New-York tribune., 1910-02-17

thing for the stone crusher ana ens.r 1ls.re
business, provided it becomes a law. tSis
is some considerable opposition 20
bill in the committee to which ltaS.ifv IT -
feT tho TO- and II m Is there viii have be
some practical assistance lr0In lr0In-.9hon
concerns as yours ana 'ne '.o,,s And
now is your time to get N youI W. grest
send you this to put you on 10 III III If II
passes If YOU VotI want any further informna- ma
tio.i or details please address me- ,9banv. or nv
J. J.. Smith. Assembly Chamoe,'
'e"s0 ~ BENN CoNGER-
az wrote that letter" explained Consef'
-.at the instance of the Marathon hoao NO
chine Companv. They were not 1rlehuiS
to the Acme people. and "fole "
them. without any interest IN the ma
myself"
Carr brought out that Conger Voted
against this bill at first. but later eAecute
an about-face and helped pass IL. ne emu
to which this disclosure tenoed was nut
revealed to-day
Coneer was still on the stand when the
investigation adjourned. and his cross
examination will be continued tomorrow
When the Senate committee OF the "hoie
began work this morning Senator New
tPlllD iifHltulGltlN tdiBSts up MS
of yesterday, providing that the Senate
shall take up the investigation Of iesisla-
tive corruption so far as the bridge com
panies might be concerned at the close OF
the present inquiry. He moved that the
measure be permanently laid aside. Sen
ator Grady suggested that il be laid on
the table. where it could be called up at
any time, and his motion was carried
Grady took occasion to deny reports that
he was an agency sitting on the lid he
also declared that he had not attempted to
influence single vote among the Demo-
Gratis in favor of Aids. As a veteran Of
the Senate Grady has been accused by
some of Congers friends of being quite as
ayerse TO a searching irvestigation as
Aids and others who were in Office between
1901 and 1905.
Senator conger took the stand at 1:So
o'clock. and after identifying check of
the Groton Bridge Company was turned
over to AlIdss attorney for cross-examna-
ton. He was questioned by Lewis E. Carr,
ef Albany. who thus far has not taken part
to any extent in the examination of wit
nesses
MOE HAD HELL STOCK
By a series of questions Mr.. Carr de-
seloped the fact that the Conger family
during the last ten years has controlled
possessed a heavy interest in number of
Groton enterprises, including the two
banks. a carriage works a typewriter fac
tory and machine factory, and finally the
croton Bridge Company. In several of
these Hiram G. Moe had held stock. Some
of these concerns. Conger said. had now
been merged into syndicate The wit
ness could not remember who organized
ln R-;l l,a f,,c.
became interested in the concern At pres
cnt. he said. he was vice-presdent of the
company. and his brother. Jay Conger. was
its president. We did only little bust
ness the first few years. but business has
increased since 1905 lie added. He ad-
mitted that the stock. s1ao. .on0 con-
trolled now by the Conger family
The Groton Bridge Company is the MEM
Der Of the bridge builders combination
which Conger testified yesterday handled
the Legislative corruption fund" raised by
the bridge people in 1903
The Importance of the witness as a citi-
zen OF Groton appeared when he said that
he was president of the Groton Machine
and Tool Company, vice-presdent of the
Monarch Road Roller Company, president
of the Standard Typewriter Company and
a director of the Groton National and Me
chanicS' banks
Conger said he became interested in the
Owego and Canton bridge companies
the death of his brother. Frank in 1902
The Senator said he had been q director of
the Boston Bridge Works since 1901.
Mr. Carr brought out the fact that Moe
was allowed by the Congers 10 hold small
amount of stock in their various enter
prises to qualify him as director OF
the total capital stock OF the Boston Bridge
Works, amounting to $50 ooo, Conger said
he held ssa 600 and Moe 500, but his holding
was less at the present time.
CONGER-s POLITICAL CAREER.
From the witnesses business Carr turned
TO his political career. ConGer WAS asked
why he considered the original Stevens
bill of 1901 adverse TO the bridge interests.
It was well known. he said. that under it
the State Engineers department would de-
sign such heavy bridges that the towns
would refuse TO build them.
Who apprised the bridge companies of
the introduction of this bill?''
II may have done so. | notified my
brother, Frank
Did you request appointment on the AS
sembly Committee on Internal Affairs. TO
which this bill was referred?"
Il did not
Didn't you ask Mr.. Stevens why he had
introduced a bill of that kind?"
Il don't remember"
Did you know James T. Rogers. for
mer member of the Assembly,"
Yes. sir
Didn't he appear before the committee
in opposition to this bil?
t'He might have
Conger admitted he had told the mem
bers of the committee why they should not