The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-13
FLOOD AND DAVIS
TELL OF GIVING TO
CAMPAIGN FUNDS
Officials of Big Construc-
ton Company on Stand
in New York John
Doe Inquiry

New York December Thames f1.
treasurer, respectively, of tie Flood
& Van Writ Engineering and Con-
struetion compans o. Hudson Falls.
n Y, testified today at District At
torney WhitmaGs John Doe inquiry
into state highway graft that their cor
poration had given $500 to the DEM
feared that contracts the concern had
with the state highway commission and
the canal board would be held up
The commissioner of highways, who
was then c. Gordon Reel, and the su-
perintendent of public works, Duncan
w. Peck. We're described by Davis as
the high court at Albany"
II suppose, said Davis, that we
contributed because We believed they
would stall US. 1t was we'll enough to
have a friend at court
Flood and Davis were called to sup
pliment the previous testimony of Dud-
| ley e. Van Writ, vice president of tine
concern, that at the solicitation Of
/ Everett p. Fowler, the alleged Tam
many bagman," he sent two contribu
tions of $500 each and one of $2G0D
! to the democratic state committee and
one of $500 al the request of Will
liam j. Morrissey. deputy superintend-
ent of public works.
advised" Contribution
| Davis said Van Writ had told him
that Morrissey, who had supervision
over the company's 100000 canal con-
tract, had advised" him to make the
$500 contribution in October, 1912, a
week or two after the $1,000 contri-
button, which Van Writ described as
his limit when Fowler asked him for
! $1,000.
| Didn't Van, Writ tell you" asked
Mr. Whitman, that Morrissey had
urged him to come up with the rest
of that s35OG?'
"He said Morrissey had advised him
to contribute" said the witness.
| But you regarded it as a demand,
didn't your
yes"
sWhy did you give up the s2ooO?'
| "ro keep IL strong with the parties
| over us--the democratic state commit
| tee"
| E1OOu gave similar testimony. lie aud
ed: Van Writ thought it good bust
ness policy. We We're afraid our esti-
mates would be held Up
| Several other road builders also tes-
titled today that they gave contribu-
tions in connection with their con-
| tracts. John C. Bradley of Corning told
| of having been asked by Jerry Lynch
of Glens Falls to give $500 to the
democratic state committee sin 1898
| while Frederick Skene was state engi-
! neer. Bradley was called to supple
ment testimony of other witnesses that
| the system of calling on contractors
| for campaign contributions was inaug-
urated during Skene's administration.
Bradley said there was $4,000 still un-
| paid on his $4,000 contract when
| Lynch accented $1,000. he said, and soon
afterward he got his final payment.
Contributed $500
| Charles S. Rauber of Rochester of
! Whitmore, Rauber 4 Nicinus. Inc, with
! state. contracts valued at $4,000, told
of having contributed $500 in 1912 at
| Fowler's solicitation. The witness also
said that after he was told in 1905
! that he was to be democratic presi-
Dental elector he was called upon to
contribute $500 for the honor and sent
| that amount to Arthur A Mclean
mttee.
4 William r, Cogley of Utica said he
sent $3.50 to Mclean in 1912 because
he had a contract for $4,000 and Peter
ID. Conley of Ithaca gave $3.50 in 1912
voluntarilN he said, as he had heard
talk about other contractors CIV
ing up"