The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-11-24
Whitman Will Act Against
Former Mayor of
Syracuse.
GRAFT PLOT CHARGED
Asphalt Agent to Tell Grand
Jury Of Contract
Temptation.
BIG COMMISSION OFFER
Saws Accused Politician OBJ
iccted to Low Bid as
"TrOublc" Maker.

"TrOublc" Maker.
N's.ric. tt,orne- Whitman will ask
the Grand Jury to-day to indct James
x. Mcclure. the former Mayor OF SYRIA
cuae WHO has been identified for many
ears with the Barber Asphalt Company
nd the democratic party. The indict-
cent will ba asked for under that Sec
ION n the general corporation law which
.,akcs ID q M. sic'nearor 20 solicit cam
3aien contribution from corporation.
II the Indictment Is returned it will
h. found in part upon the testimony OF
VI McGulres brother. George II. Me-
CURE of syracuse. who went before the
Grand Jury last Friday and described the
scheme under which II was proposed to
get campaign contributions and sales COM
missions from number of corporati lions
that wanted state highway contracts.
The man who will corroborate George
q McC;uire's testimony and will give adj
d,;ional information with respect 10 the
arrangement which the McCuires proposed
. Fillmore Condit. WHO FOR ten years
~rss been the New York agent Tor the
Union Oil Company of California. The
office of the company is IN the " niteha'i
Building. at Il Battery place.
Cou,Iit viii Tell "r scheme.
81. cendit will testify that James x.
Mcclure. whom lie had known for serera!
ears. casually as the confidential man OF
an
IS oIic. ia the summer OF 1872 and laid
Jo'or, him the terms under "hich me
tnou O!l Company would get contracts
'-r will testify. jus. as George H. Nc
Guire did. that the terms were $4,000
4,mpai.n contribution and commission
~ ous cent gallon on all products iur-
nished to the contractors. this co'nfns-
\ sion 10 be- paid :" George II. Mcclure.
The testimony which Nj. Condit IL ex-
uec;ed TO give has been embodied in the
normatiou given 20 Gov. Glynn at The
4 4!dorf-Astorla OIL Friday by Henry \.
Z Dino, attorney for the Warner-Quinlan
;phalt ,'umpa nv who went TO Albany "a
s,ck aro to make a formal complaint
',,a.nst John y Carlisle. Commissioner Of
Il shwa!s.
Most of the Information filed b. Mr..
nubiul pcrtainCd to an alleged meeting
t. Cooper stown on July D, following which
grams are said To have been sent TO
II highway contractors notifying then,
~ y must use only natural. solid as
III alt" as required in the road specilica-
-
.:yv Sulzer, Commissioner Carlisle and
G-ore. II. Mcclure have denied that they
cfn
dcGuire has testified that his brother.
\ lanes K. Mcclure. did not attend such
la meeting, It was learned Yesterday
phat before the present proceedings are
ended Stephen Clark the thread man.
sho has summer home al Coope erstown
ard who s the owner OF the Knicker-
booker Press, will be asked on the wit
ness stand If he did not see GOV. Sulzor
and Mr.. Carlisle in Cooperstown on the
lay Of the alleged meeting.
Blnmes spcciacatiO
s .ue the Union Oil Company opened us
pt'ic. In .Now York ten years ago II
has been trying through Mr.. Condit to
u uisu oil and asphalt TO contractors
aong work for the State and city. Mr.
.cond, is prepared to say that up TO the
presen, time Il has been rough going.
H. attributes this to the fact that tho
Highways Department has drawn ia
specifications IN such way as TO eX'
cud, the Products of his company. The
know ledge that the Barber Asphalt Com
pauy was doing most OF its business OF
furnishing oil and asphalt for the State
highways was rather informing thar
comforting 7" Mr. Condt.
The Union on Company's agent is pre-
ual'd 10 testify that in the early part
of tine frs, week in August. 1912, James
Is Mcclure came to his Office and In thu
course Of conversation informed hin
that u september bids were to be opened
Tor contracts on about 500 miles OF STATE
highways. Mr. Condit says that Mcclure
also told Inn hat II had been agreed
- that tine specifications for these contracts
8. "rawn by the state Highways Depart
alr.d. were TO be worded in such a way N
l % make il possible for four other com
y .au.c- besides the Barber company tn bid
Each company was 10 get approXimatel,
ono.hfth of the work and Mr.. Condit wa
Informed that the Union Oil COmpan!
could come in u he would accept th
terms proposed
Mr. Condt will testify that he nske,
, what ths terms were and that James X
| Mcclure replied:
The terms are campaign contribution
! ''of $4,000 for use in the campaign to b.
conducted this fall and a commission o
one cent gallon on all products fur
NJ h'sh"d by your company to the con
tractors. this commission OF one cent
gallon TO be paid to George II. McGuir
of Mcclure Co., Syracuse"
Mr., condt in prepared to say tim
while his company had always refraine
'rom making any corrupt agreement 1
offer 10 get business and while no kne,