The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1913-10-01
SyLzER MAY
co ON STAND
Thought Governor Must TeSti-
U in Own Defense
WITNESSES HIT HIM HARD
Morgenthau Says Governor Asked
Him to Go Easy While Peck Says
Sulzer Wanted Him to Deny Truth.

Him to Go Easy While Peck Says
Sulzer Wanted Him to Deny Truth.
Because CT the testimony of Ambas-
sador Henry Morgenthau and Superin-
tendent of Public Works Peck at the
impeachment trial of Governor SulzCr
in Albany, N. Y, it is believed
that whatever doubt there was that
Governor Sulzer would take the stand
in his own defense has been removed.
Duncan w. Peck, state superin'
tendent of public works, swore that
he gave Mr.. Sulzer $500 bill as a
campaign contribution and that the
governor advised him to tell the Fraw-
ley committee that he had made no
such gift. He quoted the governor as
saying: "Do as shall. deny it," and
when Mr.. Peck protested, 81 suppose
| shall be ruder OATH" Mr.. Sulzer re-
piled: That's nothing; forget it."
Mr.. Peck said he could not be mis-
taken as to word of the conversation
which took place in the executive
chamber of the capitol.
The other blow came from the prose
cution's witness, Henry Morgenthau,
who testified on Wednesday that he
gave a contribution of $1,000. He said
with frankness on his second appear
ance that Governor Sulzer over the
long distance telephone on Sept. or
Sept had asked him to treat the
affair between us as personal" 81 told
him | could not" said Mr.. MorgeD-
thau.
He said also that the governor
begged him "if you are going to testi-
fly then be easy with me- and that he
replied he would testify to the facts.
Dwarfed by comparison with these
strange admissions was the testimony
of Richard Croker, Jr., as to a $4,000
check that he handed. to Mr.. Sulzer
on Oct. 16, 1912. This check was
made payable to the order of Cash"
at the request of Mr.. Sulzer.
The candidate said, according to Mr..
Croker, who testified with reluctance,
that he needed ready money because
he was leaving that night or the next
day on an upstate campaign trip. But
the check was not cashed until fifteen
days later and the man who then
turned it into money was Frederick L.
Colwell, pictured by the impeachment
managers as Mr.. Suffers agent in
stock speculation. Mr.. Croker said
his gift was "for campaign expenses
or anything else"
These points were scored by the
prosecution. There were two also for
the defense. One was a ruling by the
court that witnesses should be allowed
to say whether or not their contribu-
tions to Mr.. Sulzer were made with
out stipulation as to the purpose. The
other was ruling somewhat akin to
this, that witnesses may tell what
their intent was at the time the gifts
were made.
Every scintilla of evidence that the
assembly managers have to offer
against William Sulzer in support of
their assertion that he is unfit to hold
Office further will be spread before the
high court of impeachment.
William Sulzer will have a full op
portunity to answer them. That is the
meaning of the decision by the court
when it was agreed by a vote of 40
to that hearing of evidence on
charges concerning the acts of Sulzer
before he took office should go on and
the question of whether this evidence
should be entertained by the court
should be decided with the final dis
position of the case.
The vote indicated that Governor
Sulzer lacks thirteen votes to prevent
his conviction on the impeachment
articles, as thirty-eight votes will be
required to convict. 1t is believed all
evidence will be in by Oct. 10.