The sun., 1910-02-25
BUILDING UP ALLDS'S CASE
EFFORT TO SHOW CONSISTENCY
IN BRIDGE LEGISLATION.
senate Declines to Permit the Testimony
at Present-COnger COUtradscted In
Some Detalls-CIash over AOlCis's
successor as the Party Leader.

Some DetalIs-CIash over Allds'i
successor as the Party Leader
ALRANY. Feb. 2I.-The chief incident,
Of interest in the Aids trial to-day were
what appeared to some Senators to bs
undue haste in the election Of a success
sor to Senator Aids as president pre-
tenn Of the Senate and the appealof Martin
W. Littleton against Senator Brackett 5
disposition to keep out a line OF testi-
mony for the defence which he said the
prosecution had been permitted to fol-
low. ..... "..
Last night few OF the so-called insur-
gent Senators announcedthas the Repub-
lican Senators would hold conferences
tonight to select a president pro tenn.
They pointed out this was a constitutional
ONCE and that the placing OF Senator
AIlds's letter Of resignation upon the
journal OF the Senate yesterday operated
to create a vacancy.
Il developed that Senator Aids had
filed his resignation without consult
ing any OF his Republican colleagues.
Several Senators who had supported
Aids for the leadership felt IL might
prejudice him In the minds OF the people
should his successor as president pro
tenn be selected before the conclusion
Of the trial.
Senators Bracket and Newcomb had
a petition circulated among the Repub-
lican Senators with q view Of having n
conference tonight to name a new
president. but the general opinion was
against such haste. Senator Davis
finally announced a conference would
be held on next Tuesday night to consider
the question.
Certain OF Senator Allds's friends said
that he never agincd for a moment
that his resignation would be used by any
Of his Republican colleagues to advance
their own personal interests at this time.
or that any action would be taken in the
immediate future which would have any
effect upon his trial. Finally number Of
Republican Senators talked with Senator
Aids, and the announcement Of Senator
Davis was the result. The insurgent
Senators announced that Senator Hinman
would not be a candidate for President
pro tenn and that they would make no
contest IL the vacancy. was filed at once.
and that they would support Senator
George A. Davis OF Erie for the PLACE,
Senator Davis was the choice Of Sena-
tor Aids for majority leader and acting
President pro tenn. pending the result OF
the Aids trial.
A discussion followed the attempt OF
Allds's counsel to have Asseulblyman
Edwin A. Merritt. Jr.. the Republican
leader Of the House, who wac a member
last year when that committee killed The
Hescock bridge bill. tell OF the successful
efforts Sens tor Aids had made to kill
the bill in the Assembly Rules Commit
tee. The Heacock bill was one Senator
Conger had drafted to lessen the re-
strictions in the new highway law q sgsi inst
bridge construction in certain contin-
gencies, even though the people refused
70 vote in favor OF such work.
Mr.. Littleton wanted this testimony
TO base his point that Allds's continued
hostility to legislation desired by the
bridge companies, which eliminated in
his opposition tn the Heacock bill last
year, furnished Senator Conger's motive
for making the bribery chPrge rgainst
Aids. Mr.. Osborne contended that
ton to the Heacock bill and that conse-
ouentTy IL could not have furnished q
motive and that Merritt testimony
therefore was inmaterial End irrelevant.
Senator Brackett also insisted that what
Aids might have said to Mr.. Merritt
ives no more than n declaration Of Aids
in his own favor and was not competent
Senator Grady agreed that according
to the strict rules Of evidence Mr.. Mer-
ritt's testimony might perhaps be ruled
out. but that IL was just IS admissible
as much Of the evidence which WIS sd-
mitted while the prosecutions side wss
being presented and that Senator Breckett
sat mum then.
Ireesrd It ss OF srest irnport, roe to
n -
END ss ot great enlightenmert IN the
Senators IL this evidence be permitted tn
he introduced. lam entitled TO show that
Senator Aids has me 'nts ned IN pttitude
of uncompromising hostility 90 the leris-
lstion which hes been foieted on the
Legisle ture of this State by the bridge
interests. II , cen prove th~t rt rnv
point in the history Of the Ettempt Of tie
bridge comps nies to enS ct legislr tinn.
th-t in cnlv ono insts rce h-s Ser~ tor
Aids ever lifted the weight af h's }" nd To
assist them. end thrt inst nee yrs wFep
he ives requested ~ do so bv TIE .Ie~ der
of h's pr rty in the ST to. Sem tor Tto-ass
c. Plett. and only in obed'ance To ts>t
request, I should be Pllowed TO prove tn,
for two rensons. II rniSht eeconnt for
the h0stihtv Sep"tor Cnn~ar k~s P~rinst
Senstor Aids end it might show tie re- son
for the motive on the pPrt Of Senator
Con9er to make en- accuse tion wholly
untrue or TO mike Hn eccusP tionf ~
which Re would add sn exaggerated
ST. tement.
we are entitled to show II for the t
purpose. And for n lPrRer pnrrnse we
Sre entitled to show Sem tor Allds's hos-
tility TO this legislation from tire begin-
ninS to the end. IL is not likely il is not
probah hle. It 10 net TT ell within the r nSe
OF probability. thst a msn who ~ show
an uncompromising hostile rttituds IN
legisls tion foisted on tire Leeislr ture hv
the bridge interests would in 1901. in the
me nner described bv CopSer md Noe.
receive money for the bridre interests
for the purpose Of infuencin- his rct'on.-
Chairman Davis susi aimed Mr.. Osborr~'s
objection to Mr.. Merritt stating what Mr..
Aids had said about the Heacock bill
to the members ~ the Rules Committee.
remarking that Senator Aids could Re
placed upon the stand and testify to that.
Chairman Davis said. however. that he
thought Il would be proner for counsel
to show what Senator Aids did in the
Rules Committee and that that would be
the pending question in the morning.
A dozen witnesses were called bv the
defence to-day with view II combating
Senator ConRer's declaration that the
bridge bills were strike bills and that
the brid1e companies had succumbed to
blackmsil.
The witnasses included the nnambers OF