The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-12-02
F ORCED TO HAND
OVER $500 ON
HIS CONTRACT
Could Not Collect His Duo Until
He DisgOrged
PAID MONEY IN CASH
pouuhkeepse Man Who Built State
= Road Testifes in Graft
Investigation

New York, Dec. o. Madison r. Al
drich poughkeepsie contractor, tes-
uGed at District Attorney WhitmanR
John Doe inquiry yesterday that he
has been forced to give mp $500 as a
condition to getting his pay from the
state highway department for a road
which ne completed during the adj
ministration of Highway Commission
or c. Gordon Reel He paid the mon
ey in cash in New York city on
March 81. 1912, he said, TO Thomas
hassctt secretary, 10 John \. BenzeL
then state engineer, llassett, whom
the district attorney IS anxious TO
question. has disappeared. Mr.. Whit
man has information that he sailed
for san Domingo at about the same
time that James x Mcclure. former
mayor of Syracuse, now under in.
dictment also sailed south
Aldrich, who is president OF me
Bridgeport construction company,
said that he had given the money on
llassett's representation that Charles
r. Foley, deputy highway commits
sioner. demanded H. Pay on his con
tract had al that time he said been
held up nearly four months. The
contract was fer a road costing Sio5,-
COO 1t was completed Ahlrich said
in November. 1911, and he had rSceiy
ed his pay from the state for all ex-
cept $1,000. This he went to Albany
10 get IN December and saw Foley
and Reel They both told him that
they would try to expedite the pay
ment, he said, but thar the county
engineer had not yet sent in his 20
X" on the work. Aldrich said ne
went back to the capital seyera
times, demanding his pay, but met
with no success On March II. 1912
after his return from Albany from ar
other tiultiess effort, ne was callec
upon the telephone, he said. by John
+. Consaulus. an Albany contractor
who Yesterday subsequently testified
that he was collector OF democrat.
lc campaign contributions from outer
contractors. From Consauluss lnyi
tation he at once returned TO Albany
ana dined with him, together with
Hassetf and a clerk in state Engin
cor Benzels Office named Neville, ne
testified He stayed ut Consauluss
house all night, he said, and was
there told that if he would see Has
sett in the morning the latter would
arrange" for the payment of his mon
ey This he did. lie said. in the ONCE
OF the state engineer.
'Hassett took me ont in the hail.
testified the witness, and said: We
think we ought 10 have something on
his job said What? and he said
that Mr.. Foley thought ought &c
give up 10 per cent, or $1,000. ID
aally asked him il Sl5OO would do
and he said that would be al right
! knew the situation and though
hat was the hes, thing 10 do. tolt
him ! would rive him the money a
soon rs my pay went through" Al
irich said that he received his pa,
On March Is. went to New York. am
ON March 81 gave the $500 in casl
% flassstt in the latter's apartment
"Why did YOU pay him In cash?
asked District Attorney Whitman.
% thought that was the best wa,
20 transact that sort of business" re
piled Aldrch
"The business OF bribing public on
,ials?"
Wen, &c you want to put 50 thai
way. yes. was the reply