New-York tribune., 1910-03-22

I get Mir. Price. who wrote the letter that
started all the trouble. % come into the
I inquiry 90 testify. and RierdOn departed
with the exclamation. I'm going to see
Price. right now"
briggs Forgsts Names.
Marshall $. briggs. president Of The
Williamsburg City Fire Insurance COM
pany OF Brooklyn. a member % the
Finance Committee of the New YORK
board and nrst vice-president Of that
board in 1901. had the same convenient
falling Of memory rs TO names that
characterized each Of the fire Insurance
men so far called 20 the stand.
His name figured in the minutes Of the
finance committee for 1901 as having
been present az each OF the meetings
when Kennedy's BIN Of S13.311 9S was
discussed. but the r.am point that stuck
iu HIS memory was that the committee
rad cut the bin 20 SSH 9S.
- don't remember the discussion ne
said, "Sut 1 remember we asked Tor
bit of particulars"
WAS that bill OF particulars fur
nisheGc'' asked Nir. Hurreu.
Il can't remember"
DO you remember Eennedy's ~rsu-
ment before your cOmmittee?'
"Oh. I Gidu't pay much attention 20
kennedy's explanation. was the reply
and ne admitted moment later that
he knew that $4,000 OF the SSH rs the
committee allowed was 20 go 20 poll
ticians.
Mr. briggs was the most nervous man
who has occupied Jhe witness chair 1T
the present Investigation. lie had two
bairs Of eyeglasses in front OF him. and
nc kept changing them just about as
last as he icculd move his hands.
Approves Uniteunized Bill
Ak. briggs. said MI HCtchlIss,
slowly. your board makes an inspector
repor; The iteIas OF his expense. even
down 20 his ca-fare. Here IL Kennedy's
tin. practically without items detailed at
all and yet you approved Il, TO the ex-
tent of some SS,o0O How do you ac-
count fo- it2"
"i-3h. the-ah. thac IS. I-ah. don't ac-
count for it, answered briggs. as he put
oE FIRST one pair Of eyeglasses ana then
another.
Hotchkiss turned then 10 the funds
paid 20 Sheldon in 1903 and 1901. and
DT.sss assured him that the Finance
Committee didn't take kindly 30 those
great expense bills Tor Albany ser-ices.
u appeared that briggs. for his COM
pany, after rejecting Sheldons bills as
member OF the Finance Committee. had
contributed $1,000 ir 1903 and $500 in
1901 10 SheldOr's collection. How much
more sheldon had collected briggs didn't
know. He didn't care. he said. for ne
trusted Sheldon.
The fact that NJ mad paid his ree,la~
assessment of $500 TO Davies. Stone &.
Auerbach for their services regarding
legislation on fire insurance matters at
Albany for 1908 didn't bother Mr.. briggs
little bit, either. when HurreH con
fronted hirl with the figures.
II suppose Sheldon was employing
other counsel he explained. 'He might
have been employing tine whole New
York bar, for all knew"
Do you now for your company con-
tribute once to The New York board AMI
then % another fund on tho outsidee'' he
was asked.
"Oh, no. not now" replied Driggs
Why, the Legislature isn't doing much
itself now
Has yojr company ever made a con-
tribution 10 the Republican state Com
n'Ittee:" ...-.---'
No, sir.' replied briggs proudly. I'm
a Democrat from the time 7 was born.
ani never give anything 10 PepubH-
cans"
Foreign Manager Testify.
r. .. ANe'1. Americas manage NJ ~,
Htmbu-g-E -emer Fire Insurance Com
pany and chairman Of the finance com
mttee ~ the New York board in 1901.
followed Drigss on The stand lie as
sumed an attitude OF show me" that
was dFsconcerting after the enappy re-
plies of the former witness
Were Won chairman Of the finance
committee in 1902" ne was asked.
II don't know" replied AhelG.
Hurrell picked Up the secretar,'s min
utes of the finance committe3 meetings
A'. tit-it
VIII yoa icoo a, that hook ana sec #
that Is your name signed 20 the minutes
as chairman
THAT von't do ony good replied Az
field stubbornly.
lie nral'Y admitted his standing in tho
ire Insurance world, ana then he was
asked whether ne knew what vas done
with the $S.311 rs that his committee
had paid To- Kennedy.
"Thaf went 10 some law firm" mum
bled Affeld
IL was explained % him that Kennedy
himself had testified thar 5000 ~ il
went as Sifts TO politicians. but that
didn't make any difference To AR. A.
teld
"He must have told US ii was soing
90 law nrm" ne said. Otherwise L
w1uldp't have voted 20 approve il. Anv-