The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-06
August Belmont Makes
Indignant Denial of
Graft Accusations.
LOES NOT WANT
HIS NAME SOILED
So Far as He Knows, No Money
Ever Has Been Paid to Influ-
ence Legislation Improperly.
Willing to Aid Com
rnittee in Probing
Charges.

Charges.
New York, December 5.--"I cannot
make too emphatic the statement that
have never directly or indirectly. in
person or through any corporation or
individuals, contributed, authorized. or
advised the expenditure of a single
dollar to improperly influence legis-
Ilative action, nor have ! been asked to
do So
August Belmont, chairman of the
Jockey Club, makes this statement IN
letter to NJ. Linn Bruce. chief coun-
sci for the Legislative investigating
committee. before which Mr.. Belmont
was a witness last week. The letter
was made public tonight along with a
brief letter from +. Is. Sturgis. treas
urer of the Jockey Club, saying that ne
(Sturgis) was in error when he testi-
fled recently that James w. Wads-
worth. Jr.. Speaker of the state AS
sembly, recommended as counsel for
ton, he adds. came from the elder
Livingston county. This recommenda-
ton. he hdds, came from the elder
Wadsworth, State Commissioner Of
Racing.
Bclmonts Letter.
Mr. Belmont's letter, which Sturgis
says he read and heartily indorscs.
says in part:
Since the giving OF my testimony
before your committee, IT has come
to my attention, through the newspa-
pers that a most unfair and distorted
view of my connection with racing in
i- u ,haI I.aI ,,,Y 4,
public mind. Racing with me now and
for many years has been pastime.
not business. Ny financial holdings
in property used for racing purposes
have always been very moderate The
great bulk OF my time is devoted to
the management of my banking and
railroad interests,.>and \ now, fepeat {
what l sstated to your COMMITTEES. that
the sweeping allegation VI corrupt
use OF money to influence Legislation
was matter OF which it ought to be
presumed was ignorant
THE claim is made. as ] understand
1t, that money was used to bribe the
members of the Legislature OF 1908 to
vote against the Hart-Agnew law.
.'My interest in racing as a sport
has prompted me 70 maintain a gen
eral and not a special supervision of
the amount of money. that was being
expended by the associations. 1t would
seem that in 1907 upwards Of $4,000
was paid to Judge Coyne for services
rendered by him before the Legisla-
ture and elsewhere In behalf OF racing
interests. This money was paid him
before the Legislature of 1908, which
passed the law Gripping racing, came
into existence. To this sum most, II
not all. of the associations contribut-
ed. The figures, while large, We're
claimed, by him to be reasonable In the
light of the work performed. Mr..
Coyne had been county judge and sur
rogate of Livingston county, and a
lawyer of high standing In the upstate
counties"
Mr. Belmont then says: The racing
interests were very much Interested
In securing the active support OF ag-
ricultural societies and horse breed
ers of the State to exert all possible
legitimate influence to preserve their
legal status. In Statewide way
Judge Coyne endeavored to represent
u.s. No suggestion was ever made to
me that his bills covered any improper
disbursements, or that our moneys had
been, in 1907. or In any other year,
used in improperly influencing the
Legislature.
Undertakes Disbursement.
"In 1905, the Hart-Agnew law hav-
ing been passed whileI was In Eu-
rope, | undertook on my return. after
with my associates. the,
disbursement of such portion Of the
fund OF $4,000 testified to before your
committee in publicity and legal SER
vices, as | might be able to arrange
and the items of moneys paid out from
such fund have been correctly given
you,
II in no way shirk my share of re-
sponsbility, but that the public should
be persuaded into a belief BY Juggling
with figures that have soiled my
name by STOPPING to cover up under
guise OF. lawyers and newspaper expen-
ditures bribins OF members Of the Leg
is lature, is a position In which no fair
minded man would wish to place me.
Nor shall ! ever consent to believe
until the proof is Overwhelming to the
contrary. that any of my associates
We're party to, or cognizant of. any op-
position to embracing legislation
which was not undar the circumstances
perfectly defensible and under legal
advice"
Mr.. Belmont then offers to aid the
committee in any way in his power
and to appear before II again If want
ed to preclude any opportunity for "a
misunderstanding as to his acts In re-
gard to the racing matters