New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-14
Uncovering of Gigantic
Conspiracy Is Whitman's
Purpose in Graft Probe.
BIG STATE OFFICERS
CAUGHT IN HIS NET
Blanket Indictment Likely to
Result from Tireless Work OF
County Prosecutor.

! Albany nv reason of their Contributions
to the Democratic State Committee
caused prominent lawyers to say yes
terday that District Attorney WHIT
, mans slow but thoroughgoinS inVesu-
cation will undoubtedly end In blan-
| kct indictment against many high state
officials and will wind up in an un-
paralleled exposure OF gigantic con-
spiracy to loot the state"
Yesterdays developments showed
that $25, 900 contributed by favored con-
tractors was not reported In the Dem
ocratic State Committees list for
| l91l-12.
John X. Clark. Assistant District At
| torncy. says this amount of unreported
contributions was revealed merely by
an examination Of forty out or four
hundred contractors. and on that ratio
ne figures that at least s250,000 of the
contractors money will not appear on
| the lists when he completes his eX-
animation.
| Most of this money was collected ny
Everett =. Fowler. the indicted upstate
"baglnan." The balance was harvested
hy other 'bagmcn" not yet indicted
Grand Larceny Charge.
District Attorney Whitman feels that
there is some prospect OF his being able
to show that grand larceny was COM
mittcd by persons who diverted the
contractors money Although intent IL
one Of the burdens of proof resting on
| the prosecution. all chance 81 punishins
the persons on the state committee re-
sponsiblc for failing 10 report the con-
trIbutions Is nulihed by the laxity OF
the corrupt practices act. which out
laws the offence after nifty days At
| it's worst the offence IL only misde-
mcanor. punishable by flne or snort
! Imprisonment. District Attorney whit
man regards the act as ridiculous
! dead letter law
Two more upstate contractors VIII
testify before Magistrate McAdoo
! Tuesday. It Is expected their tesu-
mony will be even stronger than that
Of past witnesses in respect of the
threats made to them II they did not
come across" and promises held out
to them II they did.
] Lawyers pointed out yesterday the
oxtrcuc difficulties that confront Dis
trict Attorney Whitman in his pur-
pose 10 reveal an enormous unsuspect-
ed conspiracy to divert the peoples
money. The effects OF such con-
spiracy transcend the corruption or
mere state committeeman and their
unrcportcd funds.
These lawyers point out that 1t 10
/ silly TO think that money merely left
/ the pockets Of contractors and found
/ it's way into the pockets of men high
or up" Any one. they say. knows
! better than to believe that contractors
| bleed" like lambs at the slaughter.
What will eventually be revealed, they
say, is that in reality the contractors
were allowed TO do their work at fig
urcs that reimbursed them for their
/ brides.
Many Face Indictment
/ The conservative. cautious manner in
which Mr.. Whitman has subprnaed
| the upstate "bagmcn" and contractors
so far has convinced shrewd observers
| in New York that the John Doe in
! vcstigation will ultimately uncover
meeting between contractors and go
! betweens" for the heads of the big
I state departments having in charge
highway and barge canal contracts.
The testimony OF Flood, Van Writ
and Davis, IT is believed, points to the
goal of the District Attorney. The
spectre of indictment stands on the
threshold OF at least three high state
! officials to-day.
II was reported yesterday that n
| scandal turks in the contributions or
| the brewers 20 the Democratic CAM
paign. Mr.. Whitman said that he had
not gone into that phase OF the inves-
| tigation yet, but so far he has seen
nothing indicating that "A crime has
| Dfcn cOIllntttu. lnI'SS u 'tIi b' SIiON u
that the brewers in giving their money
were led to believe ii would influence
officials in their attitude toward the
givers. there Is nothing criminal there.
he said
| II may be that some OF the contribu-
tons will he found missing on the COM
mittee books; but that will lead to a
| blind wall, as In the cases of the unre-
ported highway and barge canal con-
| tributions.
Unless | am mistaken the brewers
and liquor dealers associations con-
tributed to the election Of the District
Attorney" said Mr.. Whitman, but
there is no law that prevents them
from doing so. AS there has been no
attempt in recent years TO alter the
excise laws | have no reason to feel
suspicious"
AMERICAN OIL MEN SAFE