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JOCKEY CLUB EXONERATED LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE FILES ITS REPORT AT ALBANY. . Gist of Document Is That No Evidence Was Adduced of Illegal Expenditures in Opposition to Hart-Agnew Law. Albany. X. V.. February .. By the formal report of the Legislative Investigating Committee, tiled with the Senate and tlie Assembly, tin Jockey Club anil its eight racing association memliers are completely exonerated of the allegations of attempted bribery of legislators with the objeet of bringing about the defeat of the Hart-Agnew anti-raee-traek bills in 190i. which, in spite of an alleged corruption fund of Jf.W 1.100, were enacted that same year. The language of the report is as follows: The committee examined the books and records and some of the otlieer.s of the Jockey Club, and of the various racing associations in the state. The evidence shows that these organizations in their opposition to these bills expended large sums for publicity in order to create public opinion in opposition to the measures. It appears that one of the eight racing associations expended some 7,000 for the purpose. The aggregate legal expenses of these liodics in lftOS amounted to about 02,000. There is no evidence, however, that any of these expenditures were for illegal purposes." As a preamble to the report upon the several sub-jeots considered in its sessions from September 7. 11110. to January G, 1911, the committee goes so far as to say: "No definite and substantial charge, verified upon knowledge of corrupt practices or ollicial misconduct in connection with legislation or the Legislature, or witli any mutter, or proceeding before any state department, lxiartl, body or oflicer, was filed with the committee."- The basis of the entire .investigation so far as concerned the race track interests was the .information brought to the committee that Robert II. Elder, an assistant district attorney of Kings County, I hail told .some one, that former Senator Frank J. J Gardner hrtd admitted to Klder that lie Gardner was engaged to- prevent the passage of the anti-betting bills. August r.elmont, chairman of the Jockey Club; Frank K, Sturgis, secretary and treasurer; Algernon Daingertield, assistant secretary, and former Senator W. II. Reynolds, president of the Metropolitan Jo:key Club, testified to various amounts raised and paid out for legal expenses and publicity, but denied under oath that any of this money had been used for any but legitimate purposes. Former State Senator Charles H. Fuller and Senator F. M. Carpenter of Westchester also took the stand and denied they had been offered S100.O0O or any form of bribe to vote against the Hart-Agnew measures, or that they had ever made any such admission to Senator Eugene M. Travis, who had told a story on the witness stand to that effect. Senator Travis had testified that be had been offered .flOO.OOO to vote against the bills. He said the offer was made by former Senator Gardner.
