Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-09-22
From the y. !. 4Il4esi Sop
Thermometers BY the Mile.

One Of the peculiar features Of the Tsmmany
frauds Is the utter contempt for appearances
which marks every one Of them. Ihlsls special
" the case in the thermometer business, 10
which the Times drew attention in Monday
issue Tn. item in the county accounts iGr-
nished by the Ring reads;
1870 Msy 2s, paid J. O'Brien for thermom-
eters for county buildings and Offices Stow
When it is considered that the ordinary price
Of q thermometer is 50, and that at that Iale
$3.50 could be purchased for the sum mentioned
it will he conceded that under this heal the Ian
pusre Of Oakley Hall, tlirmstizng the accounts
As perhaps exorbitsnt,' is not too strong.
Even the most inveterate friend Of Ismmany
must admit that 81 800 is rather large sum
for thermometers Tie reporter Of the itmeS'
being sent to investigate the matter, found about
eleven Thermometers OF large size IN The Ccurl-
house. They were essentially cheap, though
sbowily framed. They were five feet IN length
and one foot in breadth, with cases Of hlacA VS.
nut, carved at top snd bottom. The tube WSs Of
the spirit kind, with plain bulb at the bottom
The face was very common, being Of paper high
" vanished and trAshily painted. The ther-
moneter. in short, was cheap one with sn ex-
nersive frame These were in the public oihces
They were marked NJ. A. Finnell.
In the private rooms were smaller ones OF
very superior make, marked 6. Iaghaoue,
These we're also Fitted with spirit tubes, framed
in box wood, about foot IN length ana Two
inches broad As there were many private
rooms to which the reporter could not get &C
cess be went straight to the store Of Oulseppe
Tsglisbue, at No. 302 Pearl street As soon az
he had explained his mission Mr. Iaghaoue
burst out with slight foreign accent, " An
hs, wanted TO see you about this. WAS COM
ing myself to the Times Office Look here, 1t is
here in this paper" and as he siia t1is De
threw on the counter with considerable indigns-
zion copy Of Mondays Times. He continued
When | saw that my hairs stood straight on
nv head. 1t is two years ago and more, per
hans. since furnished Mr. O'Bren with two
jozen smsn thermometers at - piece-Sio
all told And for this he Charge the city -
500 1t is Infamous. Positively when read
that felt as if | Was going cray"
The reporter asked who furnished the long
ones MIR Tagliabue replied that they came
from Dr. Finnel, who had been Deputy Cor
oner some twelve years ago, and who had gone
into the thermometer business, among other oc-
cupAiions, and he believed had failed. They
were poor, cbesp affairs. faced with paper.
From other members of the trade, Mr.. Busch,
and Messrs Colombo < Tsglisbue, the reporter
CLEANED the fact that : 10 would be very hand
some price for the Finnell thermometer when
Mr.. Busch Was asked what he could do in this
line for 81 800, he burst into roar Of hearty
laughter, and holding his sides, gssped out
&" For 81, 500 line the Courthouse.
Mr. J. O'Brien, the gentleman who engineer
ed thi, astounding job, paid then go,
To Mir Taglisbue, for "A thermometers, 80
To DR.. Finnell. for II thermometers, llO
Total, SOS
He received from Tsmmsny
1869. J. 0'Brien Thermometers for coun-
ty buildings and Offices, SH9v09
Deduct. I0o
Clear profit, alias dead robbery, S',5i-
1t is believed, however, that the lucky rogue
was brother of William X. O'Brien, member
of the Auericus Club, who has a frame and
looking-glass store at the corner OF I"elith-
street and Thrd-avenue, and who IS en- particu-
larry good terms with Tweed