New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-28
THE CHARGES AGAINST CONTROLLER
BRENNAN

BRENNAN.
The trial Of the charges Of Official misconduct
preferred against Controller Matthew T. Brennan
which was commenced day before yesterday at the
Police Headquarters before Commissioner Sedgwick.
proceeds with eommendable and really extraordinary
dispatch. So much pertinent testimony was never
before in a similar trial, educed in short time.
In two days the evidence in respect 10 three Of the
most important charges has been taken and the
impression is strong that those three charges have
beee sustained. A short summary Of the evidence
may give oug readers a startling idea Of the manner
In which the public money Is disposed Of
| In respect 10 the charge: That the Controller
(Brennan) in the year 1854 without authority oflaw,
presented 10 orison Blunt $4,000 Of the public
MONEYS the proof shows that IN that year the Board
Of Supervisors pa.sed g resolution authorizing the
Volunteering Committee Of the Board 10 preseu, a
,pobls h,fimOniaI' to Mr.. Blunt In recognition Of
his patriotic services in having the quota Of soldiers
due from this City in that dark hour Of our eouniys
peril. reduced nearly Ons-hAlf; that such Committee
thereupon presented to Mr. Blunt service Of plate
aud set Of engrossed resolutions at cost Of o. 49,
for which the pablo money psd By the Controllers
that not cOnteated with this the same Committee with
out any further authority, drew check Of $4,000
that Controller Brennan signed the vsran, for that
$4,000 and Il waS thereupon paid Mr.. Blunt out Of
the public moneys, tha; little while after this Mr.
Blunt who WA then member Of the Board Of Super
,isors introduced resolution into the Board 10 give
Conirolsr BnHaas testimonial, for las services in
al astn the RIO, claims, that Mayor Gunthsr refused
To approve ,hi, last resolution because he wO afraid
that the objcc, Of II was to give Controller Brennan
r Al. a.. A. q.
order 10 induce Mayor Gunlher TO approve this scheme
.omsthing said to him uhe Mayor about getting
another resolution passed to give him testimonial"
bat the Mayor declined the temptation. ard refused
10 sanction BrcnnAn's little present; that some ~
weeks AFTER Blunt got bis SO 900 he ed vouchers 10
that amount Cor volunteer bourties. with the Con.
troeF 10 order 70 make Il appesr that he (Blun had
kept the money for hp that the books Of
the Controllers department had been doctored with
interlinoations. in rcd ink, with the same design,
20 tia, De book. now read. October T. lisa. ties.
tmoniAl 10 Mr.. Blunt. s50.0oo." and In red
sL thsr, j. nterlined below il, expended for l7o
youn,ecr., tia, this PrrIineAtion Was made subse-
qutnily To the original ssl. and does 10, appear In
tbs Controllers quArters'fepov Of vouchers drawn;
that the LAW Of This State expressly require all bills TO
be presented 70 the Board 81 Sufvisors and passed
b. them before being paid, but that tho Controller
paid The $4,000 10 Mr.. blunt without is being
passed br the BOARD; that. the voucher for this
so Ooo declared II 70 DO for service q plate And
tia, DrcnnAn certified upon the voucher that suoh
servi,e Of plate, worth $1,000 had been furnished,
,-kg, - fat suA Hrrios Of Plate ladb sra,sAed,
and the whole sum In eash had been paid To Blunt.
In respec. to the charge that Controller Brennan
bad, without authority Of law paid out between seven
And eight hundred thousand dollars In the year lisa
and ISIS for street cleaning, the proof shows; That
the Legislature appropriated 100000 in Is6l for
cleaning the streets, and directed contract TO b.
made by BrennAa Boole and the Mayor for that pur.
posoi thM Mr.. Badger offered to enter into contract
20 DO !, for that sum- that bis offer WAS rejected be-
cause Of "some informAlty" and the cleaning Of
tho streets was. permitted by Brennan and
the rest TO be proceeded with by Booe at cost Of
ESQ 600 for the year, or half million Of dollars more
than the law allowed for the purpose, that Brennan
aud tho rest raised this $4,000 by giving their per-
,OaSl neiss to Mr.. Palmer. who advanced the money
20 pay the coz, Of cleaning Streets that Palmer then
sued tho City for the whole sum- and Brennan and the
rec, suffered Judgment to be entered against the City
In favor Of Palmer and then Brennan. as Controller.
paid the $500 900 out Of the public moneyt-not Cor
street cleaning" but for the new and novel account
Judgments thus levsding the law which had pro.
vded only $500 for the rcal purpose; that when
Brennan had paid these judgments his rsysoasi aOs,
surrendered by Palmer that this was covert eva.
Of the charter II the City which provides that no
liability should be incurred unless appropriation to
pay It has been first madei that Brennan, by giving
hs private noss TO Palmer bad TINS hound hmselfto
use b. official position a. Controller 10 suffer Judgment
against the City, and to practically violate the law Of
the State
==In rspce, 10 the charge tha. Controller Brennan
had from personal motives refused 70 pay Just bill of
Mr.. Herrick, tho publisher o, Th Aaas for adver
Using public proceedings, the proof shows that Her
rick for several years hal abused Brennan in his |
paper sgmatiIins him as a"dcad rabbit" "the |
head Of tho Official swind r." q , etc., and hsd per-
sistontly charged him ith tho ioule,t corruption.
that Herdcs had lills aga Mt he County for about
si60 which bgennan for over two years refused 20
PAYS that 10 December. i.G5. licuck IN a letter
published In bis papcr rsiraoto hs charges Of
rup,on against BrenrAi, that this very noit month
vast job Of County adyerisng vas given TO lIerrick,
10 The amount Of nearly goo. aud that that amount
vas promptly paid 10 IIcriek BY Brennan, withoa,
any dcmur or objection whatever.
Common, these facts. thus officially Investigated /
and ready 10 DO transmitted TO tho Governor, n |
Unnecessary but In view Of pnnnsa' late sP'Ile TO