SISSON FAITHFUL
T0 THE MACHINE
very Act During His Senatorial
Service in Interest of Gang,
FOLLOWED LEAD OF McNIGHOL
Smothered Meritorious Legislation In
Committee, Dodged Votes on Good
Measures and Supported Bad Bills
Always.
The session of the legislature in
1906 was a ghastly joke. The work of
the session of 1905 had so outraged the
public conscience that the Republican
ticket was defeated at the ensuing
election by an overwhelming majority,
and Governor Pennypacker called the
extra session of 1906 to “save the
face” of the machine. Its principal
work was destructive. That is to say
its main purpose was to repeal the
vicious legislation of the previous
regular session, and A. BE. Sisson and
J. A. Stober, blushingly or unblush-
ingly, stultified themselves by voting
for the repeal of a dozen bills for
which less than a year before they had |
“rooted” vigorously.
There were a few reformatory bills
passed during this brief extra session,
but Sisson and Stober in every in-
stance voted to limit the merits of
such measures to the minimum. In
half a dozen previous sessions they
bad voted against a uniform primary
election law, but under the spur of
consternation they voted for the apol-
ogy which is now on the statute book.
It is not all bad, of course, and can-
dor compels the acknowledgment that
it {&¢ an improvement on the primary
system that prevailed previously. But
a really meritorious law might have
been enacted if it had not been for
the opposition to any substantial re-
forms by the Republican machine, in
which sinister purpose Sisson and Sto-
ber invariably participated. Probably
the best result of the session of 1906
was that it retired J. A. Stober from
legislation service.
The Session of 1907.
The session of 1907 opened with the
machine in a state of uncertainty. The
result of the election of 1906 was a
sort of rescue from ruin, as unexpect-
ed as it was undeserved. The machine
managers were as avaricious for spoile
ae ever, but still under the shadow of
abject fear. They invoked cunning.
however, to mask their operations and
conceal their tricks in committee. The
two committees in which most of the
vicious legislation is considered are
those on corporations and railroads.
Sisson was chairman of the committee
on railroads during the session of 1907
and third man on the committee on
corporations. The first four men on a
committee practically control its pro-
ceedings. In the session of 1907 the
first four names on the committee on
corporations were Sproul, Scott, Sisson
and Stineman, in the order named. The
first four names on the committee on
railroads were Sisson, Scott, Sproul
and Stineman. Another committee
which the machine is always anxious
to keep tractable is that of judiciary
general. Mr. Sisson had second place
on that committee and Scott third.
Anti-Corporation Bills Smothered.
Most of the bills which were antag:
ounistic to corporation interests were
smothered in committee, Among these
were bills requiring passenger cars to
he kept in sanitary condition, the
equal distribution of cars to coal mines
and the act to regulate the rate for
transportation of freight and passen-
gers on railroads. The act defining
the liability of railroads to employes,
that providing penalties for giving or
receiving free transportation and that
authorizing courts to fix maximum pas-
senger rates for railroads, were stified
in committee. It is reasonably certain
that Sisson was responsible for all this
miscarriage of just legislation. Senator
Blewitt's bill to repeal the act creat-
ing the state constabulary and Senator
Dewalt’s bill fixing liability of employ-
ers in actions for damages for injury
or death of employes, were smothered
in the committee on judiciary general.
It is fair to presume that he had some-
thing to do with the stifling of those
measures,
Senator Sisson fairly earned the ti-
tle of “Artful Dodger” during the ses-
gion of 1907. It was impossible to
stifle in committee all measures which
were opposed by the corporations. He
dodged the vote on the bill to pro-
hibit the maintenance of bucket shops.
{Senate Journal, 1907, page 2728). He
dodged the vote on the bill to provide
for the health and safety of persons
employed in and about anthracite coal
mines. (Senate Journal, 1907, page
1682). He dodged the vote on the bill
providing that no railroad corporation
railway
trol of a parallel or competing line.
(Senate Journal, 1907, page 1681). This
measure was simply carrying out the
i
i
1
i
{
1
|
i
|
i
iarrying t and passengers by
rarrow gauge railroads. (Senate Jour
pal, 1907, page 1184).
Voted For Bad Bills.
