The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-03-29
DECLARED HE KNEW
SECRETS OF COURT
Albany Lobbyist Learned of De-
CiSi0nS in Advance.
JUDGE INGALLS, $4,000 CHECK

Insurance Probe Witness Says Buck
ley Said Bill Would Fail Without
Money For the Boys-The Bill
Did Not Pass.
New York City.-"The Story of a
Lobbyist" might be fitting caption
to the evidence brought out at the
fire Insurance inquiry as to the career
of William H. Buckley, an Albany
lawyer who for years was legisla-
tive agent at the State Capital for the
fire insurance companies, were the
revelations put in narrative form.
On the face of the documentary evil
dence produced Buckley was we'll
nigh invincible at Albany. If the let
tiers, which were entered on the rec
ords, contained statements of fact
and for the most part they were let
tiers exchanged between Buckley and
the late George P. Sheldon, who was
president of the Phenix Fire 1nsur-
ance Company, of Brooklyn-Buck-
ley's power with the Legislature was
we'll worth the money he admits he
received.
And Buckley's influence at Albany
went even further, according to his
own words. He was able to learn in
advance of a decision of the Court of
Appeals, he said, and would keep
Sheldon Informed as to what was
coming off in the Court.
Miles M. Dawson, consulting ac-
tuary of New York City, said under
oath that Buckley had informed him
that he could not get favorable action
on bill in which he was interested
unless he paid some money to 1.-The
boys"
When evidence was produced show
ing that e. e. Mccall now State
Supreme Court Justice, had written
Buckley's name above his own on
check for $35, 900, which was one of
the three loans made by the Phenix
Fire Insurance Company, of Brook
Ign, through Sheldon to Buckley, the
latter became greatly aroused He
said that Mr.. Mccall knew nothing at
all of the transaction, and had merely
acted in the matter at his request. He
admitted that he had not Endorsed the
check and identified the handwriting
In which his name was written as that
of Justice Mccall Mr. Hotchkiss
said he would be glad to have the
matter cleared up by the Justice
Buckley told almost nothing, and
virtually all the information being
gained from the letters which Mr.
Hotchkiss produced. The first, dated
April 30, 1908, was from Sheldon to
Buckley, and read in part:
II note that the Court of. Appeals
has decided that the franchise tax law
is constitutional. wish l could
have got onto this early enough, for I
am satisfied that this is one of the
things that have been hanging over
the market, and if l could have
learned previously what the decision
was likely to be-, there would have
been money in this for all of us.
Whenever anything like this is pend
ing in Albany it will always pay you
to advise me, if you can, of the prob
able outcome"
Buckley replied the next day:
81 am sorry I did not know it
would be of interest to you to have
information about the franchise de-
cision 1 told some of our friends
two weeks ago what it would be, but
was advised from very important
quarters that as long as the decision
would be that the law was constitu-
tional it would not have much effect
on the market and I didn't think it
advisable to say much about it. If it
had been the other way you would
have been advised, because l knew of
your interests in big gas In the
future l will keep you advised"
1t was a dramatic moment when
Mr.. Dawson appeared on the scene
Unexpectedly and was sworn in as a
witness.
Dawson, who was consulting ac-
tuary of the Armstrong committee,
which investigated the life insurance
companies, said that in 1905 he drew
up a bill relating to the method of
valuation of life insurance policies
which afterward was made law on
the recommendation of the Armstrong
committee, although it failed the first
year He went to Albany and had the
bril- introduced.
while in the lobby of the SEN
ate, he continued, Buckley, whom I
had known for some years, came to
me and told me that the bill wouldn't
pass unless money was provided for
the boys. He said that the boys
thought would get a liberal fee, and
thought ought to divide with them.
told him l wasn't there to bride
any one. Buckley said he didn't like
to have me speak of o in that way.
The bill did not pass
Mr.. Hotchkiss turned to Mr.. Buck
ley.
What have you to say to this?"
II never said word to Mr.. Dawson
of money for the boys" he said
Henry Evans, president of the Con-
tinental Fire Insurance Company, was
on the stand long enough to say that
he contributed $4,000 to a fund Shell
don raised in 1903 to defeat legisla-
tion adverse to the companies.