New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-19
Senator Had Secret Mat
,srs He Hoped to Clear Up
BEFORE Morgan Arrived.
PETERBOROUGH HEAD
ML"IN ATLANTIC CITY
Chairman Chagrlned at Delay
lawson Will Resign from
Committee.

rP Morgan, who is passenger on
=, American liner Philadelphia, which
rir dock at g o'clock this morning
-,v be called by the Thompson com
-,.,ss tomorrow and questioned about
=, ALLEGED 100000 slush fund. The
.,,nipstioH Of Mr.. Morgan depends on
,hs.bsr Theodore p. Shonts, president
~ ,bs marlborough. returns from At
,.,.;. City and the committee gets
though examining him. Unless pres
-, rlsns arc changed, the committee
IN no. hear the fnancier until the
,gbwsy head is examined.
The hearing tomorrow was ordered
r. ,te especial benefit Of Mr.. Shonts.
n. Thompson committee wanted to
-. him OF the stand yesterday. but
'.,rned when they met that he was in
=, New jersey coast resort.
Eve we're informed that Mr.. Shonts
81, sick said Senator Thompson, "but
vssn We tried 10 get him at his hOte.
4, Atlantic City We were unable. Per
ans be was out on the boardwalk
shonts Dissppoirts Thompson.
senator Thompson and other mem
hers Of the committee made no con-
,s.luen. Of their chagrin at the failure
q Mr. Shonts 20 appear as witness.
Nor did they make any secret Of the
a.. that they were especially anxious
% question him before Mr.. Morgan ar
,ivsd on a matter they kept dark.
Considerable speculation was in
julred in as TO what it was the Thomp-
son committee wanted to question Mr..
shonts about before Mr.. Morgan
reached town. Senator Thompson
would not discuss the subject.
The only witness examined yesterday
vas Sigmurd Cedsrstrom. real estate
rypert for tho Public Service Commls-
ion. He was questioned with respect
20 I'VE psrcels Of land he appraised for
ne commission. The land was owned
BE- subsidiaries of the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit.
In all the appraissls his figure was
lover than the price fixed by the 3. R.
T. subsidiaries Only once was his
over figure accepted. This was where
Ne calculated q fair rental OF some
Brooklyn property wanted by the city
IN connection with the subway a. $4,000
year. The 3. X. I. subsidiary ashea
$4,000.
City Gouged Out of sl,Oo0,0OO.
The largest sum involved was $780,
90. This was for bit Of land IN
South Brooklyn that the city bought IN
a. the B. Z. Is Agure. Mr.. Cedar
rrom said that he appraised the prop
erty for the commission az $4,000, and
that II was not worth a cent more.
During the examination OF the wit
ness. Frank Moss, counsel 70 the COM
mittee. declared that the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Company "gougeG tne
city out O. 1000, 0O0-the sum allowed
!: FOR the right Of way through the
Ssth Street cut. The actual value OF
the property on which the cut is made
Is s235 600 Mr.. Cedsrstrom said he
Rad nothing 20 do with the appraiser
o. this property.
Explains Miss Vslvs Case.
Senator Thompson explained yesterI-
sy what he said 20 the committee
;ormer stenographer, Miss Virginia
Vs.vs. who refused 70 give up the rec
ords she took until her bill was paid.
What ! said was that ! did not
want 70 hurt her reputation by making
pablie that she charged more than $50
day for her services, d price "the..
committee had no thought OF paying,
said Senator Thompson. He said that
Miss Nalvas rate amounted to about
IS cents per folio, and that he had re-
eeived excellent service at less than
hslf that price, and was now getting II.
Meier Steinbrink, counsel 10 MISS
Yslvs, and Frank Moss, the comm :
tees counsel, will come 70 a settle
uent Of the young woman's claim