The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-11-11
CENTRAL PARK INVESTIGATION.
Examination OF Witnesses Continued-Cut-
ting Down the Salaries OF the Engineers
and then Refusing 10 Pay them.

Examination OF Witnesses COntinued-Cut-
ting Down the Salaries Of the Engineers
and then Refusing to Pay them.
The Committee on Lands and Places OF the Board Of
Councimen met according to adjournment, at ?. NJ,
YESTERDAY, in the Council chamber, City Hail.. l.
Waugh, President, in the chair.
The 6rst witness called Mr.. D. Hart, who testified
a. foiiows first clerk of the Commissioners of the
Central Park the Office which attend is the Of
Cedar and Nassau streets; appointed my situation
by the Commissioners.
Q. Are you aware who pays the men employed the
Central parks Mr.. Mcintosh the dsburshg clerk, be-
keve.
q. How many have been employed on the Central
ParxS A. From the reports of the Chief Engineer there
have probably been six seven hundred men employed
at time but have no personal knowledge of the fact
O. Do you know OF men having been employ say six,
ten or fifteen days and then dischargedY A. have
personal knowledge OF any such thing.
o. Do know OF any the pay roll being fro
Que0tly changedy A do not.
O. Have the Commissioners ever received any conmu-
O. VIVA; was done with that communication A. 1t was
LAID on the table.
O. Why was il not answered. A. The plea given was
that there time there has been only meeting
since believe and the communication still lays the
table.
What is tho condition OF the finances of the Commits
sonersy have understood they have some IS 900
hand; presume they have spent $50, 900 the Park
considerable work done before the suretes Of the
$50 600 were secured.
@ 10 you OF any from westchester or Staten
Island having been employed on the Parks A. do not
q. 10 you know of any estimates which have been
made for the work to be done in the next four or five
monthsy A. do not the Commissioners have made no
such estimate or would have known it; the petitions
that are presented to the Board generally go through
band; ! have not shown those petitions, or
given copies OF them, allowed the original
ones TO be taken away by citizens any
members OF the Common Council know Of NO member
OF the Common Council having offered the Commissioners
10 use his influence in the Common Council any bill
bills appropriation passed for 10 consideration Of
any reward remuneration consideration favor or iniu
ence from the Commissioners Of the Central Park have
made copies Of nine out OF every ten OF all the petitions
received by the Commissioner when sent in my report
10 the Committee on Salaries and Offices.
John A. Bagey sworn-l am the nrst assistant engineer
in the First division; was employed tho 18th June,
have resigned; since the LIST OF January have received
two months pay presented my bills for the month Of
October the commissioners did not refuse pay me,
but woald mot consider themselves responsible for my
pay after the LIST OF July though they continued my
services: deductions have been made Of pay of the
men, the chiefs have been down from 81 500 year
the old commissioners 81 200 under the present
this Commissioners passed resolution putting the
alares Of the chiefs al 81 200 but the clerk put them
down 70 $500, seemingly without any authority.
j. q Bacon, sworTlUn the lst OF April ssi paid
up the 1t Of January last since then have not re
ceiyed any pay I'LL within few days; when / ten
months ~itou pay went 70 the treasurer Mr. Green.
and told him condition. he promised should De paid
immediately and that was the last OF it. when had
nearly completed work the Commissioners put
salaries down 70 81 100 instead OF 81 500 the clerk
authority Of Mr. yiee reduced them the pay roll TO
$500. they persisted In this attempt 10 cheat OF
$500, bu, would not sign inc pay roll for $780, they
would no, thing Mr. vele threatened III would
mot take the $500 lac would dismiss the lst
OF November. 1t was not til after the resolution
nauisng Why not paid, passed Board that
the Commissioner we're willing 10 pay me 81 zoo
The GRAMMAR Of the committee asked If Messrs. yicle,
Cooley and Hogg present, and one answering To
the call he stated that they had been appear
and that legal steps would be taken to compel them be
present at The neat meeting Of the committee, Thurs
day, APP M.