The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-26
WHITMAN ON TRAIL
!. OF BANK ACCOUNTS
IN GRAFT INQUIRY
Will Examine Opera
tions Of Several Po-
litical Leaders.
PERIOD SEXTENDs
BACK TO 1909
District Attorney Hopes to Trace
Many Campaign Contributions
Which Have Not Been Ac-
counted for-Sulzer Will
Again Take Stand on
Wednesday.

| New York January 25.--In his search
for evidence OF graft III connection with
! campaign contributions and State con-
| tracts, District Attorney Whitman has
subpocnaed the bank accounts of sew
eral prominent political leaders besides
Charles f. Murphy and James L. Gaff-
ney. Among the accounts now in the
district attorneys Office arc those Of
Norman z. Mack, national Demo-
cratic committeeman and former chair
man OF the Democratic State Commit
| tee.
Arthur A. Mclean. treasurer OF the
Democratic State Committee.
| Philip J. Donahue. treasurer OF Tam
many Hall.
| Thomas Hassett, former confidential
secretary TO State Engineer Bensel and
| former secretary to the Water Supply
Board.
John A. Bensel, State Engineer and
fformer ex-ofiicio member of the State
Highways Commission and State Canal
Board.
| G. Gordon Reel. former Superinten-
dent of Highways.
Duncan w. Peck. superintendent of
Public Works.
Charles T. Foley, former first deputy
commissioner In the State Highway De-
partment.
| Everett Fowler. Of Kingston. accred-
tied upstate .'bagman' for the Demo-
cratic organization.
| The deposits in these eleven accounts
aggregate moro than s5.00O.000. The
accounts under investigation extend
| back to 1909.
Campaign Contributions.
| The campaign contributions which
| are being traced by the district attor-
ney amount to about s2,ooo.ooO. The
| incidental graft in connection with
| StateScontracts may run as high or
even higher than this figure.
/ During the coming week subpoenas
will be served on bank officials in AL
bany. Buffalo. Kingston and other cities
throughout the State. where the men
under investigation may have deposits.
| Later the bank accounts of contrac-
tors from whom contributions of va
rious kinds were exacted will also be
subpoenaed. These accounts will be
compared with those of the politicians
| now being Investigated, and in this
way the district attorney expects to
trace many campaign contributions
! which have not been accounted for, and
also to bring forth clear proof of graft
payments under guise of expert ad-
vice." special services etc.
| Mr.. Whitman has changed his pro-
| gram SO as to have exrGovernor Sulzer
take the stand in the John Doe Inquiry
| Stewart who is alleged to have been
approached by Gaffney for q per cent
campaign contribution on his $4,000, 900
contract. Members of the State Canal
Board of 1912 are also to be called to
tell of messages which passed between
| members of the board and a certain
Tammany leader, with reference to the
| Stewart contract.
stewart to He Called Later.
Stewart will be called to the stand
later In the week. and If he persists
| in his refusal to identify Gaffney. the
case will be laid before the grand jury.
| II am satisfied that Mr.. Stewart was
we'll acquainted with Gaffney," said
Mr.. Whitman tonight. II want to jog
his memory
George Gordon Battle, partner OF
Senator O'Gorman, and counsel for
Stewart, said to-day that Mr.. Stewart
would be at the disposal of the district
attorney whenever he was needed. SEN
ator OGorinan is to be called. to tell
what Stewart told him of the alleged
"frame-up."
The immediate Indictment of two
present and two former State officials
on charges of malfeasance in Office will
be sought in Albany County, 1t was
announced here Tonight by James w.
Osborne, appointed by Governor Glynn
to investigate alleged highway and
barge canal graft. Osborne left for
| <hiudiiy to-HiSht 10 pldCc LILO Hlaller
before the district attorney. He Will
! seek indictments against John Bensel,
State Engineer; Duncan w. Peck,
Superintendent OF Public Works.; G.
Gordon Reel, former superintendent of
Highways, and Charles F. Foley, for
mer deputy highway commissioner.
| Osborne was incensed by reports that
Attorney General Carmody did not con-
slider there had been any violation OF
the law In the manner in which Foley
was permitted to award moro than 400
highway contracts.
IL District Attorney Whitman meets
with opposition at banks throughout
the State In his investigation OF de-
post accounts OF Charles T.. Murphy,
Tammany leader. and James r. Gaff-
| ney, his associate. Mr. Osborne's State
| wide powers will be brought to Mr.
Whitman's aid, Mr. Osborne said to-
| night
Asks GIynn TO Explain.
Albany, ~ Y, January 25---An open
letter addressed to Governor Glynn to-
night by Jay w. Forest, personal
| friend of William Sulzer, asked the
Governor to make further explanation
regarding q meeting he and Charles
| b. Murphy and other Democratic poll
tfctans had In New York some time last
spring Forest has letters which Eu-
gene D. Wood wrote John A. Hem
Messy.
This is the, meeting at which Sulzer
and his friends always have averred
iSulzer'sl impeachment was planned.
lsGoNernor Glynn recently said he was
ut tho meeting but that only tho