The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-05
How the Tax Payers are Fieecsd.

How the Tax Payers Fieecsd.
TIE srANNN0 COMMITTEE ON FRAUD5-TE5fiMONY
oF r"S CONTRACT CLERK, SURVEYOR AND CON
ThASTjR IN THE FiFTY-FOURrH STREET CASE-
CONFLICTING EVIDENCE OF THE OFFICIALS AND
PRGERTY owNERs--AssEssNENr HOLLIS STOLEN
FROM THE OFFICE.
TEe Standing Committee Frauds held their third
rseting yesterdAy-Aldermen Adams, Owens, Tucker
and Tucmy present Tho Investigation into the alleged
frauds in the Fifty fourth street aaggiag and ding case
was continued.
Francis p Vidal, sworn and examined-I was the sur
veyor On the Fifty fourth street contract; am city gar
veyor over thirty yesrs have toersoy distncs re-
collection Of this job, Cor the ground ase ex
amaed 1t. and reported TO tho late Mr. Taylor thai it
woxld be Better cude the pg IN with the Tagging
in the costract
Q. Hew many feet of Cling in there te be done2
A. About nine foes wide and many Deep something
like that
O. Are you In the habit Of visiting the WORK every day,
of which you the Surveyor g. No. not every day;
but the contractor gives the rurveyor nSce when tie
work Is completed, and then % up and measure it.
Q And give a certificate for fr A. We never give
certificate; that h mistake; never 1--WE any cert
than the assessment list the duty OF the
inspector thai proper materials put in always
| inspect the work / have charge Of
O. Are ysu furnished with copy Of the specihcaios9
| A. am, always.
O. Can you tell how the overchareo came 10 be in this
controctS A. will tell all / know about n-aAer
made the measurement ana the work set eocut,
4 made out a map; suppose you have here; ysu will
| find either red a blue line which Grew, desg-
| mating the property that ought 10 be assessed;
| soon after this WAS taken with et.ack OF
paralysis in the side Of my head which rendered a.
helpless sent for friend and neighbor who had
made on. many maps and surveys and was quite copo
q. Who was that-can you give his nan,ep A. xr.
Frederick Stripe he was surveyor and thoroughly
derstood his BUSINESS asked him to make this cal
custion for me- he did SO; knew m7ythng more
about II, but Of course thought 1t all right, until ono
day when going into the office of the Commissioner q
Taxes. met Mr. Pnckney and he told me that there
great error In this contract he explained
matter saw the error, and said Let US correct ' out
he said II too late, the money had been paid Il IL
| mistake OF mine, gentlemen, and don't wish 10 back
out OF it; have laid all before you; it mistake
| Alderman OwEss-wherc Is Mr.. Stripe now2 A. Oh,
| he Is dead-dead a year ago.
Alderman OwESs-Ah, that is unfortunate. Witness
Very unfortunate he here he would corrcoorate
/ all have said.
| CHAIxxas-Fcr how many running feet were you paid
| Mr.. VidalY A. can't recoec; exactly; there was no
overcbarge, however, was too small job to make any
Q. Then there are some large jobs A. Yes-some
Alderman TucKxR-Dd Mr.. Stripe make out all the CAL
| cuations on this jobY
| A. He did.
O. Did you the after he made out the paper?
An.
Alderman OrENs-was the sidewalk hlled nine feet
before the work commencsd4for the property owners
say and that there necessity for this filling
| up. A. recommended Mr.. Taylor TO have dirt
put on so as not to have the tagging sink down with the
| rains and storms
Alderman owESs-Was not there retaining wall laid
down at the edge Of the sidewalk A don't recolect
Alderman owENs-Parties who live there say thore
| was and think IL is there now.
CHArRxAS-who made or. the written report accompa,
nyng this mapS A. MIR. Stripe; he did thewhole trans
| action.
Q. Did you not give him any drectonsS A. l pointed
out to him the property tina. thought ought TO pay
assessments he must have made terrible mistake-s
, terrible mistake.
Q. Mr.. Vidal nave you certified to work without
seeing itg A. oh never, neveri / read Mr. Monaghan
evidence in the HERALD and Is he made charges against
all the city surveyors want TO make explanation
The CHAIR expressed mute dissent
| Alderman OwESs--usve you a copy Of the paper Mr.
Stripe drew ups A. OH | see there rs cue and cry
here; Now, why Won't you c, me answer Peter Nor,
gban2 When he the Asessmsnt Oonxittee did he
| say anything about these thingsY Did hey
CHsrRsAS-Mr. Vidal, did you look your papers
formation to ths ceumeeY believe you were on: OF
town. though Were youfSouth' A. No; but, you see.
see friend, and when got home this merning ex-
| esnined some Of my pcpers.
Alderman TuckER-Dd you sign the paper drawn up by
! Mr.. Stripe relative to this contract A. i did, sir.
Alderman rrcTsR-rben you are responsible FOR ip A.
am, sir.
CR,Rm.S-Yes and the public and the assessr1en, pay
| ers will hold you responsible. That's ALL Mr.. vidal
| wrSEss-wont yoG let me say anything absui Mona
gbaai
Cl,nxAS-we have nothing TO do with that question
vnSxs-well, but you heard him here.
CHsd,NASBut he was the chairman of the Assessment
Ccmmree of the B,ard OF Aldermen and gave us much
valuable Information You can answe him in a card IN
the nc cwgpapers: tha, is the way
wirypS-Meet Peter Monaghan that soo.lngf No.
CHAiRsL,S-That will do Mr. Vidal.
GBo r. ROGERS, contract clerk sorn and oxamned--
was the contract clork in the street Comm no
pertinent under Mr. Taylor all know sbo1t this Fifty.
fourth street contract that my signature affixed u u
on the book
O. DO you remember whether there we're contracts for
this work al different prices? A. think there we're three
-one at 20 cents, at 63 cents and at rs cents
o. Can you tell how the highest bidder got The conrac
A. The lowest bidder declined H.
O Well Why did MOI the 60 cent man get i2 A. don't
know
CtAfRNly-I wish 70 make a remark at this point I
stated al our meeting that considered Mr. Rogers
an important Witness was sorry he was out OF town
speak now by way or explanation and hope tho re-