The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-20
WITNESS ADMITS
truth OF CHARGES
HENNESSY MADE
Mcclure Confirms Story
Of Grating Poll
ticians.
PALE AND OFTEN
WEAK OF MEMORY
Confederation Given During Re-
lentless Three-Hour Ordeal Of
Examination by Whitman in
Inquiry Through Which
He Is Seeking to Lay
Bare Corruption.

New YORK, November 1o.-Cieorgc IL
McGuire, OF Syracuse. pale and often
weak OF memory. whispered corrobora-
ton OF charges made by John A.
Hennessy against alleged grating pol
iticians. IN a relentless three hour Or
deal of examination this afternoon bv
district Attorney Charles :. Whitman
McGuirc was the days sole witness
In tho John Doe inquiry, through which
Mr.. Whitman is seeking to bnrc cor
ruption among Democratic and Renub
lican collectors of campaign contri.
buttons from 200 or more contractors
on state barge canal and highway
work.
Hennessy, Investigator OF graft ro~
Ex-Governor Suizer. sat In thu court
room ana heard the district attorney
force the unwilling witness TO con-
| hrm charges OF corruption made by
Hennessy during the mayoralty cam-
paign in New York city OF none OF
these charges. however. could the Wit
ness speak OF his own knowledge. They
had come TO him In tho gossip of con-
tractors and the small talk of poll
ticians.
Mcclure testified that he had heard
forty or moro charges OF contractors
being forced to make contributions
, but would not give the district attor-
ney the name OF 4 single person who
had given him information
Gives No Names.
How did you learn this?" Mr. Whit
man asked repeatedly.
Il heard IT," was McGuirc's invariablo
answer
Who told you:' and McGu,re,s
stock answer was Il don't recall
Although McGuires memory appar-
emily hRd weakened much since no
flsn t>@ifv
week. when forced 10 admit the falsitv
OF previous testimony, he recalled that
he had made mistakes" when he was
on tho stand before.
These he corrected by reading into
the record n twelve page typewritten
statement In this ho natly contrn-
dicted much Of his previous testimony.
especially his denials OF having told
iicnnessy anything concerning the al
legged "sandbagging' OF contractors.
What McGuiro had heard included
charges that forty three contractors
had been forced TO mako campaign
contributions 10 politicians in 1912
and that Everett Fowler, OF Kingston.
now under indictment on charge OF
eNtortion. had been appointed at Il
meeting between G. Gordon Reel for
mer superintendent of highways; Nor
man +. Mack, Democratic State chair
man. and John ~. Dix then Governor
OF New York. to make some OF these
collections.
What Mcclure knew definitely was
That h. and his brother, James X Nc
tsuirc. Tor six years Mayor of Syracuse.
had prohred by commissions on tho sale
OF asphalt and oil TO tho State and TO
contractors on State work. The com
missions, he said amounted TO between
S45oo and Sd. 200, Of which $500 had
been paid.
Gave S3,5G0 TO SuIxer.
Tie witness Corrohor3tcd his nra-
vious testimony that he had given
$4,000 10 William Sulxer when he was
Governor. or this sum. he said 50. 500
Was given out OF sympathy last June.
when tho Governor sent for him and
told him he needed money.
After had given tho $500" Nc
CURE further said. II got TO thinking
1t over. and concluded il was larger
contribution than l could AFFORD. 80 |
went to Arthur .iohnson--he was tho
BARBER Asphalt Company's agent
told him | wanted him 10 reimburse
me FOR some OF il, ii lie felt that ho
could AS we'll as ] recall it. johnson
said lie would pay half Ia ANY event.
! got Il check for $3.50 from him a few
days later
Isn't it Tho truth" demanded Mr..
Whitman, that Governor Sulzer sent
for YOU and told you that the Barber
Asphalt Company was making money
out OF the sale Of its asphalt To the
state. and that you had to come across
to him with some Of the proniS:"
NO, sir Mcclure answered quickly
District Attorney Whitman aues-
toned Mcclure closely concerning his
stock holdings in the BARBER Asphalt
Company Mcclure was an unwilling
witness lie finally admitted that he
owned 100 shares Of stock In tho com
pany. lie did not mention this fact to
former Governor sulzcr, but no did tell
CONTINUED on Tenth PageD