The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-16
KENNEDY ACCUSED
OF BOND F'AVORlTISM
Treasurer Was to Have Been Questioned Here
To-day on Gratis Of Funds to Certain
State Depostories

When Mi Kennedy came from the
Grand Jury room on Janiary 90 he sp-
peared to be nearly exhausted. His subse-
quent refusal to apear at the mere re-
quest of the District Attorney did not
with him after his first ordeal
Refused 10 Appear Again.
Mr. Kennedy was not subpunaed to APP
pear on January 20. He came, as did
other members OF the Canal Board. in re-
Spouse to request from Mr.. Whitman.
He was then requested to appear again
on February q. this time before Chief
Magistrate McAdoo. When William Dean
Embree. an Assistant District Attorney.
called Kennedy in Albany by telephone
that day he announced that he was not
coming. He agreed to talk with Mr.,
Embree again after Mr.. Whitman had
been consulted.
When Embree called the second time
he was informed by some one in MIR.
Kennedys Office that Kennedy had left for
Buffalo. II was then decided to request
Mr.. Kennedy TO appear at the John Doe
inquiry on the succeeding Monday
re uiu noN TtSpOnI 10 tne request anu
on Wednesday the Dstr-ct Attorney was
informed that the members of the Canal
Board had agreed that they would not
come to New York again except under
pressure. James II. Barry, clerk in
the office OF Assistant District Attorney
John X. Clark. was sent TO Albany i'm
mediately ana he served Grand Jury
subpoena on the state Treasurer on
Wednesday night.
Friends of Mr.. Kennedy have declared
ana II ~ presumed that he also told the
Grand Jury that his membership in the
Canal Board was not n subject To which he
gave much thought Under the Constitu-
tion the state Treasurer is "A member OF
this board and has "A vote in the award
ing Of contracts.
Guided by Othrrs On hoard.
Mr.. Kennedy did not deny that he knew
nothing about canal contracts and that In
voting he was guided by the word Of
State Engineer John A. Bensel and SUI
perintendent OF Public Works Duncan W.
Peck. For this reason ne could throw
but little light ON the Stewart contracts.
Henry i. Burgard, the contracto poll
tician who defeated William II. Fitzpatrick
in the Buffalo primaries In 1912. was q
close friend Of Kennedy. II was said
culties and that Burgard had come to his
assistance with several loans Mr. Burgard
denied this by telephone to TIVE SUN yes
terday. He was then in Fulton, " Y.
THE news OF the suicide OF Kennedy
was a great shock to me-" he said. II
can't understand II. He was not In finan-
cial difficulties so far as | know, and
think I would have known II he had been
I am convinced that he had no connection
whatever with any irregularities such as
have been uncovered In the graft invests
CATION.
80 far as I know he did not allow his
public business and his private business
to become involved, His son did the
bonding business and am sure Mr., Ken
nedys record is clear there. lie did not
borrow any money from me l am sure
he did not need to borrow from any one"
District Attorney Whitman received .
telegram informing him of the death OF
Mr.. Kennedy while he was on his way
from Washington to New York last night,
There is nothing ] can say" he said.
| 1.-The man IL dead
John X. Clark and william Dean EN-
! bree, the Assistant District Attorneys who
have been helping Mr.. Whitman In the
craft investigation, were shocked by the
news. Mr.. Clark admitted that tran
scripts Of Mr.. Kennedys bank accounts
are among those now under investigation
but he had nothing to say ~ TO what may
have been disclosed by them.