The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-14
OFFICE BOYS BAIT
AS SUBPGNAS FAIL
Thompson Committee Plays a
Trick When Heads Of Cor.
porations Prove Elusive.
DIG INTO WOODS LOAN

A. the conclusion OF a session during
Nhirl, little has teen put upon the record
senator Thompson announced yesterday
FRAT most Of the day had been spent In
tryins 10 serve subp1nas on persons who
are wanted by his legislative committee.
Thesc witnesses are expected to bring to
ght facts connected with the Senator's
Information that certain manufacturers
al signal apparatus such as IL used In
the subways made up a fund to he used
IN clling the processes that lead to the
contracts.
The senator admitted that his SUBJ
lnna servers were having a harl time,
bu; he disclosed a clever scheme for
bringing NE much wanted persons to
time. When he couldn't And the presi-
den, or other officers OF a ompany he
directed that the Office boy OF the con-
ce-n he s~ubpTnaed. In two instances
where this was tried yesterday 1t re-
suited In the almost immediate appear
snrr of the persons concerning whose
Whereabouts no one In their Offices knew
n thing ten minut before.
senator Thompson said the committee
Was particularly anxious to get Sidney J.
Johnson, formerly vice-presidcnt Of the
Union Switch and Signal Company. but
now an employee OF the General Railway
signal Company of Rochester. lie said
that Mr.. Johnson couldn't he found and
hat persons In the Office were dry OF in
formation concerning him W. W.
salmon. president Of the General Rail
way and Signal Company. and Thomas
w Finucane, one Of the owners. who is
also Democratic leader In Rochester.
have been In close consultation with the
senator for the last two or three da VI.
They are reported to have given him
Information that tallies with things told
ny others who were concerned in the
business operations Of Public Service
Commissioner Wood.
The Senator explained that all ef-
forts 10 get the names Of the officers
and directors OF the Union Switch and
SIGNAL Company were unavaiiing until
the chief clerk Was subprnaed. He said
IA, W. ID. UpteRraff was president.
hat Mr.. Cptegraff was In Pittsburx. and
That the only man connected with the
executive end OF the company who WAS
N New York was Henry n. westing-
house. u director. Mr.. Westinghouse Ia
president of the Westinghouse Air Brake
company, the Canadian Westinghouse
Company, Westinghouse Brake Company
and other morn or less well known cor.
rorations. His office IL at 1876 Broad
way. the same building in which the
J VV'tISDU VoVT1fnlttee IN nOIu1nE It's
hearings, All efforts to find Mr.. West
inghouse proving unsuccessful his ONCE
hoy was subpGnaed and brought before
'he Senators and Assembiymen. Before
ts got very FAR Mr.. WESTINGHOUSE was
discovered. He promised to he on hand
his morning.
Nearly the same thing happened when
an effort wa made to subpoena President
Renshaw Of the Federal Signal Com
rany. Although he has appeared as a
voluntary witness before the committee
l." couldn't be found yesterday. Again
tho office hoy was subprnaed and again
was the president of the company pro.
dnced forthwith. He also will he a wit
ness this morning. Mr.. Salmon and Mr..
F%nucane will likewise be on hand. With
suoh talent in the witness chair the SEN
ator hopes to show something.
=. Frskine Wood, n brother OF Com
missioner Wood. and Beekman Winthrop,
his brother-in-law. were questioned yes
'erdsy as to the loan OF about $4,000
which Commissioners Wood obtained srv-
A-sl months before he became "A Com
missioner. p. Eiskine Wood refused TO
answer questions respecting the reasons
Why his brother borrowed his money,
'oading his grounds for refusal from n
paper supplied by his attorney, John V.
= dNCllUeiu- Inc thompson COn1fnitteS
las promised 70 make an effort to have
rim punished for contempt.
Mr.. Winthrop told of lending money
- Commissioner Wood either during tn.
latter part OF December or the frse
na'' II January previous to Mr.. Woods
appointment as Commissioner. He said
hat he and r. r. Colgate. Commissioner
Wood : uncle. guaranteed the payment
= a part OF the money borrowed by the
Commissioner, which. Mr.. Winthrop
said, was between $4,000 and sl5. 900.
lie said the amount actually lent by him
% the Commissioner was $3.50. He said
That the borrowing had to do with the
Northwestern Construction Company.
which Commissioner Wood owned be-
fore he became a Commissioner Mr..
W'rthrop said he understood that the
"rt 70 loan had been repaid.