The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-02-13
\. Y. SCANDAL TO
RECEIVE HEARING
Corrupt Conditions in the
Legislature Are to Re-
ceive Public Airing.
TO TRY SEN. GARDNER
Alleged He Tried to Bride
Scion to Vote Against
Race Track Act.
TO TRY SEN. GARDNER
fAmerlcnn News Scrvice)


New York state legislature during the
discussion Of the anti+race track bills
in the spring of 1908 will receive an
additional airing when former State
Senator Frank j. Gardner Is placed on
trial here on the charge OF offer
Ing bribe OF $4,000 to ex-Sena-
tor Otto Foelker, TO vote against the
measures. which prohibited betting
M the race tracks. Interest In this
trial Is very widespread. as II is the
result of tale of political corruption
which for boldness and the amount OF
money involved has never before been
cqualled.
A half million dollars was raised to
defeat this measure and votes were
bartcrcd like so much merchandise.
These facts have already been dis
closed by the legislative investigating
committee. which went out Of exist
cncc on January Is, last. District
Attorney Whitman believes. however.
that the trial Of Gardner will result In
fresh disclosures and possibly fur.
nish a clue as 10 the identity OF the
lawmakers who received this money
III eAcnauSc LOT Iuelr VOTES,
Congressman Witness.
The principal witnesses will be
Congressman Otto q. Foelker. and
Assistant District Attorney Robert
Elder Of Brooklyn. According to
Foelkcr's story. which was told to the
investigating committee last fall
Gardner offered him $4,000 in June
..sl.- n <xr he
New York state senate to vote against
the anti.bctting bills which were then
before that body. Assistant District
Attorney Elder will repeat the testi
mony he offered TO the committee In
which he told how Gardner had relat-
cd to him tho tale OF the meeting of
the race track interests at belmont
cos In which half a million dollars
was raised to beat the racing bills.
According TO Elder. Gardner said that
Foclkcr had received $4,000 to vote
against the bills. but had voted for
them.
This Testimony, however will be
supplemented by that of other wit.
ncsscs, who have not appeared before
the investigating committee.
The history of the race track brib-
cry scandal dates back to the spring
Of 1908. when the Hart-Agncw bill
prohibiting gambling at race tracks
was killed In the senate after 1t had
measures. called IA special session Of
the legislature for the purpose of
passing the bill.
Immediately the whole state was
ahamc with excitement. The race
track measure was by no means par
tisan one as II was opposed by many
machine Republicans as well as DEM
ocrats. The leaders In the senate
and assembly who had opposed the
bill were Infatuated ut the governors
action and vowed that he would new
CIR get the measure through. The
racing men poured hundreds Of thou.
sands of dollars into Albany to aid in
the fight.
A Fight In Senate.
But tho chief executive had public
opinion behind him. and the measure
went through the assembly without
any trouble. The big fight however.
occurred In the senate. Both sides
claimed an even number of votes
The fate q the measure rested with
Senator Otto q. Foelker. who was
dangerously i'll at his home in Brook
lyn. On the day the vote was TO be
east, Foelkcr was taken to Albany
and carried into the senate chamber
on u strctchcr. where he cast his
vote In favor OF the bill and ended
racing In New York state In SO far as
betting was concerned.
Although 1t was known that there
had been plenty of money circulated
In an effort to kill the bill. and rum.
ors Of bribery were all over. the en-
tire matter soon passed into history.
II was two years later at the open
Ing Of the 1910 session that the affair
was again stirred up. and In very
curious manner. The Republicans
had elected Senator Jonathan T.
Aids ms president pro TEN OF that
body, despite the opposition OF sew
cral Of the members among whom was
Senator Ben Conger So desperate did
the latter become in his fight against
Aids that he told several OF the Re-
puobS"a VIC SSuttc Nudt
Aids had accepted bride in 1905
from Congcr to insure the passage of
some bridge legislation. Conger OK.
planning that he was head of a bridge
company.
The newspapers got wind of the
conversation and published the whole
story. which resulted in an investi.
cation by the state senate. that last
ed nearly three months. In the end
Aids was found guilty of accepting a
bribe and was expelled from the sen.
ate and Conger's resignation was re-
Qucsted.
Startling Testimony.
The investigation had brought forth
some startling testimony and had re-
vealed that Aids was not the only
man who had accepted bride and
that bridge legislation was not the
only kind that had been aided by a
plentiful distribution of money.
Immediately a cry went up from the
press and public demanding gene.
raj Investigation. A joint committee
was appointed with full powers to
subpoena wI;ncsscs~compel them 10
testify. Hearings were held at diff.
fcrcnt times during tho summer and