The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-02-18
NAMED BY CONCER
Senator Says ASSemblymen
Shared BribeS.
GOV. HUGHES TAXES A HAND.
Appoints Special Commission to In
vestigate Frauds In Purchase
of Adirondack Forest Lands
by New York State.


Albany, y. Y, Feb. 17.-Continuing
his testimony before the senate here
in connection with his charges of brib-
cry against Senator Jotham i. Aids,
Senator Benn Conger testified to the
name of a second assemblyman to
whom one OF the .h-ee Doodle envel-
Opes distributed by Hiram q. Moe was
given. 1t was that of the late Jean
l.. Burnett, who entered the assembly
from Ontario county in 1899 and serv-
ed successively until he died during
the session in February, 1907.
Mr.. Burnett had become one Of the
most influential members Of the house
presided over by the late Speaker S.
Fred Nixon and was chairman of the
assembly cities committee when he
died. At the time of the bribery Mr.
Burnett was chairman OF the assembly
general laws committee.
In discussing the history of the
bridge legislation of 1901 Senator Con
ger brought in the names of former
Assemblyman Louis Bedell of Orange
county, who was a member of the as
Sembly committee on rules at that
time, and the names OF several men,
bers of the internal affairs committee,
but there was no suggestion of the
use Of money by Senator Conger in
this connection
Governor Hughes added to the inter-
est in the Aids trial by appointing
two special commissioners to investi-
gate frauds in the purchase OF Adiron-
dack forest lands by the state For
a number Of years Senator Aids was
employed by the state land purchas-
ing board examining titles to this land.
This investigation WAS decided upon
at conference between Speaker
James w. Wadsworth OF the assembly
and Governor Hughes and was urged
by Speaker Wadsworth.
To add to this situation Timothy l..
Woodruff, chairman of the Republican
state committee, put in an appearance
in Albany for the first time since he
succeeded in accomplishing the elec-
tiOn of Senator Aids as majority lead
er when the legislature convened ON
Jan. 5. Mr.. Woodruff wants every
body investigated. He gave out the
following interview:
There is no difference Of opinion
among Republicans regarding the
present investigation or any other that
may he properly proposed and insti-
tnted. | voice the sentiment of the
Republican organization OF the state
when ! say that am unqualifiedly ia
favor Of the most searching and ex-
haustive investigation of any charge
of corruption emanating from u re-
sponsible source made against any
member of the Legislature or public
officer and the severest punishment
which can be meted out to fit the un-
pardonable crime Of official dishonesty.
AS far as the governors investiga-
non OF the affairs and operations OF
the land purchasing board. of which |
was chairman for six years when it
was called the forest preserve board.
l am delighted in view OF recent insin-
nations that the investigation has been
ordered
Lewis T.. Carr, counsel for Senator
Aids, put Senator Conger through
sharp cross examination as TO the ac.
tion Of the assembly internal affairs
committee on the Malby-Stevens bill
aimed at the bridge interests He
brought out that the bills were amend
ed so as to provide that they should
not apply to the construction OF
bridges costing less than $4,000. The
bill originally provided that where
bridge was 90 cost more than $1,000
the question should be voted upon by
the taxpayers. Then the assembly IN
ternal affairs committee amended the
bill by providing that the people
should vote on all bridge expenditures
of over $500. II was here that the
bridge interests made their influence
felt and changed the Limitation 10
$4,000, thus rendering the bill use
less. Mr.. Carr had asked Senator Con-
ger who suggested the $4,000 amend
ment, asking the witness II he could
remember
1T was the late Assemblyman Jean
Burnett, then a member of the inter.
nal affairs committee. He was one of
the men who got the envelopes that
Moe gave out. He came TO me in the
assembly lobby and agreed to extend
the amount from $1,000 to $1,000"
Were you approached by any one
else on the subject OF amending these
billsf
Yes; by Assemblyman Louis Be
dell. He made suggestions on the
same line as those made by Burnett to
amend the bridge bills so as to make
them satisfactory 10 the bridge inter
asta f"