New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-10

! tors he said.
/ Aside from the testimony showing the
general "shake-down" Of the small con-
tractors on the state highways. important
evidence WAS adduced al yesterday
hearing. which District Attorney "hi'-
man declared. would undoubtedly lead W
indictments in Ulster County OF former
officials Of the State Highway Depart
ment. William D. Cunningham. District
! Attorney of that county, conferred WIN
Mr.. Whitman in regard TO the matter
and the latter said afterward that MT
Cunningham had promised 10 present '"e
evidence TO a special grand jury
Mack Check in Testimony.
Evidence of a second check Uhis uine
for 500. made payable 10 Norman T.
Mack former chairman of the Democratic
State Committee. drawn against cor
noration bobbed up at the hearing yes
terdav. A $50 check from corporation
Davabie to Mack was uncovered at '"e
hearing last Monday. Arthur A Mclean
former treasurer OF the Democratic STATE
/ Committee. the recipient of similar con-
tributions. has already been indicted uh-
Section
u.nicb makes il Illegal to accept contrl-
buttons from corporations. Everett row
lev. was indicted under the same sec'ioh'
CHARGED with soliciting contributors from
corporations.
William G. Merritt. who was an inspec-
tor Of highways from 1907 10 49, testiiie"
that while in charge of the maintenance
department Of the highways work III
lister County he had drawn up speclhca-
,ions At the request of Esler Sherwood
d,,-sion sunerintendent Of highways, over
him at the time. and though ne hau maui
..I,ieh estimates" on the price OF the
work the contracts were ultimately lc.'
without public bidding. at almost douO'e
his estimates The authorities nope u
show corspiracy on the part of certain
officials in the department to Jack up
tho nrice in the specifications. so as 10
leave ample margins for good returns
/ from the contractors in the way OF cam
paign contributions.
Mr.. Whitman explained TO the court
that such contracts should have been let
} ~ nublic bidding. but that the contracts
rora shifted TO the repair department.
/ whore, under tie law ''0F :,
ont without public bidding. Charles =
] Foley was Deputy Commissioner oil lilsh
vavs. in charge of repairs. at the uhe' anu
most Of the contracts were SAID to nave
gone 10 John l.. Consalus. the cohtrac'o'
whose name has figured frequently In the
/ 1obn Doe inquiry. or his representatives
Sixteen or eighteen similar contracts mao
/ been found in Ulster ana adjoining couh-
/ ties Mr.. Whitman said.
Merritt refused 20 waive immunity AT
tho last hearing, and was not allowed 10
] ,oe,ifv lie changed his mind yesterday
and signed a waiver.
"Thouoht Fowler Was Fooline'
rohn ouinn a contractor, OF Mendom,
Monroe County testified that ne optdl''eu'
/ in 1912. highway contracts amounths 10
! about 5000 through the hnuehce u
rrorL W Rrjstow. superintendent OF re-
nairs in that county at the time. lie met
! Everett Fowler I'm Rochester that IAN
and Fowler wanted sl25 for the campaign
fund. the witness said
al hrst | thought Fowler was fooIlng
1 and treated the matter as JOKE salo
the witness. but ] finally gave fo"ier
a draft for s125, and later got a receipt
for II from Arthur A. Mclean.
lanes +. I.eary. of the contracting nrm
of I.eary & Morrison, of Rochester tes-
tilted that he gave Fowler $50 and got MS
recent from Mclean. Assistant DISTRICT
Attorney Clark put the Mclean receipt
in evidence.
William Webster, of the Cold Spring
| Construction Company, OF Buffalo, was
tho witness who testified that he drew a
check. as treasurer of that corporation
Cor sin, 70 Norman L. Mack. He told Mr..
! clark that he did not know at the time
thu. II was a violation of law TO dra"
I such = check The check has not yet
hoe, secured by the District Attorney.
! Webster said his company had highway
contracts I'm Erie and Saratoga counties
ogpregating $500 900. They had been APP
nroached for a campaign contribution py
a Mr. Morrissey he TESTIFIED. lie was
Republican and his partner a Democrat
I'M. they had decided 10 contribute as a
matter of good business policy
" Knickenberg OF Buffalo, gen.
oro, contractor, testified that he had state
h,chusv contracts in 1912 amounting In all
20 s95OO0O He sent Fowler a check foI
81 ooo october IS, 1912. he said.
But why did you give them that large
omount al that time?" asked Mr.. Clark.
81 considered II good business policy "
renlied the witness. land they were al
doing IT.
Frederick II. Rhodey. Of Albion tesu'
fed that he contributed 500. His firm
check for half that amount was not re-
corded on the list of campaign fund con-
tributions. he said. but his persona
check for the same amount was so re-
| corded.
Francis H. Tresise. Of Niagara Falls
was apparently the only contractor
among the witnesses who dared TO turf
down the bagman." He said he had
been approached by Fowler In the fall OF
1912. but told him there was "nothine
doing" The Tresise contracts amounted
,o between $3.50 600 and $4,000.
The hearing adjourned until Monday a.
p. IN.
Do1;ca Noor as Thieves Work