New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-14
MADE MONEY IN TRANS"
Brokers' Books Show Profit for
Several Legislators.
BIG LIST OF ALBANY NAMES
Conger Lawyer Unearths Law
makers Galore Among Gun
ningham Customers.


Edwin a. Watson, one Of the counsel
for former Senator Conger i'm the Aids
case. said Yesterday that his examina-
tion Of the ledger kept by the brokerage
firm Of Ellingwood & Cunningham
showed that from fifteen to eighteen
members. many Of them leaders of past
legislatures. had had speculative accounts
with that firm. This is the firm which
has been called the Legislative clearing
house"
From the investigation which the Su-
Qerintendent Of Insurance has been con-
ducting the names Of some of these legis-
lative spectators and some account Of
their transactions have been brought out
from time to time and published i'm The
Tribune. II is evident. however. that
hardly more than third OF them have
as vet been brought to light.
There is on file in the Bureau of As
signments of the Supreme Court a list
Of creditors of Ellingwood g. Cunning
ham embracing about two hundred
names These are the ones who con-
sented TO the dismissal of the petition in
bankruptcy against the firm. 1t is be-
lieved that this list is fictitious i'm part
and Mr. Watson said that it seemed ap-
parent to him that some Of the initials
Of the names on il were incorrect. In
cidentally. this is the only list of credit
ors ever filed by this firm.
The List Of Creditors"
Among the creditors found i'm this
list are the following.
r. Agnew. J. Wadsworth. a. F. Averill.
J. T. Phillips. r. J. Price. J. w Shat
tuck. H. d. Hammond. w. Mead. c ].
Knapp. J. II. Southwick. a. J. Stern, +.
Y. Harding. W. II. Fish. w. f. Van
Name. J. +. Butts. and Account No. -,
Account No. II and Account No. 30.
SO far the names Of the legislators who
had accounts with the firm which have
been made public are as follows: John
Raines. leader Of the Senate until his
death: lothian +. Aids. who WAS con-
viCted by the Senate of receiving "A
bribe: George r. Malby. at present in
Congress: Edgar T. Bracket. state
Senator from Saratoga: :. Fred Nixon.
a former leader Of the Assembly; Louis
A. Goodsel. an Odell state Senator in
former days: Jean Burnett. who was an
Assemblyman; Louis Bedell. former
Odell Assemblyman: James T. Rogers.
former Assemblyman and member Of the
Armstrong committee. and Archie Bax-
ter. former clerk Of the Assembly.
In the bankruptcy papers is a list OF
customers owing the firm money on April
g 1899 Included in this list are A +.
Baxter. S2.2l5 -; L. Bedell, ST.O65 81.
and G. /. Green, S21.I41 -.
In a list called Due from customers:
suspense account" was found the fol-
lowing entry. Fl. 4. Croker. 81, l71 5j.'
Firms Books in Barn.
In the papers filed with the Bureau Of
Assignments is found the statement that
there were no books Of the company. II
was this statement which led Mr.. Wat
son to believe just the contrary, and,
further. that the books once found would
prove Of value TO him in his work in
getting evidence for the Aids trial
Eventually he persuaded Mr.. Cunning
ham not only Ia tell him that books were
in existence. but to give him access to
several of them.
The books of the firm, as a mater of
fact are stored at present in barn at
Montclair y. J. This barn is on prop
erty owned by Mr.. Cunningham. who has
promised Mr.. Hotchkiss that he will see
that they are not destroyed until the
latter is convinced that he has no right
to see them. From a legal point of view
they are supposed To be in the custody
OF 4 committee Of creditors of the brok-
erage firm.
There were four accounts of leGis-
Iators which showed dealings in the now
famous Trans" stock. II has been
brought out that Aids had a Trans"
stock account There were also five or
six blind" or numbered accounts
on February -. 1899. the New York
Vehicle and Transportation Company was
authorized to do business in New York.
ou November - Of the same year the
old Fifth Avenue Stage Coach Company
WAS sold to the New York Electric We
bicle and Transportation Company, which
was capitalized AT s25,00o.00o. Of which
q. 500. coo was paid i'm. Harry Payne
whitney was president of the latter
company ~ that time. II was shortly
after this sale and purchase that legisla
tion affecting the Transportation com
pauy became very active in Albany
In 1900 the transportation Law was
amended to make it unlawful for any
corporation heretofore or thereafter
csts blished To operate a stage route i'm
any portion Of 4 city Of the first class in
which a stage route is or shall be estab-
liehed and in operation without FIRST OBJ
tanning the permission Of the latter COM
pany.
Signed by Roosevelt.
Then there was a further amendment
which empowers any company which
had operated stage route in a city of
the first class continuously for five years
prior TO the passage of the amendment