Mr. Sisson’s sins during the session
of 1907 were not all “sins of omission,”
however, as the record thus far would
indicate, He voted affirmatively on bad
bills and negatively on good bills as
the exigencies of the machine requir
ed. As a rule Keyser or McNichol was
his “bell-weather,” and he voted as
they voted, probably without taking
the trouble to inquire whether it was
right or wrong. On the bill to create
a bureau of elevator inspection, for
example, he voted aye, because he was
told the machine wanted some new
offices to distribute among the faith-
ful. (Senate Journal, 1907, page 1088).
The state had no more use for such a
bureau than a dog has for two tails,
but the machine needed the places. He
also voted for the extegsion of the
Capitol park at an expense of $2,000.
000. (Senate Journal, 1907, page 691).
The McCall's Ferry dam and the
York Haven dam in the Susquehanna
river, and other dams in other streams
throughout the state having given the
machine emissaries all the water pow-
ers and privileges they needed for the
time being, it was decided to mo-
nopolize the business. Accordingly a
bill was introduced into the legisla
ture of 1907 that “no dam-wall, wing-
wall or other obstruction shall be built
in streams, heretofore deelared public
highways.” Upon this question Sisson
voted yes. (Senate Journal, 1907, page
1748).
Wasting Public Funds.
The act increasing the compensation
of senators and representatives in the
general assembly was about as atro-
cious an attempt to raid the treasury
as has ever been perpetrated. Upon
that measure Sisson voted yes. (Sen-
ate Journal, 1907, page 791).
There were bills to create additional
law judges in Blalr, Cambria, Dela-
ware and Erie counties, and Sisson
voted for all of them. (Senate Jour-
nal, 1907, pages 521. 598, 806, 1363).
Senator Sisson supported the bill au-
thorizing one-half of all fines and for-
feitures to which counties are entitled
to be appropriated to law libraries.
(Senate Journal, 1907, page 778). This
bill would have legalized as bald a
robbery of the people as was ever con-
ceived. It would have taxed the peo-
ple to provide lawyers with books for
personal use, and is ciearly unconsti-
tutional.
He voted for every bill presented
during that session which contemplat-
ed the increase of the mumber of of-
fices and the salaries of officers. This
is a favorite way the machine has of
rewarding politicians for sinister ser-
vice. Whenever it is found that there
are not enough offices to go around
new ones are created. Sisson was al-
ways a willing helper in this wicked
work.
Trick to Help the Judges.
For years, in pursuance of the plan
to win the favor of the judges at any
cost. the Republican legislative ma-
chine had been striving to emact a ju-
dicial pension bill or a judges’ retiring
law. or something that would serve ar
a tub to the judicial whale. Every
other expedient having failed, a bill to
create in the supreme court, the su-
perior court and all other courts a
“judge emeritus” was introduced dur-
ing the session of 1907. It was read in
place by Senator McNichol, for Sena-
tor Brown, of Philadelphia. It pro-
vided that after a judge had served a
certain period of time he became a
judge emeritus, and during the rest of
his life would be entitled to full pay
without performing any service. The
machine senators, including Sisson,
were enthusiastic for the bill. It was
promptly reported out of the commit-
tee on judiciary general, of which Sis-
son was a member, but after passing
second reading was retired. It was a
trifie too rank for the country sema-
tors. /
The bill providing for the initiative
and referendum in cities had a rather
“rocky road to travel.” The people
wanted it and didn’t hesitate to let the
fact be known. But the machine was
against it flat. It was a house bill and
referred to the committee on judiciary
general in the senate, from which it
was subsequently reported with a neg-
ative recommendation. On May 13
Senator Grim moved to place it on the
calendar, which required an affirma-
tive vote of two-thirds. A majority of
the senators favored it, but the minor-
ity amounted to more than one-third
and the motion was defeated, the ayes
being 22 and the nays 17. Senator Sis-
son voted against the measure.
Railroad Commission Bill Mutilated.
Senator Sisson was chairman, on
the part of the senate, of the commit
tee on con.crence, to which was re-
ferred the differences between the two
houses on the bill to create the state
railroad commission. During the con- | |
sideration of the measure he aimed
to make it as innocuous as possible,
and his vote for it was reluctantly
In conference he opposed every
ture
BEEIERISEELE
fui :
g
er ame treme mas wa. a i, 0 A. Ml
CUFFEY APPEALS
T0 DEMOCRATS
Urges Personal and Political
Friends to Energetic Effort.
