New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-10
SAYS He WAS NOT PAID
Man on Trial for Sale of Wicker
sham Letter Gives His Version.
TELLS OF CONFERENCE TALK
Investigator Says Magazine Edi'
tor Was Consulted by Mr..
Moody and Assistant.

Thomas b. Riley. an Investigator for the
Interstate Commerce Commission. VINO is
on trial before Judge Martin and jury
in the Criminal Branch OF the United
States Circuit Court. told his own version
yesterday OF the manner in which he came
into possession OF a copy OF the sugar
trust letter OF Attorney General Wicker
sham. Riley is charged with the theft OF
that letter and various documents relating
10 the American Sugar Refining Company
which constituted part of the government
evidence in its prosecution Of the sugar
trust, all of which he is charged win nav
ing sold to magazines for publication.
He testified that he had been In the en-
poy Of the American Sugar Refining COM
pany for fifteen years prior TO 1919. lie
was traffic manager for that company ana
arranged for the rates of transportation
for its various products. In the ran or
1904 he was discharged from the sugar
company. and from that time until l9oo
ne was engaged In the freight brokerage
business. For more than year, Riley
said, this business was profitable, but
later IT ceased to he so.
II was about that time, Riley said. that
he was employed as an investigator for
the Interstate Commerce commission on
the recommendation of Henry L. Stmson.
who just then became United States At
torney The employment. Riley said, was
given TO him in consideration Of the infor-
nation he had given about traffic condl-
tons that had been disclosed TO him
through his employment by the sugar
trust.
lie said that he first gave that informa-
ton in February 1906 at a conference IN
Mr.. Stimsons office. at which, besides MI
Stimson. there were present Attorney Gem
eral Moody. Assistant Attorney Genera'
Purdy. Charles J. Norcross, OF 'Ihe COS
mopolitan Magazine" and Pomcroy Bur
ton. of The New York American. ms
was brought in in an effort 10 snow lhat
magazine and newspaper men had peeh
taken into their confidence by his supeflors
and that Riley had authority to give IN
formation.
In regard TO the Wickersham letter Riley
said that he saw IL first when Mr.. WISE
secretary brought IL into the room Whlch
they Jointly occupied for the purpose OF
copying IT, lie said the secretary told
him to make an extra copy Of it, and that
they together compared il with the original
after which he put il away with the papers
that he had on the sugar cases. He SAID that
the letter might have come into Mr.. Nor
cross's possession among the papers on the
sugar trust which he took 10 him. bu'
he avowed that he never received any pay
ment for It,
on cross-examination by Henry y. wise,
United States Attorney, Riley said that be-
fore the Wickersham letter was re-
ceived he had been cautioned by his SUI
periors not TO divulge any information That
did not belong to him personally. or that
had been acquired in official capacity.
1T was through Mr.. Norcross and Mt.
Hearst that the attention of Attorney Cen
eral Moody was called to the papers you
possessed OH the rebate cases and not
through you. was it not asked MI. Wise.
Yes" said Riley.
Mr.. Wise then asked Riley about his
financial standing at the time he first Of
fered information TO Mr.. NorcroSs. and
later Mr.. Wise brought out that Riley sold
TO "Hampton's Magazine for $50 prac-
tically the same Information for which he
had received $40 from Mr. Norcross. lie
was attempting TO show that Riley was in
financial straits when he sold that informa-
ton when an adjournment was taken until
tomorrow.