Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-09
Our New York Dispatches,
Latest Chapters i'm the Story of Fraud
and COTrHpIiOn-Keyser's statement
The Fraud Charged Upon Controller
COnnOlIy-Murder and Suicide, etc.

New YORK, Oct. Sat meeting of the
committee of seventy, recently, Il committee was
appointed, of which Judge Picrrepont is chair
man, TO wait on Governor Hoffman and request
him to instruct the state attorney general to
bring actions against the men whom the COM
mttee will prove to have improperly acquired
moneys belonging to the city, the expense of
such actions to he borne by the committee.
1t is again stated that Carney, the plastercr,
has fed. The contractor who built the Tam
many hall building makes affidavit that he
would gladly contract TO plaster the new court
house for $4,000, and do the repairs for less
than that. Garvey received 81 500, 900 for the
aforementioned work.
William NJ. Tweed stated that not a man in
his department would be discharged nor any
work stopped, and that all should be paid just
as if there were no such thing as letter from
Deputy Controller Green.
1t is announced that neither Tweed nor Mayor
Hall will be allowed officially to participate in
the reception Of the Grand Duke Alexis. A
torchlight procession will be ono feature Of the
reception.
A member of the citizens committee states
that the evidence shows that Ingerso stole
$4,000 worth Of furniture from the city armO-
ricS, that GaYey has fed to Europe, but that
all his property will be scized that full details
of the modus Opcrandi of the frauds upon the
treasury by the ring have been furnished by
Keyser, and that the evidence against the priu-
Cpal thieves is overwhelming. The atfldayts
against Tweed Sweeney and Hall are nearly fin
ished and will be served in day or Two.
The case in which James II. Ingersoll, one of
the city contractors, summoned for examination,
was resumed Yesterday morning in the supreme
court. Judge lngraham, General Barlow and
George c. Barrett counsel for the citizens com
mittCe of seventy, wanted to proceed, but eX-
Judge Fullerton objected because his associate
counsel, Mr. Stoughton, had not arrived and
that StOught0n would move to vaCate the order
for the examination of lngcrsoll. The case was
then adjourned to await the arrival of Slough
ton. 1t was subsequently arranged that the case
should come up on Monday, when the defend
ant will move to set aside the order compelling
the defendant to appear in court for cxamina'
tlOu,
John H. Keyser sent the following letter to
the press late last night;
TO the Editor: The press have misappre-
hended the nature of my assignments to jack
son S. Schultz, ami have misconstrued his
statements to the committee of seventy. The
error does me great injustice, and ] desire
promptly to correct and explain. During
period of nearly three months, the press and tie
public have alleged that | have defrauded the
city out of large sums Of money, being various
~ estimated at from one to two millions of dol
lars have been threatened with civil suits and
criminal prosecutions. 1t has been charged
that / have burned my books and
been making preparations to abseond l
have remained silent under these accusations,
HOpluG Ile tune WOulu soon arrive Wlen t0ey
might be Judged diSpasSiOnately by the public.
"My transactions with the city government
have been investigated by competent authority,
and my character is vindicated before the world.
The greviouS injustice done me by some daily
journals compels me to speak out now. | have
not burned my books; have not intended and
do not now intend, to abscond. | have even re-
fused to take the recreation which my physician
advised me, and which | felt necessary to my
health, and which is usual at this season of the
year, lest it might be Interpreted into flight. |
have been at all times ready and willing to
explain to the committee of seventy, and
have explained to them, whenever they desired
it, the nature ofxny business with the city, and
offered my books in vindication Of my assertions.
| have sometimes been compelled to sell my
claims against the city, in order to raise sums
necessary to carry on my extensive mechanical
operations, but such sales were never made with
the intention to defraud the city or enable others
to do so; for every dollar | received from the
city have given the full value in labor and
material, and the ty is now indebted to me
about 100000 which / have honestly earned
and it can be traced and identified.
