New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-12

J his denlals as Il was possible for him
TO he.
He did not accomplish all this biz job
OF denals with ease. however. and he
flushed up angrily time and again at
Whitman's probing questions on the
vital point as to whether money had
been exchanged either from Mccall to
lPlunkitt, or from someone I'm the New
York Life Insurance Company TO Plum
kit or To Murphy. he maintained the
most childlike ignorance possible.
Hennessy told him Of the Mclaughlin
matter. Wood said. and, apart from that.
he had never had any information on the
subject whatever. He knew both NC
I,aughlin and Mccall. he said, but neither
had ever told him of any such thing.
Wood did admit that on the night Of the
convention at Tammany Han. when Nc
Call was nominated. i'm 1902. Murphy went
into the Hoffman House on his way to
the hall. but he had not been up to his
Woods room. In fact, Wood recalled,
Murphy had never been In his room IN
the Hoffman House except on occasional
visits when the state committee was
meeting there.
As TO that famous meeting between Nc
Call and Plunkitt. described by lIenncssy
as having been held in Woods room,
Wood said
"Plunkitt was opposed 10 Mccall. and
some friend of McCalIs asked me 10 speak
TO Plunkitt II was not Mr.. Brady.
think il was some Albany friend Of Nc
Calls. | asked Plunkitt TO come 10 the
Hoffman House, and Mccall met him
there. but II was not I'm my room. IL was
right in the rotunda. They talked there
for a little while and Plunkitt went
away"
Whitman wanted 10 know whether
Wood had told Hennessy anything about
Murphy's part In the Mccall nomination.
well. | asked Murphy If he'd nom
mate Mccall" said Wood, and he said
he didn't know. That was all until the
night OF the nominations, when Murphy
dropped in and told me that probably
Mccall wouldn't he nominated
Knew Brady Was Interested.
Wood reduced the McIaughln-McCal
| dispute TO "A story that big Tim" Sui
| Ivan had told him once that McLauGh-
| lin and Mccall had had some dispute
over some law business. He said he had
never asked Murphy to meet Brady on
| the Mccall matter. although he knew
that Brady was interested in McCalrs
| candidacy
| He capped the climax finally with the
! bland assertion that he had never even
| heard Of such a thing as a candidate for
| judicial office paying In any campaign
| contribution TO Tammany Hall, and
Whitman excused him from the stand
with the understanding that he would be
recalled later.
| 1t was evideAt that Woods time had
not yet arrived. as Whitman was APP
parently permitting him TO cover the
! record with all the denials he had a mind
| to put into words. The terrific grillng
which Mcclure received on the same
stand 9. few moments later made Woods
experience stand out by contrast. But
1t was seen that Whtman's attitude
| toward Wood yesterday was precisely
the same he displayed toward Mcclure
Thursday. when he was not ready to cor
ner him.
| McGuires loquaciOus denials. made SO
easily on his first appearance, returned to
plague him yesterday, and 1t appeared to
those who saw both men on the stand
that the District Attorney was engaged
yesterday chiefly in permitting Wood to
lay his own foundation for a future
heckllng, such as that which yesterday
drove Mcclure away In a physical col
lapse
When he understood that he was ex-
cused Wood left the stand as If il had
been a redhot stove. On his way out he
stopped to shake hands effusively with
Hennessy. who took the greeting with a
grin.
The next session OF the inquiry will be
held tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock