The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-20
Pale and Often Weak of
Memory Witness Ur 'er-
goes Relentless Ordeal
of Examination
WITNESS SPEAKS
OF NONE OF CHARGES
OF OWN KNOWLEDGE
Information as to Forced Contribu-
tions to Campaign Funds From
Contractors Given Unwilling
ly = Flatly Contradiets
Previous Testimony

New York, November f0.--Geoee II.
Mct!uire of Syracuse. pale and often
weak of memory, whispered corrobo-
ration of charges made ny John A.
Hennsssy against alleged graft poii-
ticinns in relentless three-hour orr
deal of examination this afternoon by
District Attorney Charles :. whitman.
Mcclure was the days sole witness In
the John Doe Inquiry, through which
Mr.. whitman is seeking to bare
ruptions from 800 or more contractors
ON state barge. canal and highway
work.
Hennessy, investigator of graft for ex-
Governor Sulzer, sat In the court room
as McGude testified and heard the dis
trict attorney force the unwilling witness
to confirm charges of corruption made
by Hennessy during the mayoralty cant
palgn in New York city OF none of these
charges, however, could the witness
speak OF his own knowledge. They had
come to him In the gossip of contractors
and the small talk of politicians. or, as
McGuire's lawyer said, by the one-line
wireless telegraph route"
Contributions Forced
Mcclure testified that he had heard 40
or more charges of contractors being
forced to make contributions These. he
told Hennessy last October. in Utica, and
Hennessy had written them down as he
talked The memorandum was introduced
and Mcclure scanned it, but failed to re-
call some of its contents Nor would
McGeire give the district attorney tho
name Of single person who had given
him information.
How did you learn this?" Mr.. Whit
man asked repeatedly.
Il heard it," was McGuires invariable
answer.
who told your and McGuires stock
answer was, 4 don't recall"
Although McGure's memory apparently
had weakened much since he collapsed
on the witness stand last week, when
! forced to admit the falsity of previous
testimony he recalled that he had made
! mistakes when on the stand before.
| These he corrected by reading into the
| record q 12-page typewriter statement
In this he fatty contradicted much of
his previous testimony, especially his de-
malls of having told Hennessy anything
concerning the alleged sand bagging"
| of contractors.
What Mcclure had heard included
charges that 43 contractors had been
forced to make campaign contributions
to politicians in 1872; and that Everett
Fowler of Kingston, now under indict-
inent on a charge of extortion, had been
appointed at "A meeting between c. Cor
don Reel, former superintendent Of high
ways; Norman L. Mack. democratic state
chairman and John a. DIX, then governor
| OF New York, to make some of these
collections. The meeting held In tho
executive mansion at Albany, he said,
qualifying the entire statement with the
assertion that he had heard" il. but had
forgotten who told him.
Profited by Commissions
What Mcclure knew definitely was that
he and his brother, James K Mcclure
| for six years mayor of Syracuse, had
protited by commissions on the sale of
asphalt and oil TO the state and to con-
tractors on state work. The commissions,
he said, amounted to between $l50o and
5000 of which $500 had been paid.
The commissions Mcclure testified, were
paid by the Barber Asphalt company, by
which his brother had been employed and
| by the United States Asphalt company
| Mr.. Whltman switched TO McGuires
contributions to Sulzer when he WAS gov
| eInor. The witness corroborated his pre-
| yious testimony that he had given Sulzer
$500. OF this sum, ne said, $3.50 was given
| "out OF sympathy" last June. when the
| governor sent for him and told him he
needed money.
After l had given the $500" MCGUIRE
further said II got to thinking it over
| and concluded II was larger contribu-
ton than / could afford, so l went 10
Arthur Johnson (he was the Barber As
phalt company's agent. l told him L
wanted him to reimburse me for some of
49,
Continued ON Page Fourteen)