The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-10-20
FOELKER REFUSED
TO TAKE BRIBE
OF $4,000
Story Of Attempt to Defeat
Race Track Bills
POOL OF HALF A MILLION
Attorney Elder Tells of Big Fund
Raised by Horsemen and
Bookmakers

New York, Oct. 2O.-Representative
Otto G., Foelker the man who was
carried from his sick bed into the
New York state Senate chamber to
cast the deciding vote for the antirac-
ing bills urged by Gov. Hughes, took
the stand yesterday and told the Mer-
rift joint legislative committee the de
tails of the attempt to buy his vote
which he charges that former State
Senator Frank ]. Gardner, now under
arrest, made in 1908. Gardner, called
to the stand, refused to testify, but
Robert Elder, assistant district attor-
ney of Kings county (Brooklyn), the
next witness, repeated a conversa-
ton he said he had with Gardner In
March last, which had been previous
ly referred to as a Confession
The narrative was nothing less
than q sensation. Briefly, 1t told of
dinner at Delmonico's attended by
prominent men friendly to the race
tracks. of 100000 subscribed to a
corruption fund, of the distribution Of
this fund to politicians and cores
pondents at Albany of the New York
newspapers, and of the secret griev-
ance of the late Senator Patrick Nc
Carren. who worked for the passage
of the bill against his own wishes and
his own associates "In the month of
March, testified Mr.. Elder, 81 sent
for Gardner through his lawyer, who
wanted to know what for. told him
for a personal chat. and shortly after
Gardner came to my private Office.
told him | wanted to know about the
efforts made at Albany to defeat the
race track bills. | told him that |
had indictments against certain men
and that his information might help.
Finally Gardner said, IT don't mind
telling You that there was a meeting
at Delmonicos at which money was
subscribed He mentioned the
namesNU several men who were
there. including members of the Met
ropolitan turf association and the
bookmakers.. He said that among
the men there-that I remembered
were James r. Keene, David Mitchell.
Mr.. Parsons, Harry Payne Whitney
and Charles II. Hyde"
Charles II. Hyde Is now chamber
lain of New York city and was for.
merly law partner of Mayor Gaynor.
James r. Keene is the wellknown
racing man and millionaire stock
market operator. "Mr. Parsons" was
not further identified "He" (Gard-
ner) continued Mr.. Elder. said there
was a dispute about who should
handle the money. Finally he said.
Sl25.OOO was given to James Gaffney
to take care Of three or four members
OF the Northumberland mem
he said" lanes c. Gaffney is presi.
dent of the Gaffney construction com.
pany, which has handled many mum.
cipal contracts. 81 asked him more
about Foelker," continued the wit.
ness, picking up another thread
He said Foelker had taken $4,000
to vote against the bill and then vot.
ed for 1t anyway He said: You
konw Foelker was sick man and we
had a scheme to bring him to Albany
and have three doctors there nro.
nounce him too sick to 20 to the Sen.
ate, hut Canon Chase stuck so close
to him that the scheme fell
through"
II asked him the total amount OF
this fund" the witness resumed "and
he said, oh. considerable. told
him that ] had heard 100000. He
said that II I had guessed $500. 900
would have been nearer the mark.
or this sum he said. Senator Grady
got only $4,000 and I might imagine
what the others got"
Then came mention % the press
He (Gardner). resumed Mr.. Elder,
said the newspaper men were llber.
ally taken care OF out OF the fund"
ASKED for the names OF these men,"
Mr.. Elder said. 81 recall he said n
man named Joe McEntee OF the Sun
got $4,000, that Patrick Relihan OF
the Press got $4,000. that Louis Sci.
bold OF the World got $4,000, George
Jandrin OF the Brooklyn Citizen got
$4,000 and Tlrrell Of the BROOKLYN
Eagle 5000. He said the Times man
OF Brooklyn got 5000"
Congressman Foelker was called
and under questioning went over the
whole history OF the Hart.Agnew race.
track legislation in 1908. Mr.. Foel.
ker said that several persons had OF.
fered him monev 10 vote against tho
bill. The first one. he said. was Sen.
ator Frank ]. Gardner. the offer he.
ing made about 10 days before the
legislative session ended. The wit.
ness said that the attempt 10 bribe
him was made ION the way 10 Albany
on train in n compartment" and de-.
scribed the alleged attempt at bribery
thus: Senator Gardner came 10 mo
and said he wanted me 10 vote
against the race.track bill. Mr.. Gard.
ner said TO me: TIL make Il worth
while for YOU financially. will give
YOU $4,000 more than the other conn.
tors got refused. un said II was
a nine-da"r' wordrr which would
som How over rnd be forgotten
refused. He said | was foolish"
CONGRESSMAN Foelker then mnde
me Interesting statement that 40
nigh as $4,000 was offered him for
ms vote against the bill. The offer
ne said. was made IN the office Of
frederick Schroeder. then quarantine
commissioners. where he had called M
Schroeders request. The latter be.
gan talking about ft,, 49,. t.., -,