Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-31
RAID ON THE S0L0NS
Effort to Unearth Legislative
Secrets in New York.
RIGID INQUIRY ASSURED
Investigation Of Charges Of Bribery
Conducted by State Superintend-
ent of Insurance.

NEW YORK, March dissatisfied that
nothing more regarding corruption in
connection with fire insurance legislation
| at Albany was to be obtained just now
OF William h. Buckley, legislative agent
of fire insurance companies, Superintend-
ent of Insurance Hotchkiss indicated his
intention of barking back today to early
| developments in his sensational raid on
legislative secrets.
With the resumption of the investiga-
ton after a days interval Elijah r. Ken
nedy, the legislative agent, who made the
first revelations in the inquiry, was ex-
| pected back for further questioning. Mr..
| Hotchkfss was anxious to learn if the
| disburser of fire insurance company funds
| back in 1901 had refreshed his memory
sufficiently to remember the names of
some other individuals besides George w.
Aldridge. to whom he made payments
while seeking to further the passage of a
bill in the interest of the companies.
Amount Of Campaign Fund.
Adridge got $1,000 for the republican
campaign fund in his district and the re-
publican state committee got $1,000, Ken
nedy testified when previously sworn.
There were other payments, but Kennedy
could not recall to whom they were made.
Supt Hotchkiss today went into the
history of casualty and surety company
legislation at Albany. He had a long
| list of witnesses ready before the days
session of the inquiry opened.
| George F. Stewards charge that Ed
ward \. Brown offered in 1892, on behalf
of Senator Big Tim Sullivan, to have
an insurance bill killed for $4,000 was
corroborated in some details by E. E.
Clapp, formerly of the Fidelity and
Casualty Company, of which Mr.. seward
is president. Mr.. Clapp, who was the
| first witness today, is brother-in-law of
| former Warden Brown of Sing Sing
! prison.
Edward Brown Might Know.
a bill which would have restricted the
| business of the Fidelity and Casualty
Company. Clapp said that the warden
suggested to him that Edward Brown,
who was then purchasing agent at Sing
Sing, and was frequently at Albany.
might know of some way in which the
bill could be defeated. 1t was the warden
who suggested the meeting between Ed
ward Brown and Mr.. Seward. he said.
The witness said he arranged the meet
ing. and later heard from Mr.. Seward
that he had rejected Browns proposal.
The next witness was John B. Lunger
| of Hartford, Conn.,, who is vice presi-
! QenC OF the travellers insurance CON-
pany of Hartford. He said the Travellers
| first employed William H. Buckley in
January, 1908 Buckley was retained to
get the liability reserve bill through the
| New York state legislature solely on &C
| count of his familiarity with insurance
matters.
Calls for Payment.
| When the bill had been passed Buckley
called on the company for the payment
of SCI, 400. The company thought the
bill excessive. Mr.. Lunger said he came
| to New York and saw Buckley at the
Manhattan Hotel and asked him to re-
duce his bill. Buckley replied that the
| bill was a reasonable one and that he
| could not reduce 1t.
| What did Mr.. Buckley say to justify
| such a bill?" asked Mr.. Hotchkiss.
| He said he had been kept busy for
| several months. and had met much OPP
position, and had to do a great deal of
explaining"
did he tell you that he had paid out
| any money to any one in connection with
| the passage of the bill?'
| He did not
'And so your company paid to lawyer
who had been practicing law less than
two year $21. 400 for services covering
| less than five months?
| The witness assented.