's cap. This
gray clad man was Schroeder, former
vice president of the Eagle
Loan and Savings company and now
about completing an indeterminate
sentence for stealing about $4,000 of
the funds intrusted to him.
The old man seemed perfectly at
ease. There was a high color in his
round cheeks. As he marched In,
head up and coat fastened to the col
lar, with its single row of fiat metal
buttons, he looked more like an elderly
military officer than a felon.
He bowed toward where the COM
mission sat grouped about a big cen
ter table, took in the row of reporters
backed up against the wall, with q
twinkle in his clear blue eyes, took the
oath and then sat down in an attiture
of easy dignity in the chair that had
been put forward for him. Just above
his head was n framed portrait of
Tim Woodruff, his one time business
associate.
Schroeder described an interview
with Foelker, regarding the antiracing
bills, as follows:
"On a Sunday in 1908, 1 don't know
the date" began Schroeder, 81 was
called to the phone and Senator Has
en1ug wanted to speak to me. He
said, Fred, what is the matter with
that id senator OF yours? Some says
he will vote against the racing bin and
some says he will vote for 1t. We
need his vote against the bin, and 1
wish you would try to get it 1 said
| would.
1.-THE next Monday 1 asked Mr..
Foelker to meet me at my office and
told him his vote was wanted very
badly. l told him If he had any Do
litical aspirations 1t would kill them to
vote for the bill, He said he would
talk to Al Hobley about it. l told
.Hasenhug and advised him to see Hob
ley about it.
THAT is the only time I spoke to
Foelker about the race track bills.
There was nothing said about $4,000
or $4,000. l believe L. had heard
there was a fund of s 1,000.0oO or $780,
900"
''was there anything said by Mr..
Hasenfug that made you believe you
were to sound Foelker and e If he
was In a receptive attitudeT'
~ presumed they were after him
with money. but Hasenlug never said
anything about money, eve suggest
I'd it"
r~~-H - A.. NryUI