ASKS EARNEST SUPPORT
National Committeeman Declares Dem-
ocratic Ticket Will Command and
Receive the Independent Vote.
The Democratic campaign is being
conducted this year with a degree of
vigor which is as unusual as it is
promising of victory. During last
week, it is reported, 100,000 pieces of
mail matter were sent out from the
headquarters of the state committee
at Harrisburg, and it is believed that
a greater quantity of campaign litera-
ture will go out this week. The Demo-
crate are determined to elect their ex-
cellent ticket.
One of the most important pieces of
campaign literature sent out thus far
is a personal letter of Colonel James
M. Guffey, member of the Democratic
national committee, to the active work-
ers of the state. Colonel Guffey, in
characteristic language, appeals to his
Democratic friends to supplement the
work of the state and county organi.
zation with energetic individual effort.
In other words, in terse and forceful
periods, he urges Democratic work-
ore to actively support the admirable
candidates nominated on the 4th of
Angust, which he believes “will com-
| mand and receive large and valuable
| support from the independent voters
| of the state.”
| There is no doubt ‘a th: minds of
| any of the intelligent observers of the
| work of the campaign that the trend
| of public sentiment is toward the Dem-
ocratic ticket. The forces which revo-
lutionized the politics of the state in
| the election of William H. Berry are
| again in action. The conditions which
| gave the Democratic candidate for
state treasurer a large majority in
Philadelphia four years ago are pres
| ent in that city now, and the opportu-
| nities for defeating the will of the
| people by frauds at the polls are vast-
{ ly diminished. In Pittsburg the ma-
| chine is in confusion and almost in
despair. All that is necessary to se
cure a glorious victory is for the Dem-
ocrats to do their duty.
The Republican candidates are a
menace to the interests of the people.
A. E. Sisson and J. A. Stober have
been for years servile slaves of the
| machine. If a man of their type had
| been nominafed for governor three |
| years ago he would have been defeated
by an overwhelming majority. Even
two years ago, if J. A. Stober had been
nominated for state treasurer the ma-
jority of his opponent would have been
100.000. What gave the machine man-
agers the confidence which made them
daring this year? Simply they believe
that the people have forgotten the ex-
posures of graft operations made in
1906 and since. They believe that the
memory of the shame of the capitol
construction and furnishing no longer
abides in the public mind.
If the Republican candidate for
state treasurer had been elected in
1905, when Willlam H. Berry was
chosen, the bulding and furnishing of
the state capitol would have cost $25.
000,000 by this time and the people
never would have known that they
were being robbed. If Sisson and Sto-
ber are elected this year, the plunder-
ing will be resumed and the revenues
of the state will be diverted to the
pockets of the grafters. On the other
hand, if J. Wood Clark is placed in
the office of auditor general and
George W. Kipp in that of state treas-
urer, there will be new revelations of
official dishonesty in the past which
will astound the country. The whole
truth has not been told.
We do not allege or even insinuate
that there has been any grafting since
the present governor, auditor general
and state treasurer were inducted into
their respective offices. But we do
believe that they have concealed facts
which ought to have been exposed and
know that they have not been zealous
in bringing the offenders to punish-
ment. It is nearly two years since
four of the grafters were convicted
in the Dauphin county court. Two of
these men have since died natural
deaths, and it looks as if the others
will have an opportunity to die of old
filled by Democrats.
The text of Colonel Guffey’s letter
follows:
Democratic National Committee,
Office of the Member From Penn-
sylvania.
Pittsburg, Pa., Oct. 9, 1909.
My Dear Sir:
e of the Democratic
action
vention, on the 4th of
hen were
ur
I receive large valuable
support from the independent vot-
“Tvith thie sentiment prevail
sentimen
this ticket ought to be elected;
and it will Le the fault, of the
" a REALL we
'
|
|
‘any, and all legislat
re ——— a A
Democrats if it is not. :
The State Central Committee
and the county organizations are
actively at work, but, in order to’
have success in November, we must|
poll the Democratic vote, and this
can only be accomplished through |
individual work. With this in view
1 am writing you the situation $
the importance of this campaign,
and to ask you and your
friends your earnest and active
support for the ticket, and to as-
sure you, in making this request,
that your efforts will be adpre
ciated not alone by the Candidates
and the Party. but by me person-
ally. Very truly Jou
. M. GUFFEY.
