New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-17
WOOD ACCUSED
OF ASKING $4,000
Continued from page 1

sion; IL was simply out Of apprecir
ton for what Mr.. Salmon had done for
me-"
Mr.. Salmon is president Of the Gen
eral Signal Company, which employed
Johnson after he had lost his place
with the Union Company.
Mr. johnson began bis testimony by
declining 70 sign a waiver Of immunity.
81 am here to tell all | know and all
the truth" he said. 81 DO not want to
sign away anything that takes away
any rights / may have in this matter"
Mr. Johnson then related in detail
his story OF his connection with Com
missioner Wood and the Centre Street
loop signal contract. He told Of how
his company had put IN a bid for this
work in The GUNNER Of 1914, and how,
as he recolleeted IL, the bids were held
UP for some time. Commissioner Wood,
he went on to say, called him up on
the telephone at that time and later
asked him about the Union system and
great many other questions In the
Office Of the commission.
Shortly after that, Mr.. johnson said,
Wood arranged over the telephone that
he should meet him at the Office In
Exchange Place.
Il don't remember just what tim: OF
day II wss," he said, "but it WAS an
Office that was apparently used to store
furniture. There was a desk In It..
When | got there ? young man was
with Mr.. Wood. I don't know who he
man to step out few minutes while
L L. 1Thtah h. Nd Than
We talked further" He then related
Commission"
Thswitnsss said he thought the name
on the door was Havemeyer & Wood,
but he wasn't sure. After the meeting
there with Wood, he said, they walked to
the commissions Office in the Tribune
Building, on the way Wood asking all
sorts OF questions about signal sp-
planes. He said Wood exhibited no
technical knowledge Of the subject, and
admitted that some Of the information
Wood sought would be valuable 10 other
signal companies.
HAD there been any further discus
sion between you and Mr.. Wood on the
subject Of commission to be paid
to him for influencing the contract y
Mr.. Lewis asked.
"Well, I told Mr.. Wood, as I said
that ! had no authority 10 answer
question Of that kind, and think either
that same evening, or the next night
at the latest, telephoned to Colonel
Prout at his club in Pittsburgh giving
him the circumstances OF this converse
ton with Mr.. Wood"
81 asked Colonel Prout," Mr.. John
son went on, what we should do about
it or what we could do about IT, Colonel
Prout's reply, as remember II, was
about like this: You cant quarrel with
Wood; you must not quarrel with
Wood; you must not antagoniIe; but
can't let you know what We are going
TO do on that. We will have TO tow
him along for the time being Shortly
after that | went 20 Swis.vale in the
ordinary course Of my business.
went into see Colonel Prout. In his Of
fee with him was Mr. Uptegraf, who
had been our vice-president in charge OF
finances for some months During the
conversation the question came up as
to what disposition would be made OF
this matter relating TO Mr.. Woods
situation"
"This was Just few days subsequent
TO your conversation on the telephone
with Colonel Prout?" he was asked.
yes, as nearly as / can fix II. Thi,
question came up and Colonel Prout
said he did not know how a matter OF
that kind could be handled, and. as re-
call it, asked Mr.. Uptegraf how he
would suggest handling a matter Of that
kind. Nr. Uptegraff apparently did not
know how he would handle II. / stated
| was there for instructions.
"The suggestion was made by Mr..
Uptegraff that the only way he could
see OF handling an expenditure OF that
kind would be 10 charge II up 70 my
personal expense account and voucher
II in the regular way. The more |
thought of it the more thought it was
not a fair way OF handling the matter.
and I told Colonel Prout | would not
sign for any money 10 be distributed by
the company that the management
would not stand sponsor for, and that
IL was TO be put in that sort Of posi-
tion I would rather chuck up my job
than 90 on with TT
What happened after you got back
to New York? ,"
az don't know whether called up
Mr.. Wood or whether Mr.. Wood called
me up, but | know that ! saw MIR
Wood. Just when don't recall" Mr..
Johnson answered.
Mr.. Johnson then corroborate1 the
testimony OF Mr. Uptegrsff on Wednes-
day that he and Colonel Prout had been
asked 70 resign at a meeting Of the
compsny's directors on July IS. 1914,
which had been called 70 consider the
proposal to provide the $4,000 for Com
missioner Wood.
lie explained that he had worked for
the Union Company for fifteen years
and that he felt his discharge keenly.
lie had then been employed by the Cen
ersl Signal Company, and IT was in the
telling Of this part Of his story that
he collapsed.
Johnson Explains Testimony.
Mt. Johnson insisted on clearing up
some of the testimony relative 10 the
sl.5o0 commission which, it is alleged,
he paid 70 Wood FOR supposedly secur.
ing the KANSAS City Railroad contract.
II lavploped frotu NJ Iob,.o,f. ..-,t