New-York tribune., 1913-12-30
WHITMAN BALKED
IN doe" INQUIRY
Admits Upstate Grafters
Are Beyond His Reach
Asks Adjournment.
MAY SEND EVIDENCE
OF CRIME TO OSBORNE
Girl Stenographer, Carried on
State Payroll as "Laborer,"
Charges Forgery.

Charges Forgery.
,,,;dence OF high crime on the part of
STATE Highway Department officials. great
I'D small in Ulster and Monroe counties
u,s unfoded by District Attorney Whit
-, at the resumption yesterday Of the
,.hr Doe inquiry into highway graft be-
,.-O chief Magistrate McAdoo. However.
=. whitman was forced TO admit that
sc hands we're tied because he cannot
.,rect the crimes with New York
county
Ar whitman Unexpectedly asked for an
.diourrmcnt ana for permission to for
ward copies Of the evidence to James w.
o.horne. Governor Glynn's graft commits
.iorer and to the District Attorneys -
Monroe and Ulster counties.
IN :, should later transpire that these
.r.rsactions may be connected with trans
actions within the Jurisdiction of tins
,oyr, in this county. Of course NC can
r-cceed further before the srand Jury
bo explained and Magistrate McAdoo
made this reply;
II think it is not amiss al this stase
cf the inquiry to state that from the evil
deDce already taken here there are pre-
rounced indications that there was a
yjde.raneins conspiracy 20 rob and sWih-
40 the state of New York, the centre
of such conspiracy being under the eye
Of the law in this city
NJ Whitman was also disappointed YES
,crday because his important contuma-
c,ous witnesses stubbornlv refused 10
naive immunity. lie declined to let them
testify. SO the John Doe proceedings went
over until next Monday afternoon.
II is believed that they Nil! be discarded
81, that time in favor OF the grand july
Investigation This was heightened ny
remarks made by Magistrate McAdoo IN
attending the course taken by Mr., Nhi'-
man and himself in making them pub
lie. instead Of private.
Girl Stenoerspher on Payroll,
Amon- other revelations disclosed yes
tsrdav il was shown that pretty stenog-
rainier Miss Mary ]. Diamond, of King
ston. hired by William 6. Merritt dep
MY road superintendent Of Ulster County
10 do ,vpewriting at 22 cents an hour was
on the payroll as a Temporary patrol
,,nder the name M. J. Diamond she
got one draft for s. 50, o. k.'d by =. COR
don Reel. State Highway Commissioner
in July. 1912, but lost her job in Septem-
her. after Merritt was discharged. Dan
isl r Schoonmacher. Merritts successor
was in debt 10 her so &C.
District Attorney Whitman showed 10
Miss Diamond a draft for that amount
0. KID by Reel and indorsed with ne
name M J. Diamond Miss Diamond
denied that il was her signature.
schoonmacher after having MADE an al
fda,it before William Dean Embree, AS
sistant District Attorney, yesterday morn
ing rcpudiated the document and refused
TO testify IN the afternoon without an
immunity bath. In his affidavit Schoon-
nacher said had he known the M. J.
Diamond" on the payroll was a woman
he would have discharged her. lie also
said the draft for $50 90 in her. favor came
10 him and he turned II over 10 Merritt
Later he changed his story and said that
he didn't give it to Merritt but indorseo
i and placed il TO his own account.
Witness Asked Immunity Bath.
schoonmacher was very nervous while
Air. Whitman Vas trying TO explain that
.he people wanted the truth about the
situation In Ulster County, and therefore
,e sbo,,ld sign a waiver and testify. Mr..
said:
The people want the truth. MI
do you realize that there
IS a very grave implication or crime
against you before>the court7
81 think / can explain that.
Not unless you waive immunity saio
Mr.. Whitman.
81 could ~ had a lawyer to ADVISE
me-" retorted Schoonmacher as ne ieit
The stand.
A plain tale Of "sandbagging' on
small scale was told by Frank w. Trues-
tale. Of West Greece, Monroe County
VINO EOl a CONTRACT " iNPo'
road. in Parma, not by bidding. for pios
eren't advertised. but by going 70 John
Palace. OF Rochester, Commissioner OF
Elections. who in turn went 10 Charies
z. Foley, Of Lockport. Foley was secre-
tary 10 the Highway Commission. BEFORE
the contract was completed Truesdale
said he was asked to carry Parma at the
primaries for the Democrats. lie oe-
clined. and was suddenly informed "hen
the road work was done that he "oulo
nave TO pay 800 assessment oeio'e
hs osuld get the last payment.
Truesdale said he went to Patrlch a.
Kedian. his partner and bondsman, ana
told him to see John Palace and tell MIN
that he'd never pay the assessment vi.
less Palace gave him 10 cents instead OF
for putting on the repair OIL "hlch
the state furnished. Truesdale salo ne
dian succeeded. and he paid the |SVo III
Palaces Office in Rochester.
Kedian was called, but he declined 10
answer any questions about the payment
Of the money, on the ground that it'wouio
incriminate him. Truesdale, recaiieo'
testified that after paying the assessmeht
he got a receipt for 5000 campaign con-
tributions from Arthur Mclean OF New
burgh. The Democratic State Commit
tees campaign list for 1912 showed ina.
=. W. Truesdale, OF West Greece Paiu