STOBER AND SISSON
Self-Respect On the Part of Voters
Should Make Their Election
impossible.
{Frem the Philadelphia Record.]
Everybody in this state knows what
sort of men were selected by the state
machine for state offices up to 1905.
investigation of
frauds disclosed that.
are already under conviction
dling the state in that treme
terprise of fraud.
In 1905, aithough the capitol disclos-
ures had not then been the peo-
ple of this state were sufficiently
arowsed to the sort of candidates the
state machine was putting to de-
feat the Republican candidate for state
treasurer and elect Mr. Berry. He
looked out for the public interests. He
id over the school funds promptly,
nstead of holding them back so that
the bank depositories could have the
use of the money. He scrutinized bills.
Best of all, he lifted the cover from
the colossal swindling that had been
practiced in building: the capitol.
Two years ago the state machine
nominated John O. Sheatz, who is far
superior to the men it is accustomed
to select for office. He had dared to
oppose the gang occasionally. Noth-
ing on earth would have led the gang
to nominate such a man except fear o
another defeat.
The state machine has recovered its
courage and its impudence. It has
nominated a couple of men of precise-
ly the same class as the men it had
been in the habit of nominating up to
1905. They are its subservient tools.
They stop at nothing that the bosses
demand. They labored for Quay’'s re-
election, and they supported the jury
bill that was expect o protect Quay
on his trial. hey supported the
“Pittsburg Ripper,” wh the su-
reme court declared unconstitutional,
n the most infamous session of the
legislature we have suffered.
supported the Salus-Grady press muz-
zler, which a subsequent legislature
was shamed into repealing. ey sup-
ported the streeet railway franchise
robbery of 1901. Sisson antagonized
the bill to make $35 the minimum sal-
dry for school teachers.
ed efforts to improve the Focht bal
law. They defended the “assistance”
clause which enables a purchased vot-
er to take a witness into the booth
4th him fo order to give evidence
that he had earned his bribe. They
voted for a bill that would have given
State Treasurer Mathues a salary of
$10,000 a year. They have supported
on demanded by
the g of this city to make it eas
fer ‘to corrupt the box and to
get ‘money out of the city treasury.
Stober and Sisson are typical mem:
bers of the state machine, typical tools
of the bosses who have made the gov:
ernment of this state notorious and
hg, have worked in harmony with
e “corrupt and inal .combina-
tion” in this city. Ordinarily self-re-
voters of
gpect on the part of the o
ennsylvania should make their elec
tion impossible. The voters who de
feated J. Lee Plummer should send
Stober and Sisson to meet him.
Two of them
f swin-
ous en-
RECREANT PUBLIC OFFICIAL
District Attorney's Office Consented to
“Fixing” a Jury to Acquit Salter.
[From the BeBllefonte Watchman.
It appears that Robert Von M -
gisker was an assistant district attor-
ney in Philadelphia at the time that
Samuel Salter was tried and acquit-
ted for studing ballot boxes in Phila-
delphia. Salter had Previously con:
fessed his guilt and became a fugi-
tive from justices The evidence
inst him was overwhelm A
Philadelphis newspaper had emp ed
a man to offer his services to T
as an eleciion officer and Salter had
engaged him. Subsequently in his
sence Salter had caused to be put
nto the ballot box 200 fraudulent
ballots and the detective election offi-
cer ex the crime. Salter went to
Mexico and remained until after John
Weaver hac heen elected district at-
torney and Von Moschzisker appointed
one of his assistants.
During an acrimonious disputs be-
tween John Weaver and the leaders of
the Philadelphia Republican machine,
after Weaver had abandoned the ma-
chine and gone in for reform, the ma-
chine leaders Shared that the jury
had been fixed, with the knowledg:
and consent of the district attorney's
office, to acquit Salter. This accusa-
tion, which has never been denied, is
supported by a strong chain of eir
cumstantial evidence. John Weaver
was soon after promoted to the office
of mayor and was said to have been
slated to succeed Pennypacker in the
office of governor of the state. One of
the assistant district attorneys, Norris
of a law-
ver his client.
a greater crime It is the betrayal of
a by a public official, and if the
accusation be true that the 1-
machine induced, by ay means,
case
to be packed for the pu
quitting him, the acme official re-
was reached. manifest
the Salter case, the ac-
-conf
box h
ors bestowed upon then
attorney and his assistants, combine
to form a group of facts sufficient to
convince the most incredulous.
