New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-06
The Democratic Treasurer
Pleads Not Guilty OF
State Road Hold-Up.
FOWLER ANSWERS
NEW INDICTMENT
John Doe Inquiry Goes Over to
Wednesday to Find More
Contractors.

indicted Arthur A. Mclean and Everett
p. Fowler at its first session. OF three
hours. THURSDAY took up Madison H.
Aldrich's accusations against Thomas
Hassett yesterday, and after hearing fve
witnesses adjourned to next Wednesday.
when the Hassett inquiry will probably
be finished.
Mclean. who has been state treasurer
of the Democratic organization for the
last ten years and who is the man high
est up so far indicted In the graft In
vestiea ton pleaded not guilty TO the In
dictments, which charged him with &C
cepting political contributions from two
corporations. He was represented In plead
ings by Isidor kresel. OF the law hrm or
Jerome. Rand & Kresel, but announced
later tha~ John b. Stanchheld would be
his attorney OF record.
Bail was fixed at $3.50 in McLean's
case. and was Immediately furnished by
n surety company Fowler. who was In
dcted for soliciting political contribu-
ton from a corporation. put In plea OF
not guilty through his lawyer, Martin w.
Littleton. Justice Davis, before whom
both pleas were entered. decided that
Fowler's 5000 bail in the felony case
under tho extortion indictment found
against him two weeks ago was sufficient
10 cover the present case also.
Martin W. Littleton. before entering
Fowler's plea OF not guilty to this indict-
ment, argued for the dismissal of the one
found against him previously on charge
Of extortion He based his argument on
the plea that II any crime was committed
according 10 the evidence OF Seneca L.
who swore that Fowler held him up for
$3.50. was committed in Onondaga County.
when Fowler met Hull in Syracuse.
Justice Davis reserved decision on Lit
tleton's motion until next Wednesday
after Assistant District Attorney John X.
Clark had put in the response that the
cashing OF the check in New York city.
when II went into the bank account OF
the Democratic State Committee, was the
contamination Of the eXtortion and gave
the courts OF this county jurisdiction.
The John Doe inquiry was adjourned
To next Tuesday, and District Attorney
Whitman will. send out process servers
to-day with subpPnas FOR several contrac-
tors, who are wanted as witnesses then.
James ". Osborne Governor Gyms spe-
cial investigator and commissioner under
the Moreland act. called upon Mr. whit
man Yesterday, and the District Attorney
turned over TO the upstate investigator
several matters brought out here, but not
punishable In this jurisdiction. Osborne
assured Whitman OF the support OF the
state administration.
The main evidence in the Hassett case.
embracing the story OF Aldrich, the
Poughkeepsie contractor, was put before
the grand jury yesterday. although AID
rich will be recalled Wednesday for fur
Their evidence Aldrich. who IL president
Of the Bridgeport Construction Company
and vlcc-president OF the General Con-
structiou Company. which was taken over
by the first named concern. testified that
on a $1,000 road contract which his com
pany held on a road from Livingston 10
Hudson. his final payment OF $1,000 was
held up from November. 1911. when the
work was completed. until March y. 1872,
and that he got the $1,000 only after he
had submitted 10 blackmail for $500 by
Thomas Hassett. Aldrich swore that he
paid the $500 10 Hassett in Hassett's
apartment. No. % Hamilton Place, this
city.
William y Clark. n buyer for local
drygoods firm. and who lived with Has
sett at that time. was called as Wit
ness yesterday. but declared he could not
recall having seen Aldrich at Hassetts
apartment on Sunday, March 81, 1912. the
day Aldrich said he had passed the $500
10 Hassett.
James NJ. Hamilton. Bassetts business
partner I'm the Hamilton Engineering
Company and the State Highways Con-
struction Company. was another witness.
and is said to be one of the two men
whom Aldrich saw in the Hassett apart
ment on pay day" Clark being the other.
but again Hamiltons recollection was in
active
James j. Neville. secretary TO State En-
glneer John 4. Bensel, who was named by
Aldrich AZ one Of the men present when
he met Hassett at dinner at Keeler's, I'm
Albany, meeting arranged by John r.
Consaulus, was before the grand jury
yesterday. Aldrch had testified that il
was at that meeting over the dinner table
Consaulus told him to see Hassett the
next morning and make arrangements
with him. and he would get his $1,000.
but Neville declared he did not recall
having dined with IIassett. Consaulus
and Aldrich under those circumstances.
John T.. Consaulus, who is himself a
contractor, but who acted as "introducer'
between various contractors and Everett
Z. Fowler, and who on the John Doe
stand last Monday could not recall any
thing, recolected yesterday that he had
introduced Aldrich to Charles r. Foley,
Deputy Superintendent of Highways. then
In charge of all repair work. II is eX-
pected that at Wednesdays session. to
which he has been resubpenaed. he will
recall the Hassett-Aldrich meeting also.
Aldrich produced the check on his Pough-
keepsie bank for $500 on which he drew
the money TO pay IIassetts demand. Miss
Phoebe Hulz. his stenographer, whom he
sent out to cash the check and who had
so small an opinion OF the whole affair
that she brought back that amount in
small bills-tens, iiveS, twos and ones
will be subppnaed Wednesday, and Ham
ilton. Consaulus and Aldrich Will also DO
called again.