The Sentinel=record., 1913-12-10
WITNESS IN CAMPAIGN FUND PROBE GIVES SENSATIONAL
 AND DAMAGING TESTIMONY.
DIVIDED A $lO,OOO FUND
Collected a Commission on Every Yard of Asphalt Laid in State of New York--Gave Part of Earnings to the Party.

New York, Dec. 9-James F. Calf. ney brotherinlaw of Charles F'. Mur- rhy and Jos. ID. Carroll. former treas nrer of Tammany Hall split s10,00g in commissions with paving com pany agent under an oral agreement by which they were to use their po- litical influence to obtain contracts for the company with the state hisn- way department according to testi- mony adduced today at District Attor- ney Whitman's John Doe lnquiry into state highway graft
 Two thousand dollars more of the commissions went in cash, according to the testimony of Geo NJ. Palmer, chairman of the lIpmocratic State Committee, in response to a request for a campaign contribution made by C. Gordon Reel, deputy highway con- mrssioner, through whom the con tracts were obtained. The contribu- tion, the district attorney learned. never was reported.
 The agent was John NJ. Murphy, rep Tesenting Warren Brothers, of Bos- ton, manufacturers of paving mate rial. and it was he who gave the tes- timony. District Attorney Whitman at an early date win place this testi- mony before the grand jury and seek an indictment for conspiracy. Before taking up this case. however, MT. Whitman will place before the jury evidence that State Chairman Palme- received a political contribution from corporation, an offense for which Arthur A. Mclean. treasurer of the Democratic State Committee, stands indicted Such evidence was given today by Dudley II. Van Wirt, vice president of the Flood and Van Wir- Engineering and Construction Com pany of Hudson Falls. N. Y. Mir Van Wirt is expected to go before fho grand jury tomorrow.
 Murphy testified that ae did not know what Gaffnev and Carroll mad done to help him obtain the contracts, but that he had taken them into what he termed ian oral partnership be- cause they would help me with Mr. Reel" Through his contract with Warren Brothers he was to get com mission of 121s cents q square yard on all paving material he could induce the state highway department to 3ur- chase.
 In March, 1912, he saw Reel. he tes- tifed, and through him obtained con tracts which netted him commission of sf3. .G60. This he had agreed to divide equally with Gaffney and Car roll. but Reel asked him if he wasn't going to do anything for the Demo cratic party"
 In response to this request. MlT- 1shy said he .sc:aEe ss22,n0o g n0o in cash to George NJ. Palmer as a contribution, receiving from him an undated receipt, which he producffed.
 Murphy was loath to concede that he had taken Gaffney and Carroll in- to partnership with him because of their political influence. Finally, however, he was asked:
 'Didnt you agree to divide this money with them because they hal political inhuence?"
 Yes Murphy replied, after some hesitation.
 Van Wirt testified he sent $500 contribution in behalf of his corpora- ton to George NJ. Palmer in 1912 at the solicitation of Everett r. Fow- Ter.
 The check endorsed by Palmer and by Arthur A. Mclean was produced. Van Wirt said he had made three other contributions to the Democratic State Committee, one in 1911 for $500, to Norman F. Mack and two others to Palmer in 1912. one of $2.ooO and one of $500. These three were his individual checks, he said, thoua'a he was reimbursed by his company. None of them ever was reported.
 Thomas ]. Martin of Beacon, aa. other contractor, testified he had sent a $500 contribution to Philip Donahue, treasurer of Tammany HalL in 1912, but that he had given it "volmtar- fly"
 Several other contractors testified 10 giving unreported campaign con tri5tltions amounting to s2.65Q to the State Democratic Committee in lsif and 1q1o