Are the people of Pennsylvania
ready to r compensate a recre-
ant official for his turpitude? The
blican machine has nomi :
Ro Von MoscHzisker, the faithless
t district attorney of Philadel-
a seat on the ch of the
conrt of the state. His decis-
. constitutionality of
e
the judicial bill of 1903 is am
of his fitness
essional un Tr
e Dace And Nis Jecreaney In the of
fice of district
he to be
Pe
or For these reasons
efeated an gover
majority and we have faith
enough the in lligence and Integ.
nt of the people to believe that suc
will be the result of the vote at the
coming election in November. x
ery
They oppos- !
lot
Unless United States Supreme Court
Grants Writ of Certiorari and Re
verses Case He Must Serve His 8en-
tence.
New York, Oct. 12.—Uniess the su-
preme court of the United States re-
verses the decision or the president
of the United States interferes,
Charles W. Morse, one time “Ice
King.” coastwise steamship line or-
ganizer, banker and capitalist, will
serve fifteen years at hard labor in
the federal prison at Atlanta, Ga. Af-
ter having been at liberty under $125,
000 bail since June 17 last, he is back
in the Tombs prison, where he contem-
plates the decision of the United
States circuit court of appeals sus-
taining the judgment of the lower fed-
eral court, which found him guilty in
November last of violating the nat-
tional banking laws.
There was solace in the decision of
the court of appeals, kowever, in that
only ten of the fifty-three indictments
on which he was convicted were sus-
tained, and on the strength of this his
counsel, Martin W. Littleton, will im-
mediately carry the cese before the
United States supreme court on a8 writ
of certiorari. To this end the United
States court of appeals has granted a
forty days’ stay of execution, and
pending a decision by the supreme =
court application will be made to have
the prisoner again admitted to ball.
Morse took the decision calmly, al-
though he was plainly grief stricken
and perhaps surprised.
Verdict Sustained by Proof.
In rendering its decision the United
States circuit court of appeals sald:
“We fully realize the consequences
to the defendant which must follow an
affirmance of this judgment, and yet
we cannot doubt that he was given a
fair trial, and the verdict on the four-
teen counts was amply sustained by
the proof. No unprejudiced person can
read the record without being convince
ed that by the defendant's procure-
ment the bank (National Bank of
North America) bought its own stock
and the stock of the ice securities
company, and by his procurement the
entries in the bank book and in the re-
ports of the comptroller as to these
transactions were so arranged as to
conceal the truth and to record trans.
actions which in reality never took
place.”
Negress Had Lost White Child.
Marguerite Fink, the white child
rescued almost from the grave and
cared for during the last four years
by Mrs. Marie Fink, a negress, in Den-
ver, Col, has been given into the
custody of her mother, Mrs. Charles
Backoff, of Chicago.
Mrs. Backoff arrived in Denver Sun-
day after learning that the child whom
she had mourned as dead since the
time of birth was alive and had grown
into a healthy, beautiful little girl
When Judge Lindsey, in the juvenile
court, gave his decision little Margue-
rite screamed and begged to be allow:
ed to stay with the culored woman.
The mother is given custody of the
child only as guardian and must pay
the negress $500 as recompense for the
baby's keep.
Has Six Husbands; Tired of "Em.
Grace E Chapman pleaded guilty to
a charge of bigamy in Justice Miller's
court at her preliminary trial at Kan
sas City, Mo., admitting that she had
married six men without having ob-
tained a divorce from any of them.
“Yes, I'm guilty,” she testifigd. “I've
had six husbands and I'm sick*of mat-
rimony. Most of the men I married
were farmers. I would live with them
until I got tired of them and then I'd
leave. They were so tiresome.”
“Were you ever divorced?”
“Not that I know of,” Mss. Chapman
replied.
Mrs. Chapman was unabie to fur
nish a bond of $2000 and was remand
ed to jail.
Woman Arrested as Common Scold.
The charge of being a common scold
has been made against Mrs. Susanna
Suraton, of Higgins Corners, near
Butler, Pa. arrested on information
made by Mrs. Maria Kohler, a neigh
bor.
