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Show TOOK PIS TO DESTRDYBOOKS Inquiry Into New York Legislative Legisla-tive Corruption Probably Is Futile. COMMISSION IS AT LOSS TO SECURE EVIDENCE Memories of Men Alleged to Have Been Corrupt Are Very Poor. NEW YORK, Sept. li. The books, private pri-vate accounts and vouchers of Louis F. Goodscll, former stato senator from Orange Or-ange county, and thoso of H. S. Bcards-ley. Bcards-ley. secretary-treasurer of the Now York State Railway association, with which Senator Goodscll had business dealings, arc no longer in existence. They were wanted by tho Merrill legislative legis-lative committee, but both Goodscll and Beardsley testified today they had destroyed de-stroyed them. Tho books, privato accounts and vouchers vouch-ers or Louis F. Bedell, formerly assemblyman assem-blyman from Orange county aie no longer in existence. Mr. Bedell testified at a previous hearing of the committee that they had been destroyed in tho hotel Gramartin lire. Brings in Teddy's Name. ' The cumulative effect of tho testimony of Messrs. Goodscll and Bcnrdsloy produced pro-duced a sensation. Mr. Goodscll caused another milder ono when, in defending his bill granting sweeping privileges to tho Now York Transportation company he. noleil that Colonel Roosovelt, then governor, had signed it. There was a craning of necks when tho name of C. II. Bells, member of the Republican stale committee from Wayno county, was mentioned as one who had received $1750 during IPOS from tho. railway rail-way association "for information furnished fur-nished the association." The nature of tho Information or whonco It came, was not disclosed. Mr. Bells was elected yesterday to head the Wayno county delegation to tho Republican Re-publican state convention. Ho Is tho only man now alive and in public life whoso name has been brought into the preuent Inquiry. Has Poor Memory. Today Mr. Goodsell was asked lo throw light upon a credit of 5J000 placed with Elllngwood and Cunningham by President Rogers of the street railway association in 1 HOn and testified that it had probably boon for campaign purposes, pur-poses, Tho books of tho Republican stato committee might show, the witness "Imagined," "Im-agined," Mr. Goodsell was nsked concerning a letter sent him by Elllngwood and Cunningham Cun-ningham In 100fi advising him that if he visited the tlrm's offices ho would bo given the sum of $.1000 In cash. He professed pro-fessed ignorance of this 55000 and could not recall having over received It. In Justification of the destruction of his books. Beardsley sn Id annual reports of tho railway association would show Its Income and disbursements. |