New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-04
Thompson Inquirers Seek
Trace of A. Freedman
as Bag Carrier.
SHONTS, IN BED,
TO BE WITNESS
Rogers Admits He Got $4,000
-Dragnet for Young-B. K. |.
Plans Juggled.

while Richard K. Rogers. counsel TO the
Interborough. vas on the stand yester-
day showed that the committee be-
ueved that the trail OF the S2'OOOooo
slush fund will lead directly TO Tam
many Hall
Mr.. Rogers. who admitted that his
bonus Of $50 900 awarded 20 him by the
Interborough will come out OF the
pockets Of New York City's taxpayers
was asked II he had given any part OF
his bonus 70 the late Andrew Freed
man. friend Of Richard Croker and
ether Tammany leaders. Mr.. Rogers
said he did not.
He also said he believed that none
Of the $4,000 bonus awarded /. T.
Shonts. president Of the lnteroorough'
or the $4,000 bonus awarded 70 T. +.
J. Gaynor. auditor Of the Interborough'
went to Mr.. Freedman.
Tammany's Trail Sought
From Mr.. Moss's questions it was APP
parent that the committee believe that
Mr.. Freedman. whose relations with
Tammsnv leaders we're aintained mp
20 the time Of his death. acted as the
carrier of the bag TO Tsmmany Hall.
To-day. II Mr. Shonts is unable 70
oppear before the committee, " Is ike
ly that the session will be held at his
bedside, so that his testimony may be
taken. James l.. Quackenbush. counsel
20 the Interboroueh, informed the com
,,;t,ee last night that Mr. Shonts IS
laid up with bad attack Of tonsillitis'
and II they wanted his testimony I'M
mediately they could 20 10 his home.
Senator Thompson announced las1
night that he hoped 10 devise some
means of making a dragnet that would
hrinv George ". Young, The former
Interborough director. to the commit
tee. He said that Young's valet. ono
Hughes. had been subp@nacd 20 appear
yesterday.
"But evidently Young's man discov-
cred that since the subpoena. which we
later found was dated February by
mistake. took advantage OF the teen
nicality by not appearing SAID SEN
stor Thomson. "But we'll try 10 get
him again, and also his master, who,
we have been informed, LETT Tor Pam
Beach. Well have cambridge Colby
on the stand tomorrow morning, ana
he NAV tell us about the whereabouts
Of his former client
Plans Switched to n. X. T.
lie Roy T. darkness. assistant coun-
sol TO the Public Service Commission,
admitted On .hc stand yesterday that
after the Injunction had been obtained
nv +. c. Carpenter, a Brooklyn tax
paver. restraining the commission from
approving the plans for third tracking
the b. X. rs Fulton Street ~ from
Cumberland Avenue 20 Nostrand ave
nue., the plans were removed from the
custody OF D. L. Turner. assistant en-
gineer of the Public Service Comms-
sion. and given TO the &. x. l..
After this action he prepared an ain
dayit for Travis Whitney, secretary OF
the commission, which the latter signed.
In this affidavit Mr.. Whitney said there
we're no plans before the commission.
Mr.. Hardness contended the plans were
no. complete and were not formally be-
fore the commission at any time.
After Mr.. Rogers took the stand he
, was asked number of questions 70 es-
y tablish the fact that he submitted =
memorandum on the prior deter
fnination claim 20 some one az confer
ence held in the Office of George ).
Coleman. in the Offices OF the Public
Service Commission Others at this
conference we're MIR. Hardness and y.
1. Turner, an assistant engineer Of the
commission. This conference. he said,
took place between the 25th and goth
of June. 1918.
Rogers Explains Claims.
Answering other questions % Mr..
Moss, he said he had not submitted any
vouchers covering the item Of Si,032,-
600 in the claim. on which $4,000 was
allowed. He said ne believed these
vouchers could be obtained from the
lnterborough's auditor. Mr Rogers
went into details with respect TO the
various items IN the claim, on which
$4,000 was finally allowed. Concern
ing the Sl,532,000 item 10 cover "ad-
ministration. supcrintendency and en-
gineering." he said;
81 had statement showing that
Sf.532.o00 covered the salaries Of our
administrative officers during the time
the contracts were being negotiated
and we discussed rhe proportion Of
fnc which these officers had devoted
10 tho contract. said that practical
" all Of Dir. Shonts's time had been
devoted 70 them. They held that $780,
600 was in line with what had been al
lowed the y. r. T. In November Nh
Craven made his final allowance. FN-
ceptions were filed by the commission
and in view o. this act I held that
the lnterborough should insist that tho
allowances were insufficient. The time
20 consider them was extended by stir-
ulation until the spring OF 1919. when
was advised By Mr.. Coleman that the
commission had withdrawn its objec-
lions, whereupon ! withdrew those OF
the Interborough."
Received $4,000 Retainer.
Mr. Rogers then testified that his re-
tainer with the lnterborough was $50 =
600, and wss contemplated 10 cover all
his ordinary work"
you don't mean TO say that for your
services you would have any definite
legal claim against the company be-
yond your regular salary asked
Smith.
Il think / might have"
"You knew that the $4,000 bonus
you received was TO be charged against
the cityf
"Yes."
"The resolution % the Interborough
board Of directors awarding you $780,
900 was passed after the contract wa'
figned and after the date which limited
the PRIOR determination
"Ycs"
"And 10 did not become an obligation
until twas approved by Mr. Craven.
the engineer