It is alleged that Mrs. Suraton utters
Salaries of Chicago Officials to Be Cut
A cut of 10 per cent in salaries of
all officials and employes of Chicago.
-—
payroll at its normal level. Ths pay
roll last year approximated $15,690,000,
The cut before becoming effective
must be sanctioned by the city coun-
cil, where a big fight against it is
expected.
Bear Fights Farmers,
In a desperate encounter a big bear
was killed at the McKane farm, back
of Shonola, Plke county, Pa. hy
George McKane and Cleveland Mo
Kane, father and son. The bear was
eating apples in the orchard. The elders
McKane put a bullet in the beasts
neck, and then a running fight was
kept up for a mile to a swamp. In the
swamp the beast charged the elder
McKane, disarmed him and tore a
sleeve from his coat. Young McKane
fired a bullet into the beast’'s brain,
killing it. The carcass weighed 400
pounds. It measured six feet.
Killed While Teasing Cow.
Ewing Mack was gored to death at
Mobile, Ala., while teasing a cow. The
man was under the influence of li
quor and he persisted In teasing
the animal, which turned suddenly,
gored him in the abdomen and then
threw the man’s body twenty feet in
the air. Mack was dead when he bit
the ground.
New Advertisements.
XECUTOR'S NOTICE.— Letters testa-
ment upon the estate of W. C. Patter.
won, Iate of the gh of State College, deceas-
ed, having been granted to the undersigned, all
persons knowing themselves inde to sald
estate are requested to make immediate payment
and those having claims against the same to
present them duly authenticated for settlement.
H. J. PATTERSON, oe La,
54-31.6t Park, Md.
HARTER NOTICE.— Notice is berehy
given that an application will be made
on Tuesday, November , 1009, to his Excel-
lency *the Governor of the Commonwealth, at
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for letiers nt tos
Corporailon known as the “Bellefonte
'oundry and Machine Com hay its
bet office at Bellefonte, Pa, the ng
of which Company is a general foundry
and ine and the manufacturing
and selling of tools, implements and other ma-
terials in steel, iron, copper, brass, nickel, lead
and other metals,
GETTIG. BOWER & ZERBY,
Solizitors,
54-4131
Bex FOR ADOPTION.—A good fami-
healtng So. L Jdopt a boy, hd weeks old,
by AppIYIDg 16 the unde bIOWA" hair ean 20 40
evereliry Ahiidrens
Bellefonte, Pa. ary ren's Aid Society.
PHOLSTERING.—Have you
Obata, Mattresses or anything in
line to repair? If have, call H. M. Bidwell
on Commercial ‘phone. He will come to see you
al 54-21 1y*
OMES FOR SALE. —Two nice homes
in Milesburg borough for sale on easy
One , one $600, Much better induce
L. C. BULLOCK, JR.
Overseer of Poor.
WILLARD'S STORE
GENT'S FURNISHINGS, HATS, CAPS, ETC.
1 hi pn
-
caring shoddy and
be pleased to have
D. I. WILLA
West High St. Wb 9
M8 1y
Automobiles.
AUTOMOBILES
AGENT YOR THE FOLLOWING :
FRANKLIN,
PEERLESS,
THOMAS,
BUICK,
OLDSMOBILE.
A number of good second hand cars
for sale,
wey
JOHN SEBRING, JR.
54-841, BELLEFONTE, PA.
R&A alin i fh A GE oe A
Swe ovYTrYvYTYYTYY
SANTA
Lumber.
BUILDING MATERIAL
When you are ready for it,
you will get it here. On
Lumber,
Mill Work,
Roofing,
Shingles,
and Glass,
This 1s a place where close
prices and prompt shipments
of reliable Ds get the
orders of all who know of them.
AN ESTIMATE?
52.5-1y — 8
Bellefonte Lumber Co. §
iime,
LIME. LIME
—
High Grade Somnércial ial and Building Lime.
gricultural Lime.
Hydra Oxide (H-O) Hydrated Lime.
Ground Lime for
Eo.
Crushed Limestone
Graded Limestone for Road Making.
Works at Bellefonte, Tyrone, Union Furnace and Frankstown, Pa.
=m :
Address all communications and orders to
54-4-1y
HIE
AMERICAN LIME & STONE COMPANY,
3 ss
* au