New-York tribune., 1910-12-10
e. SHAUCHNESSy" |RATE.
Denounces KreseI for 'SiniSter
and UnmanIy Imputations."
WRITES TO GRAFT HUNTERS
Expected Veto from Higgins
How Suburban Exchange Fixes
Insurance Rates.

The .rE Shauefmessy' who appeared IN
the legal expense accounts OF the racing
associations and about whose name lsldor
Kresel. associate counsel to the 1egis-
lative investigating committee interrogateo
r C Cumming when that lawyer was on
the stand Wednesday. made himself known
30 the committee by a letter addressed
yesterday 10 Edwin A Merritt jr. its
chairman which he signed EDWARD
Ehauehnessy. No. 60 Wall street.
From the tone of Mr.. Shaughnessy's re-
marks and the information furnished In his
letter II appeared that he was somewhat
indignant over what he termed the sin
ister coH.ardly and unmanly imputations'
that were made IN the committees record
concerning him by Kresel's examination of
Cumming.
Freely Shaughnessy admitted that he had
been retained TO handle the interests OF the
Jockey Club in the fight over the Cassidy
Lansing bills of 1906 and freely he told
1ust how he worked their defeat. His re-
tainer that year. ne said, was taken under
the pledge of Mr. Auerbach, of the firm of
Davies. Stone & Auerbach, that he
Shaughnessy. should be the only man sent
10 Albany the matter. and it amounted
TO $1,000 for compensation, with an allow
ance OF from $3.50 to S1.soo for expenses.
He went straight TO Governor Higgins,
eaid Shaushnessv and learned from him
that he was opposed TO the open gambling
features of racing. bat that he was also
opposed to the bill taxing receipts. so
much so. in fact. that in strict confidence
he told Shaughnessy he would veto the
bill on that feature If it came TO him.
He called on Speaker Wadsworth and
Senator y a. ELsberg, told them Just what
he was there for and got from Elsberg, he
said the information that so long the
-1,a,-- ErvI,- ro=-
Iy they would get fair treatment but If
he heard of the use of money he would
report the bills and put them through i'm
1nediatelv Elsberg was chairman of the
Codes Committee.
Passing his compliments then TO the Rev.
DR. Gregg. who was leading the reform
element which was rEIshing the racing bills
OF 1906 and to Pete De Lacy, OF poolroom
fame. who, he said, supporting DR..
Gregg because of a grudge he harbored
against the Jockey Club, Mr.. Shaughnessy
said the bill never left the committee OF
either house, the reforrners withdrawing
when they learned the nature OF the COM
pany they were associating themselves
with.
I induced the employment of Charles
H Belts TO look after the state fair end
of the fight he wrote and his efforts
were directed entirely to effecting a COM
promise on the bill to provide an increased
tax on racing receipts for the benefit of the
fair association. ] favored a compromise.
with the secret knowledge that the bill
would he vetoed by Governor Higgins And
this is the first time 1 ever revealed the
secret 10 any human"
In 1907 and 1908 he continued Judge E
p. Coyne was retained by the Jockey Club
and was not able TO handle the situation
which arose Shaughnessy said that he
was asked by counsel To the Jockey Club
10 take a hand in the 1903 fight. bur refused
Scented a Scandal
Il declined to have anything to do with
Albany that year, for the reason that
scented d scandal. The capital was in
vested by horde Of men on the fringe of
politics, and dfscredfted lawyers and ad-
Fenturers, who representing no one, were |
bidding for votes and claiming to own con-
troll and operate various Senator's Their |
ooJecT was TO ensnare a vote. and then |
take ii TO the most available market Their |
work was so crude and so brazen that /
even the Albany correspondents declined 1
10 dignity il by exposure
He went TO Albany on the speciaI "a ling
train, he said. by invitarion and advised |
the counsel to the Jockey Club then TO 1
abandon the fight for a week and then |
start a new ONE. Also he advised that the |
Jockey Club spend 100000 for publicity and |
press work, and that all the arguments be |
inserted in the newspapers as paid ad- |
NerusinS matter, together with continued |
attacks upon the Governor and all his |
works, to be inserted in the same manner |
He believed Governor Hughes to be a cross |
between fanatic and an idealist he said |
and that he was surrounded by a tribe Of |
such professional reformers Pharisees
and notoriety seeking parsons that he |
opposed them with all his might and would |
do so again under the same circumstances
with without compensation
Shaughnessy is an oldtime stenographer
OF the Senate and was with NJ Linn Bruce |
the counsel to the present investigating
ror-nlttee. when that lawyer was campaign |
ing for the office of Lieutenant Governor
He enclosed in mis- letter TO Mr. Merritt |
yesterday a copy of a letter sent to him by |
,ir- Bruce, just after Shaughnessy had re- |
eIrned from seven weeks campaignfne.
trip with Bruce and Job Hedges in which |
Nr- Bruce thanked him heartily for his |
work. In 1903 and 1906. Slaughnessy said. /
he worked for the nomination Of Judge
Bruce. first Lieutenant Governor and |
then Governor, and he wondered why
Kresel could not have asked Judge Bruce |
who he was instead Of insinuating that his |
eernices TO the Jockey Club were not above
board
Mr.. Bruce said, after the letter had been |
made public. that he knew Ed Shaugh- |
messy well. and remembered the campaign |
associations 70 which he referred.
IF Kresel had mentioned il to me-" he
explained. Il could have told him who Ed |
Sllauehnessy was, OF course, but his name
the books down az simply e |
Staughressy,' and never thought of it,
With the examination yesterday Of |
Dave" Gideon. horse breeder and owner /
and member of the executive committee of
the Metropolitan Turf Association the in |
quiTy into the alleged lobby fund Of the
racing interests drew near close. Gideon |
said he was not bookmaker had never |
made book in fact and that though on !
tho executive committee of the Nets he |
hadn't attended q meeting Of the commit |
tee in over five years. He knew nothing OF |
any fund being raised by ''the Nets" or by |
anY OF its members in 1908, to fight the |
Agnew- Hart bills and didn't think there
haa been any such fund.
Algernon Daingerfield, assistant secretary |
Of the Jockey Club. is due for another ses- |
sion on the stand. which will probably come /