The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-12

\ announced Burke He had an object
in phoning Thompson. He lost 500. 900.
Wood was trying TO sell something.
Cade got on to him and he sold It and
got caught at IT. SO Cads phoned to
Thompson.
81 made Thompson. believe I did the
| telephoning myself That IL the true
story"
| 80 you got into Mr.. Thompson's con-
| fdence at this timer asked Mr.. Cheney.
II not alone got into his confidence.
but to his general conversations, tele-
phone conversations with Cade that l
knew. about He kind Of cleaned up the
Public Service Commission, either he
or IL think mostly l."
Burke rehearsed the finding Of the
| $1,000 check with Woods name on the
back Of II (this caused his indictment)
| and said that when Cade died he started
| to get 'in" with Senator Thompson.
thinking. "Well. here, here Is my chance
| to get in here and see what 10 doing
around the place"
Burke denied ever having q finan-
cial transaction with Senator Thomp-
SON.
as going to New York frequently to
OF trying to help them frame some legis-
lation or an additional to an amendment
to the Martin bill that would help them.
Instead Of telling Senator Thompson
that a fund Of 100000 was waiting for
him II ne would support the Carson
Martin bill Mr.. Burke declared that on
the Sunday morning of that msetins
Senator Thompson really talked to him.
Burke said:
| .o.....- A.. A. $780,.
Of Appeals was butting into his legisla.
ton and said that Judge Hiscock wa,
interfering with his legislation. Then
he got to talking about the Governor.
ship"
'what did he say about that7" asked
Mr.. Cheney.
HE said to me That Syracuse crowd
won't be formed because Hiscock Is In
terferins with my legislation and they
don't want mo-"
| why I said, 7 don't know any one
from Syracuse myself and don't know
anything about them up there. but II
seems to me you would be pretty good
candidate
| Burke declared that Thompson asked
him If he thought George Adridge. the
Rochester Republican leader. would be
fo- him for Governor and he replied
tina. Mr.. Aldridge was good Judge OF
men. Burke then denied, sentence for
sentence, the story Senator Thompson
told about the offer OF campaign fund
for him to run for Governor, Burke de-
claring the idea was ridiculous.
II certainly did not" was the way
he answered tho questions put to him
by Mr.. Cheney.
How Thompson Met Burke.
Senator Thompson opened the days
proceedings by describing how he met
Burke and got to know him. Burke. II
turned out, was the mysterious source
Of anonymous Information which helped
the Thompson investigating committee
when II investigated the Public Service
Commissions about four years ago, re-
sulting in the reorganization Of tho New
York city commission. At that time
Thompson said to-day. he frequently re-
ceived anonymous letters and telephone
calls. He was unable to trace their au-
thorship. They led. however. to the in
formation out OF which grew the indict-
ment, subsequently, Quashed, against
Commissioner Robert Colgate Wood for
his activities in awarding the contract
for the signals In the Centre street loop
highest bidder.
After the Investigation was over
Thompson said that his mysterious in
formant telephoned him he was coming
to see him.
| IT then found out that tho mysterious
man was Richard Burke, the man who
sits across the table from me- I saw
him frequently after that and always
found him interesting" the Senator
said.
Behind Senator Thompson as he tes-
l NJ % To- 80
chairs.
Deputy Attorney General Cheney led
HIM to the Carson-Martin bill with thiA
question:
"Will you state whether or not any
conversations were had with you or any
individuals IN reference to the passage OF
this bill in which anything was said that
seemed to you to be improperT'
81 want TO say at the outset" replied
Senator Thompson. that there are men
here. legislative counsel, who are ascer-
tanning what Is being done to affect their
clients, and I've talked with them for
years. They do public duty in telling
OF pending legislation. There are repre-
sentauves OF the railroads with whom ]
have talked. and there was never the
slightest departure from propriety"
That's just tho point" said Mr.
Cheney. I'm leaving It to you to say
whether any conversation approached the
| improper
Senator Thompson then told OF the &C.
tivities Of Burke with regard to the
Weeks-Martin bill to enable the Public
Service Commission TO alter the 80 cen,
gas rate in New York city last year
This brought an offer to Senator Thomp.
son for 100000 with which to start a
trust company In Lockport near hil
home.
Two Bills Are "Cousins."
He described II as follows:
in the first place. this Carson MARTYR
bill Is a kind of a first cousin Of the
| Wicks-Martin bill OF last year. The
legislation was drawn to repeal indi.
rectly the 80 cent gas law in New York
1t did repeal It. because we have a stat.
ute fixing the maximum price of gas In
various localities and various sectiops
II that law were repealed 1t would leave
1t to the Public Service Comm sslon e
fix the rate above or below so cents
IT naturally objected 10 those bills.
did not believe the bills were direct
They were indirect. attempting TO ac.
complish something by an indirect state.
ment The Public Service Commission
can fix the rate Notwithstanding the
statutory provisions. II would have been
better. IN my Judgment. to have laid
we would know much better what we
were arguing ON.
When the bill TO kill the so cent gas
a good deal. You see. tho representa-
ttyao 90 Aha ssrau taI