New-York tribune., 1910-02-25
FROM BEDELL
Wanted to Clear Himself of
Possible Susmciop

case called as It's first witness todav ex-
| Assemblyman . Louis BedeIl OF Goshen.
| Orange County, Mr.. Bedel was mentioned
! by Conger last week rs having made to
him a proposition for amending the Stevens
highway bill ssimilar to that which was
| afterward advanced by Jean T. burnett
and adopted, Conger did not sew that Be
! dell got any money. but Mr. Carr. Of coun-
| sci for Senator Aids, explained to-day that
| Beden had asked the opportunity to testify
Senator Bracket objected to INJECTING
into the investigation of Jotham r Aids
the investigation OF half the Legislature of
1901 but it was explained. that Mr. BedelI
thought he had right to- clear himself of
possible suspicion. -
| u most positively did not have sucb a
conversation as that related by Mr. Con
ger" asserted Mr. Bedell when a chance to
speak was given him. He declared that he
had no recollection of a discussion Of the
highway bridge bill in the Rules Committee
of 1901, of which he was member. and
where the prosecution said that Aids
used his influence to throttle this legisla-
ton after he got the $1,000.
The second witness was Daniel F. lane
of Painted Post, n. Y, who Is connected
with the Lane Bridge Company He testi-
fed to receiving three letters in 1903 signed
by Benn Conger. These letters, he said in
formed him that bills hostile to the bridge
interests had been introduced at Albany
and that 'the gang at Albany demanded
5000" Conger. the witness said, wrote
that each member of the bridge combine
had been assessed to meet this fund and
the Lane companys share was $500 The
other companies had been assessed $500
each
perhaps you think, as I do that it's a
hold-up.'' wrote Conger 'tand wouldn't It be
better to submit than to have your business
ruined?"
Edward B. Baker, of Marcellus Onondaga
County, and Gustavus c. Weber of Brook
lyn: C. W. Reynolds. of Petersburg Rens-
selaer County. and William F. Delany, of
Brooklyn. and William. W. Phipps. of AL
bino, former Assemblymen and members,
with Conger, of the Internal Affairs Com
m;ttee in 1901, declared that they had never
been 'approached by any one regarding
the highway bills of that year In which the
bridge companies were interested
Assemblymau Daniel B. Frisbie minority
leader, of Schoharie County, who was also
minority leader and member of the
Rules Committee in 1901 made a similar dec
laration and said he had recollection
of these bills before the Rules Committee
in 1901
Assemblyman John r. Yale, of Putnam
County. father of the highway law of
1905. and Martin Davis, or Rochester. an As
semblyman in 1901. 1902 and 1903. and intro
ducer of another highwey bill. declared that
tueir measures were not suggested with
the bridge interests in mind and were of
absolutely innocent origin and motive None
of these witnesses was cross-eXamned
George ". Doughty, Of InwoOd, Long
Island absolutely denied the third-hand
statement attributed to the late Assem-
blyman Jean L. Burnett through Ben and
Frank Conger, that Doughty, as chairman
of the Internal Affairs Committee in 1901,
would have 20 be taken care Of. Doughty
said he opposed the Stevens bill of that
wear as Conger wished, because he thought
'Conger deserved that consideration as
member of the committee. He asserted
that money or any other consideration had
never been offered him for his influence
Doughty added that Speaker Nixon had
sent for him in regard to holding the
Stevens bill in committee and that he had
told Nixon he must keep his promise to
Conger.
The same kind Of testimony continued
after recess. until many Of the Senators
looked bored and some left the chamber
FS-Assemblynan Martin l.. Cadin now
chief of police in Syracuse. introducer or
the highway bill of 1903 which is alleged
TO have been killed by the use of bridge
compapies' money, declared that he put
in the measure at the suggestion OF the
chairman of the Onondaga County Board
of Supervisors: He declared that neither
Nixon nor Burnett spoke 70 him regarding
the measure.
W B. Fitzpatrick, of Brooklyn, another
member Of the Internal Affairs Committee
in 1901 said he had no recollection Of the
stevens or ,Malby bill OF that year
6 Percy, Hooker, chairman of the state
Highway Commission. a former member
Of the Assembly and Senate, declared that
he introduced the highway bill Of 1905 to
restrict the building of bridges by reQuir-
ing the certification of the state engineers.
His bin was defeated. and subsequently
the Yale bin was passed Regarding the
present highway law. which took effect on
January l. 1909, Chairman Hooker assert
ed that Aids protested against leaving out
the limitation on bridge building which
was a part of the old law, and the pro-
vision was retained
The Assembly this morning adopted
without dissent a resolution granting the
request of the Senate that any members
and employees of the lower House asked
to testify before the Senate investigation
be excused for that purpose from their
resses to give such evidence Of facts con-
cerning the subject matter OF the investl-
CATION as may be in their knowledge or
possession.