81 have done work tor the city and county
since 1854 and the bills were paid in 1869 and
1870, for work covering the entire period since
then. This work has been done upon all city
and county buildings. and it embraces the
plumbing, gas work, all the stove and heating
work, nearly all the roofing and repairs TO roofs,
mason work, chimney work, iron railing and re-
pairs to various city parks, all kinds of castings
for the Croton water and sewer departments,
and the bureau of lamps and gas. Added to
this have had the exclusive work, during the
past two years, of the repairs on streets con-
nectcd with sewers and culvertS, and with new
sewers and alterations.
81 am now completing several repairs and al
terations at 46th street and East river and other
work of the sewer and Croton boards, to sus-
pend which would entail great damage to the
health and comfort of the public. To enable
me to do all this work properly and so it should
be of permanent utility, have been at great eX-
pense in erecting foundries, constructing moulds
and patterns, and in making necessary expert
ments. For this vast total of labor and ma
terial have received no more than just and
fair compensation. The published accounts
charge that | received upwards of 81 900 900
from the treasury. Among the warrants which
purport to have been paid me- for county work
alone, are upwards of $4,000 which never re-
ccived nor saw, and the endorsements on which,
in my name, are clear, unmistakabe fOrgeres
ut was, nevertheless, urged, by many who
have long been my personal friends, that may
have been, in some matters, negligent, and that
| might be held to a responsibility TO the city
on that account; and to meet the charges that |
intend to abscond and defraud the city out of
auy claims which might, in any event, be found
against me, ! assigned property sufficient to
cover any such claim, in trust, TO discharge it
when properly established. l did so, however,
anu Sllll CldllnJ tudl llG TeSulI OF an
accounting will show that the city is indebted to
me, and not to the city.
while ! am answering publicly, some ques-
tons which have been put to me, should like
to answer the query which has been so often
made, 'fWho is the company of Keyser & Coz"
1t has been said that VIM NJ. Tweed is my part
ner He is not now and never has been my part
ncr, or interested with me in any way in any bust
ness operation. The only company l have had
for years have been my employees and clerks who
have received percentage upon the amount of
business DONE in lieu of salary, and the last year
divided among them about thirty-ive thousand
dollars, according to their position and ability.
The name John II. Keyser & Co. was estab-
lished many years ago when | had business
partner, and was afterwards continued because
OF its value as designation well known to my
customers and the trade generally. 1t has been
also publicly stated that have repeatedly failed
in business and never paid my debts. This is
untrue. AT my first failure l paid every dollar
of Indebtedness in full.
'At my second, when had two partners, |
paid in full my own share, and the whole of the
confdentalS to the last penny and received a
creditable release from my creditors. My bust
ness transactions will compare favoraby, am
confident, with those of any merchant in the
city. As to the amount of my property do
not own dollars worth that have not fairly
earned. loccupy a PLAIN house in the city,
which bought for twelve thousand dollars in
1861. My island about which so much has
been said, | purchased in 1857 for $780, The
house upon it, alleged to cost half million,
erected, under contract, for $4,000, and there has
since been expended $1,000 upon it in extensions
and improvements. The salt meadows adIoin- |
Inc, purchased at various times since for |
Sl4OO. Other expenses about the place have |
consisted of moderate repairs and trifing i'm |
provements from year to year. My costly stat
uary, was bought OF Mr.. Youngs, corner of 3D. |
street and BOwery, for $500, and the principal |
value OF the place arises from its location and |
the rise of suburban property at Norwalk.
My earnings beyond the capital necessarily |
employed in my business | have devoted to the |
founding and maintaining of a hospital at the |
corner Of Avenue d and 10th street. and other |
charities, which were approved by my Judgment. |
have never before alluded to these enterprises |
in public, nor should now do so, except to |
repcl the charge that l have amassed large |
fortune and devoted my money to luxurious
and ostentatous living.
In conclusion, can only say that, during all |
my residence in this city, 1 have striven to de-
serve, acquire and claim a good character
among my fcllow-mcn, and believe that, in the |
end, | shall not be found to have forfeited the |
esteem of those whose good opinion ! have so
long respected and enjoyed. Let me add, also
that | have made no confession, for know
nothing to confess.
JOHN H. KEYsER"
The World reporter had an interview, yester-