Page:The Wizard of Wall Street and his Wealth.djvu/85

 and ask me how many cars of freight were moved on a particular day."

This confession so charmingly frank relates to payments before elections, but there is every reason to believe that the payments were continued after election.

The state of things unearthed by this investigation was officially described in the report of the legislative committee as follows:

"It is further in evidence that it has been the custom of the managers of the Erie railway, from year to year in the past, to spend large sums to control elections and to influence legislation. In the year 1868 more than one million ($1,000,000) was disbursed from the treasury for 'extra and legal services.'

"Mr. Gould; when last on the stand, and examined in relation to various vouchers shown him, admitted the payment during, the three years prior to 1872 of large sums to Barber, Tweed and others, and to influence legislation or elections; these amounts were charged in the 'India-rubber account.' The memory of this witness was very defective as to details, and he could only remember large transactions, but could distinctly recall that he had been in the habit of sending money into the numerous districts all over the state, either to control nominations or elections for Senators and members of Assembly. Considered that, as a rule, such investments paid better than to wait till the men got to Albany, and added the significant remark, when