Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-11-22
HOLD UP" MAN IS
MURPHY JR. PARTNER
CONFESSED BRIBIR WAS 10 DI.
VIDE BUSINESS WIT MUIR
PHYS NEPHEW.
COLLECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
Got Campaign Money From Asphalt
Companies in Return For
State Contracts.

NEW YORK. Nov. 2l.-George II.
Mcclure, the Syracuse bonding agent
for state highway and barge canal
contractors, Is a partner OF Charles +.
Murphy, Jr., nephew Of the leader of
Tammany Hall. lie SO testified today
AT the John Doe inquiry into highway
graf and said he had an agreement
with Murphy to divide all the bond
ing business they obtained
Further Mcclure confessed to hav-
ing attempted TO hold up" at least
three asphalt companies for $4,000
contributions to the state democratic
committee in return for getting them
contracts from the state highway de-
partment Mcclure was to get a com
mission of one cent "A gallon for all the
asphalt the COmpany's sold to the
state or to contractors. he said, and
the companys were to charge the
contributions against the commission.
Two of the panies-the Warner
Quinlan company and the Union Oil
company of California-did not con
tribute he said. Whether the third,
the Barber asphalt company contri-
buted Mcclure said he did not know
but the Barber company got the con-
tract. He said he had received
total of $3.50 from Arthur s. johnson
sales agent of the barber company,
but insisted these We're not commits
sons but money given him as cam
paign contributions to Governor Sui
zer.
Mcclure said it was possible he also
had sought contribution from the
United States Asphalt company under
the same terms. That company paid
him $69l in commissions on materials
which the company had sold to the
repair department of the state high
way commission and still owed him
money he said. So did the Wads-
worth Stone and Paving company and
the Barber company. Last year he
received commissions also on con
tracts given the Kentucky Rock and
Asphalt company and the Knicker-
booker Cement company, he testified.
These admissions were drawn out OF
the witness only after insistent repe-
titions of questions by the prosecutor.
Before he took the stand Mcclure
went before the grand jury and among
other things was questioned. it was
understood as to the part he played
in the gathering Of campaign contri-
buttons.
Mcclure admitted having suggest
ed" to representative Of the Barber
company that it make a $1,000 con
tribution to the democratic state COM
mittee in return for getting a state
contract He said he had held SINH
lar conversations with Fillmore Con-
dit, New York agent Of the Union Oil
company.
Did you know it was a crime to
solicit these commissions" replied
Mcclure. He denied that the Barber
company had made seven payments
of commissions to him during the last
year, although Mr. Whitman informed
him that the company's sales agent,
johnson, had so asserted.
In regard TO his association with
Chas. +. Murphy. Jr., in the bonding
business Mcclure said he had an
agreement with the Tammany leaders
expenses and commissions on the
bonding of all barge canal. state high
way, subway and aquaduct contracts
They both represented the United
States Fidelity and Guaranty company
he said and last year they had togcth-
er obtained about 25 per cent OF state
highway bonding business.
Mcclure was preceded on the stand
by Edward T.. Burgard. a Buffalo con-
tractor and chairman of the demo-
cratic general committee of Erie
county Burgard testified he had a
81, 800. 0O0 state barge canal contract
and two smaller road contracts. He
had contributed $1,000 personally to
the democratic state committee in
1911 and in 1912 had turned over
So, 900 as contributions from other
contracts which he said had been
given TO him by Reeves Smith of Full
ton, y. y. a consulting engineer.