The sun., 1919-04-15
BURKE HIRED
BY THOMPSON,
PROBERS TOLD
Says Senator Never Paid
Him, Though, for Acting
as Emissary.
LARGE LOANS SOUGHT
j.. d. Rockefeller, Jr., and
Others Sounded on Water
Power Merger.
BRADY MAKES DENIAL
Thomas Also Brands as False
Niagara Mans Charge Of
Slush Fund.
BRADY MAKES DENIAL
Specfai Despatch to TEE sux.

spscsH DespdfcA TO TEE SuE.
ALBANr, April l&.-Nicholas r.
Brady. president Of the New York Ed
ison Company and director In several
traction companies, and Charles @. M.
Thomas, treasurer Of the Consolidated
Gas Company. were the principal wit
nesses to-day before the Senate Judi
ciary Committee, which is investigat-
Ing Senator George r. Thompsons e
story Of q 100000 bribery fund to help
along the Carson-M Martin bill author
izins an increase In the traction fares.
Both men denied that there was any
truth In Senator Thompson's story.
and declared that they knew nothing
of any fund for influencing legislation
In Albany.
Richard H. Burke when he went on
the witness stand asserted he had
been an employee Of the Thompson
committee that had Investigated the
Public Service Commission. Senator
Thompson had testified that he
thought. during the hearing Of his
committee. that Burke was employed
by tho Consolidated Gas Company, but
Burke calmly told the Judiciary Com
mittee that regardless of what the
Senator thought he was in the employ
of Thompson and the Thompson COM
mittee.
'what were you pad2" asked Ben
ator Burlingame.
still Waiting for HIS Money.
81 am still to be paid" replied Burks.
Senator Thompson said to me: Burke.
yours Is a special account III put In .
bill TO the committee and see that you
get paid rm still waiting"
Burke said he had never sent .
bill for his services to the committee.
Burke's testimony furnished some life
to the session of the investigators. which
otherwise was rather solemn and quiet
Burke gave the spectators several
hearty laughs, particularly when he
said that Senator Thompson came to
him one day and said:
"'Burke. I'm going to New York. to
see Red Mike
"Who?" asked Burke.
mayor Hylan.'" Burke said Thomp-
son replied.
Burke also gave the hearers \ little
Thompson burned certain letters belong
ing to Theodore p. shonts, head OF the
Interborough. which he said had been
taken by Mrs. shonts and her daughter,
the Duchess de Chaulnes Burke said
he was not curious enough at the time to
ask what the letters contained. but that
later Senator Thompson told him they
contained an attack on James 3. Brady,
head OF a car company.
He Meant Diamond Jim.
IT cannot recall the name Of the car
company" he said. but the man wa
Diamond Jim Brady"
Burke told the Judiciary COMMITTEES
that Senator Thompson had had him ar
range q meeting with John b. Stanch'
field, Mr.. Shonts's attorney, 30 the let
ters could be burned with due ceremony
This was done, Burke said, and the
apartment OF a Mr.. Pepperman OF the
IntsrborouEh legal staff
| Tho matter of the mysterious letter.
was explained by Senator Thompson In
| a statement which he made TO the com.
| m,ttee at the end Of the hearing. He de-
clared that they really were not letter.
| at all, but notes made by Perlsy Morse
| an accountant for the Public Service In
| vestigating committee. during a tall
| which he had had with Mrs. Shonts ant
her daughter.
They were burned by Mr.. Quacken'
bush OF the 1nterboroush and myself.
he said. These notes had nothing tt
| do with our investigation. I never saw
them. They concerned domestic matters
| and were burned on the advice OF Franz
! Moss, counsel for the investigating com
mittee."
Sought to Raise $4,000.
Burke told the committee also that
at one time Senator Thompson and thre,
other men were trying to raise $4,000
to start a furniture company and thai
Thompson had asked Burke where he
could get the money.
~ went to see Judge Beardsley Of
counsel for the Edison company" said
Burke, 'rbut he said. I wouldn't lend
Thompson 10 cents! thinH also talked
10 Mr.. Stanchneld about Il, but whom.
ever 1 did talk to they gave me the
gate"
When Burke first went on the stand
to-day he made q speech 70 the members
Of the committee. In which ne declared
that he could prove his absolute credit
bility." and that he had recommenda
tions from sheriffs. District Attorneys
supreme Court Justices and all the
Mayors and village presidents of the
east side of the Hudson River.
why did you set thcm air. asked
Senator Burlinsame. -
I've had them all the time" said
Burke 1T didn't wait until this inves
tigation started"
In. his speech Burke also said:
'swhile I was an oficer OF tho Aaue
duct police force I brought about tn,