Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-20
TO KILL RACING BILL
Fund of $500,000 Said to
Have Been Raised in New York
GARDENERS STORY RET0LD
Assistant Attorney Elders State.
ment to Merritt Committee.
PROMINENT NAMES INVOLVED
Representative Foelker Says He
Was Offered Money and Political
Assistance for His Vote.
PROMINENT NAMES INVOLVED

NEW YORK, October o0.-Robert Elder,
first assistant district attorney Of Kings
county (Brooklyn) yesterday afternoon
before the Merritt joint legislative COM
mittee repeated a converse ton he said
he had had with former Senator Gardner
regarding the alleged conspiracy to de-
feat Gov. Hughes race-track legislation.
The narrative created a sensation.
Briefly, it told of a dinner at Delmon-
icos of prominent men, friendly to the
race-tracks, of $4,000 subscribed to a
corr upton fund, of the distribution of this
fund to politicians and to we'll known
political correspondents at Albany of the
New York newspapers.
Mr.. Elder did not vouch as of his own
knowledge for the truth of what he re-
peated. Gardner came to his private Of
flee in March at his request. Elder con-
tinued:
Il told him I wanted to know about the
efforts made at Albany to defeat the race
track bills. / told him that l had indict-
ments against certain men, and this his
information might help.
Meeting at Delmonico's.
'FF'inally Gardner said: L don't mind
telling you that there was a meeting at
a. "HiIll HiOHcy was SuU-
scribed' He mentioned the names of sew
eral men who were there, including men,
bers of the Metropolitan Turf Association
and the bookmakers. lie said that among
the men there that l remember were
James r. Keene David Mitchell, Mr.. Par
sons, Harry Payne Whitney and Charles
III. Hyde.
Charles H. Hyde is now chamberlain of
New York city and was formerly a law
partner of Mayor Gaynor. James r.
keene is the we'll known racing man and
millionaire stock market operate Mr..
Parsons" was not further identified.
He" tGardner), continued Mr. Elder,
said there was a dispute about who
should handle the money. Finally, he
said, $4,000 given to James Gaffney
of the legislature-Tammany men,"
James c. Gaffney is president of the
Gaffney Construction Company, which has
handled many municipal contracts.
Immense Fund Alleged.
Il asked him the total amount of this
fund.- the witness resumed, land he said,
oh. considerable 1 told him that had
leard $4,000. He said that if l had
guessed sJOO.OOO 1 would have been nearer
the mark. OF this sum. he said, Senator
Grady got only $1,000, and l might i'm
agine what the others got.
Senator IdcCarren, he said, was angry
because he didn't have the handling of
the fund and because a strange man was
going up there expecting to get away with
such a proposition. He attributed the
passage of the bill to McCarren's dis
plea sure McCarren was secretly in favor
of the bill, he said and wanted to be re-
venged because he had not been con-
suited"
Taking Care" of Correspondents.
Then came mention of the press. He"
(;ardner), resumed Mr.. Elder, "said tho
newspaper men were literally taken care
of out of the fund" Asked for the names
of these men, Mr.. Elder said: Il recall
he said a man named Joe McEntee of the
sun. got $1,000; that Patrick Relihan Of
the Press, got $1,000; that Louis Seibold
of the World, got $1,000; George Jandrin
Of the Brooklyn Citizen $1,000. and Tir-
rell of the Brooklyn Eagle; $500, H esea said a
After Mr.. Elder finished his testimony
George Tirrell secretary to Controller
Prendergast. and until January 1 Albany
correspondent OF the he, Broo Ky. LII.
had offered him $500 at Albany and he
had declined 1t. Just before adjournment
was taken until today Mr.. Bruce, coun-
sci for the committee, said:
II do not state that these newspaper
gentlemen accepted the money, but 1
Shall afford them full opportunity to tell
their stories.
Seibold's Indignant Denial.
Concerning the statement of Mr. Elder,
Mr.. Seibold made this statement last
night:
las 1 understand Mr.. Elders state
ment, he says that former Senator Gard
ner told him that he had paid money to
certain newspaper men, of whom l was