New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-09-29
THE GREAT
BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION
INVESTIGATION.
THE COMMON COUNCIL OF 1852. SO.
ABSTRACT THE TESTIMONY.
STARTLING DISCLOSURES.

dishonest practices on the part of members OF the
CITY Government of 1888, and previous dates and
especially by the Common Council that went out o.
fee the 3lst of December last We take IL TO be I'M
necessary say nyhpg here of the facts set forth
Every taxpayer, every voter viii read for himself.
and judge according to the testimony.
The record Of the testimony is introduced BY the
following correspondence;
FINANCE DEp,srsssr. cssr.OLtsss orsrer.(
To tie Beard Of slds~en;
The Controller, in compliance with the following
resolution. to-wit:
Resd That the COatroer be and he hereby directed
feph ibis sosSe with c9@Plste soR$ o. ~ 'si S;s
sent to him by His Exeelleney Gov. seymour
Has caused the testimony tsken before the Recorder.
f. K. Tillou in the years ls53 and 1854 TO be caro-
fully copied from the books filed in the Finance De-
pariment by the Gosernor OF he State, to whom
COPIES were furnished by the Recorder which doca-
meuts and afiidavits are herewith submitted.
In presenting copies of this testimony to the Com
mon Council il proper 10 show when and how these
documents came into the custody Of the Finance De-
parment.
Boards to get possession of all the facts IN regard 70
the contract OF VIM. Il Reynolds, the Controller IN
April last addressed letter TO Gov. Seymour asking
permisson 70 take copies of such parts of the test-
mopy as related to that contract The following NJ
copies of this request and the Governors answer;
Nav YokK Monday, April Is. 1884
Gov. SEYMoUR-DtGr SIR; A matter is nov pend
ips before ih Common Council which makes desirable
OF M taken before the Recorder IN the Of VIM Rsys
ods 20 me that this proof now your hands might
properly be used TO further the snd' Of Justice.
II yon improperly in having the testimony resr
the Reyrod Contract copied and used before ,he Board q
Aldermen vii, set Col Warner who made the copies 's
nslly, tosist Albany aud transcrbe the same
Respectfully and truly yours,
STATE or NEw.YOSx, ExEeurIvk Dsrssrsssr.l
Albany, sept q, 1854
A. c. FLAG6-My Dear SIR; IL is my Intention to
deposit in YOUR Office The taken in New Yok before
Recorder fnou shall go to SswfSrs ana wa carr, sss
will send them by express s,I ,Ty 'S SESos
Soon after the date of this letter copies of the afh-
davits we're deposited in this office, contained In four
books
The letter Of Mr.. Blunt the District Attorney, 10
the Recorder and the preseDtment OF the Grand jury
to the Court of Sessions at the February term OF
1883 are copied at length in the Book No 4, and
accordingly are given at length in this communics-
ton. ~
Recorder and afford appropriate introduction to
the mass of testimony presented herewith.
The District Attorney (Mr. Blunt coresponded
with the Governor on the subject OF investigating the
matters referred TO in the preseDtment Of the Grand
Jury and Gov. Seymour, at the suggestion OF the
District Attorney, appointed Jas r. Whiting Esq,
anc Ogden Hoffman the present Attorney -GenerA,
to conduct the examinations before the Recorder.
Col Warner was selected 10 take down the testimony
of the witnesses and the afdavits signed by the Wit
nesses and before the Recorder were copies
by Col Warner into the four books referred to. ana
placed in the hands of the Governor.
The following Is an index OF the different suDJec~
alluded TO in the testimony:
The testimony is arranged in the following order:
l. The ob.equie. Of Henry Clay. D.nol Webster sss
Pr,sids TAYLOR Twenty nne Witnesses
II Celebration Of the Fourth Of July 1851 Seven "s-
Ill The Purchase Of Land Great Barn Island for Com
etery Five wit,ese' ,y,, r
" The Cstharine-t, Rooseyetst, wallst housten-s6
and Grand st Ferries Twenty wfns..es
v The Third and Eighth Railroads Fifteen witnessssL
tpA tOVe v
and Extension Pier Line on the East River. Ton
VII Purchase Of Lot. Station House in the XVIII
Ward in ls3s Two C g.1.s.,, Primarily IN ,ssx
Twenty one witnesses
TX Sewer p Pearl 81 One witness ,. xv,.s
for q years Eight Witnesses, ., a,..,~..,y.
xI ch%ses against Joseph Keen Warden oil S'''r"s~s
XII Pisrs FOOT Of Jsy Cedsr,t and the Water
Grant corner OF Beach and Westss Five witnessoA-
Kill Contract Of Russ q Reid pave Bowsry, &C. Tive
XIV Fup,bSS Supplies to Departments -Four witnesses
Ky 10 to Police Appointments. &c. Eight VT
XVI Contract with VIM B. Reynolds for the Removal Of
D,Ad Animals, Ossl &c.
XVII Opinion Decision Of the Recorder In the ee Of Js
b. TAYLOR who refused 20 testify, on the ground mat
answering would tend to erminste hm.eIL. ~ -
The testimony in the case OF the contract OF ". ID.
REYNOLDS and in relation to the purchase Of claims 81
A K Lawrence on Wards Island, has already been
communicated 10 the Common Council, and the prsted
pages OF these communications &c embodied IN ths
testimony now presented. A. c. FLAG, Controller.
I'VE have heretofore published the Grand Jury pre-
sentiment and all the important portions Of the Rus
Reid and Reynolds documents and other papers re-
ferred TO- except upon the subjects mentioned In the
testimony given below;
oBsgoUIEs or HENRY CLAY.
James Timson, Auctor in the Controllers Once.
yenf.s the bills In regard 10 these expenses
EIbert Birdsall Fore man IN the state Arsenal, w0
called upon BY Isaac who wsned 20 ssts pOondsr
cannon md two hundred rounds Of cartridges and mea 70
he for