The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-25
In Connection With
Graft Inquiry Involv-
ing State Contracts.
EXAMINATION FOR
FIVE YEARS BACK
knowledge of Deposits
Already Observation-Disclosures of
Financial Institutions Through
out State Subpoenaed-Stew-
art-GaHney Incident May
End in Indictments.
tspecial to The Times-Dlspatch.

New York, January 24.-O1ncerS or
financial institutions throughout the
State have been subpoenaed by District
Attorney Charles S. Whitman, to fur
nish him the documents necessary to
show the accounts. of Charles f. Muir
ply, Taumany leader. and James Il.
Ganney. Murphy's political and bust
ness associate.
The wholesale requisition plan. aimed
at the alleged graft system, involving
State highway and barge canal con-
tracts. includes the examination of the
accounts of Murphy and Gaffney for
five years back.
This phase of the inquiry was under
taken result OF testimony adduced
recently at the John Doe inquiry and
before the grand jury. The work was
begun last night. and, according to
information from Mr. Whitman's office
the prosecutor and his assistants al
ready have obtained from bank Of
hccrs important knowledge OF Muir
phys and Ciaffncy's deposits.
For nearly a month Whitman's aides
have been trying to discover trace of
money that Gaffney is accused Of hav-
ing obtained from favored contractors
on the highway and aqueduct work
Facts brought Out.
So far as this startling investigation
/. That Murphy has had no bank
account I'm New York County since
April, 1872. when Whitman, In the
Carnegie Trust probe. got a court ruling
that allowed him to subpoena the bank
accounts of any one under grand jury
investigation.
>. While Whitman knows that Muir
ply has various vaults with safety de-
post companies in the city, he has no
means of finding out how much money
the TaInmany leader has stored in
them. IL any. ,...
3. Information that Murphy has sent
money for deposit in banks in Canada
and Europe. This tile district attorney
is trying to run down
Mr.. Whitman has also learned that
James u. Gaffney has been adding to
his bank accounts since 1898 at such
rate that he must now be a million
are The district attorney is great
~ Interested in a deposit of S21 900
made by Gaffney on March 90, 1912.
has revealed no evidence connecting
Murphy with the alleged holding up of
contractors for campaign contributions.
the district attorney Is greatly en-
couraSed by the discoveries made so
tar In the investigation of the Gaffney
accounts. lie is now engaged In trac-
Ing several Of the deposits to their
source through checks
Heavy Toll Levied.
Through the testimony OF ex-Gov-
ernor Sulzer and contractors who felt
aggrieved at the treatment they had
received While engaged on State high
way work. Mr.. Whitman has learned
OF many instances IN which heavy
toll was levied on those who obtained
contracts. In some instances men who
were far down on the list of bidders
managed to obtain contracts which
IN lou ~
each or these cases graft was col
lected.
One phase of Mr.. Whitman's investi-
cation haste do with the disappear
ance of n check for $4,000 sent during
the campaign of 1912 by Cleveland FL
Dodge to an official of the local Demo-
cratic organization to be turned over
to the Democratic National Commit
tee. The check is alleged to have been
deposited to the private account of a
Tammany politician.
Alexander S. Bacon. counsel to OK
Governor Sulzer, had a long confer
ence with Mr.. Whitman to-day. At
the cnd of the conference Mr.. Whitman
said he had Il mass of graft evidence
that 1T would take weeks to unravel
II don't know yet how good 1t u.s."
said the district attorney, but much
of 1t is Of an extremely startling ma
ture."
Many letters purDorting to reveal
tremendous graft payments have been
turned over to the district attorney by
Sulzer. Some Of these letters reveal an
alleged conspiracy of railroad officials
and Tammany leaders to bring about
the downfall of SulZer, who had forced
antirailroad legislation through the
Legislature.
Indictments Expected.
The Stewart-Gaffney incident is ex-
pected TO bring about the first batch
Of indictments against the men high
er up" who are alleged to have ar
ranged the Matchmaking OF contrac-
tors
On next Wednesday Stewart will be
given another opportunity to refresh
his memory regarding the alleged at
tempt by Gaffney to force him to make
a campaign contribution OF $4,000,
because of his 100000 barge canal
contract. If he persists in declaring
that he cannot identify James E. Calf
ney as the man who called on him. wit
t sesses VIII be produced to testify that
Stewart knew Gaffney intimately.
Senator O'Gorman is depended upon
to identify Gaffney beyond doubt. but
he will not be called upon to do SO
unless Stewart should persist in his
refusal to name him.
Sulzer Is to be called to give fur
ther testimony concerning his talks
with O'Gorman, before the Senator is
called to the stand.
Charles N. Chadwick. member of
the Water Supply Board when the Pat
terson Company.s bid, third biggest, on
the list. was accepted, after tho COM
pany had paid Gafrney $41.250 for ex-
pert advice, is to testify before the
grand jury. on Tuesday. Another I'M
named witness OF this affair Is also
to be called on Tuesday.
James Il. Gaffney said to-day that
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