The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-02-25
CONCER At Tackled.
Counsel For Aids Scores
the Bridge Companies.
He Pictures Accused Senator as De-
feating Evil Measures In Pub
lie Interest by Advice of
Leader Platt.

Albany. n. Y. Feb. "a - Senator
Aids inaugurated his defense. resign
ing as president pro TEN. of the sen
ate and as majority leader on the floor
of the senate. He said he resigned be-
cause he wanted to get on the same
level with Senator Benn Conger and
to fight his accuser man to man fash
ion.
Mr. Aids formsl resignation was
filed with the senate clerk and read
during the senate session. 1t was
spread upon the journal without ac-
ton, though the senate may accept the
resignation any time it pleases in the
future
That Senator Aids position upon
bridge legislation at the session of
1901 was based upon the desires of
United States Senator Thomas C.
Platt and not because of bribe from
the Congers was the declaration made
before the senate in his opening ad-
dress by Martin W. Littleton, counsel
for Senator Aids.
Mr.. Littleton characterized the
bridge companies as conspirators. leav-
ing throughout FIVE states a trail of
corruption among town officials. He
insisted the legislators were not black
maiers. but that the bridge companies
initiated the corruption funds to defeat
legislation suggested in the interests
Of the towns
After Senator COnger disclosed the
Aids bribery at the Ten Eyck confer
ence." he said, there was no obliga-
tion upon him to become the public
prosecutor of Senator Aids unless be
hind it was a motive of revenge be-
cause Senator Aids prevented the
Congers getting favorable bridge leg
islation
Now, gentlemen" continued Mr..
Littleton, was there blackmail in the
legislature? ] shall show you that at
that time there was spread over this
state and lis sister states and COM
monwealths the most gigantic scheme
Of swindling and looting by the bridge
companies of which this man and his
brother We're the chief heads that has
ever been spread over any common
wealth, looting town after town and
corrupting community after commu-
nifty.
Having got the legislation where
they could use II to the utmost and
put burdens on little communities of
this state and other states. they in
tended at all hazards to keep that leg
isIation there while they enriched
themselves through this scheme of ex-
ploitation and plumber, and that was
the motive which was underneath this |
so called blackmail.
I'VE will show that these were not
strike bills. We will show that these
were not blackmail bills. And if we
show that we think that we will have
overturned the profoundest claim that !
has been made by the other side. be- |
cause If their general statement is not
true ana their general claim is not |
true that they were fighting the black
mailers in the legislature, then their |
every claim must fall to the ground.
Il will demonstrate beyond question |
that Senator Aids has had an uncom-
promising hostility to this bridge leg !
islation from the very beginning. l !
Will show that this scheme of 1901, |
sworn to by Senator Conger and Mr.. |
Moe, is absolutely false; that Senator
Aids as an assemblyman never re-
ceived from them single dollar to in
huence his action in this legislature" !
Mr.. Littleton referred to the CORE
spondence and kilograms between Sen
ator Il. c. Platt, Editor Smyth of owe
go and Senator Aids regarding this
bridge legislation. He insisted there
was plenty TO show by this core
spondence that Senator Platt had
enough interest in the bill to warrant
Senator Aids using his best efforts to
defeat II.
The first witness for the defense was
Hiram r. Porter, who was clerk of
the assembly committee on internal
affairs in 1901. Porter testified that
the amendments which took the sting
out of the inlmicable legislation as
far as the bridge companies were con-
cerned We're handed to him by Sena-
tor Benn Conger, who was at the
time chairman Of the committee In
the absence OF George w. Doughty,
the regular chairman. Senator Con-
ger had declared that he did not know
where these amendments came from.