The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-07-16
BLAKE PROBER LEFT
PRISONER IN LURCH
Hunter Admits Failure to Keep
Promise to Help
Inventor.
GOVERNOR IS DEFIANT
Tells Frawley Committee lie
Won't BE COprced Into
Producing Papers.

ALBANY, July 15.-wallace r. Hunter.
who was employed by George w. Blake
as a special Investigator in the probe Of
State prisons. was forced to admit be-
fore the Frawley Legislative committee
to-day that while he was pursuing his
Investigations at Clinton prison he &C.
cured from convict named Louis
Dietrich models Of several inventions.
promising to show them to Gov. Sulzer.
but has not kept his promise.
Dietrick's inventions include an auto
mobile wrench, a five tool wrench. an
other quick acting wrench. a necktie
protector and a scarfpin holder. The
attention Of the Frawley committee was
called to the matter in an affidavit
sworn to by Dietrich on Monday. In
the affidavit Dietrich says. referring to
his interview with Hunter:
HE said: Have you got the models?
I told him yes. I had them down in
the corner in my box In the shop. He
said: AN right, let's go down and get
them told him: Look out for the
screw tmeaning the keeperl; don't
want the screw to see them So We
stepped outside for a few minutes and
talked the matter over in regard to
the models. . gave him the letter
for Gov. Sulzer.
I'm my conversation with Mr.. Hunter
he said to me: You know you are q
third termer. l don't know about a
pardon or Communication Of sentence
So ! said to him: How about special
parole? He said: That IL 1t. Now
you. and you will hear from me
shortly"
Admits Taking No Action.
Hunter said ne had not spoken TO
Gov. Sulzer about the inventions. but
he did mention them to Commissioners
Blake.
Now. Mr.. Hunter. you were there
as an Investigator from the Governor.
DO you think 1t was right for you to
help this convict deceive the keeper In
the way you did?" inquired Senator
Frawley.
Mr.. Hunter made no answer.
Did you show Dietrick's letter to
Gov. Sulzer?" pressed Senator Frawley
"No. | did not" admitted Hunter.
AS "A matter Of fact you have done
nothing regarding the models and
papers confided to you by Dietrich.
mo. not yet" said Hunter. who as
serted that ne had not had time to at
tend to the matter.
The State Senate chamber was
crowded this afternoon when John A..
Hennessy. Gov. Suffers political man
aver, was called al u witness before
the committee. which really was estab-
lished for the purpose OF making II i'm
possible for Gov. Sulzer through state
patronage to build up u State political
machine.
Eugene Lamb Richards. the counsel
for the committee. had not proceeded
far In his questioning Of MIR. Hennessy
before ne realized that the witness was
amply able to take care OF himself.
MIR. Ilennessy was 80 self-possessed
that the proceedings Of the committee
were brought to an abrupt close III the
middle Of the afternoon. two hours be-
fore the usual time for adjournment.
Counsel called Mr.. Hennessy's atten-
ton to the fact that he had approved a
number Of bills involving 100000 for
Callahan 4 Prescott. the Capitol con-
structiOn contractors. about May Il.
Mr.. Hennessy explained that the Comp
troller insisted upon such an approval
before the bills could be paid and that
in the emergency he had acted because
the Trustees of Public Buildings had
not yet met to name his successor.
Governor Holds Back Letters.
Chester c. Plat, the secretary to the
Governor. produced several OF the let
ters which the committee requested the
Governor to nand over. Failure to pro-
duce them last week resulted In the
committee threatening to punish Secre-
tary Plat for contumacy.
When the committee insisted that
Gov. Sulzer hand over all the docu-
ments dema nded the Governor sent the
following reply:
IL sent such of the requested docu-
ments which l have found in my
possession and under my control as
deem in my discretion proper at this
time to assist in the deliberations Of
your committee within the sphere Of its
legitimate powers"
j. =. Francisco OF Rome. who was
Commissioner Blake's expert on nsnes-
tos and pipe covering. and Thomas c.
Burney Of Rome Blake's building eX-
pert in connection with the report on
conditions at Great Meadow Prison.
were not good witnesses for Blake.
Francisco said that he had volun-
teered his services to blake and that
he had not been paid a cent but denied
that his criticism Of conditions at Great
Meadow Prison were founded on the
fact that he had a grievance against
the State Architects office. Francisco
admitted that all Of his criticisms were
wrong because they were based on
wrong plans and specifications, and he
remarked: Some one must have slipped
something over on me-"
IL did not care anything about the
State" naively replied Francisco.
Burney declared he was not respon-
sible for the statement in Blake's re-
port on Great Meadow Prison that "a
conservative estimate fxed the loss to
the State by the construction OF the
building through carelessness or graft
at 100000"