New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-06
AN ENORMOUS mAUD EXPOSED.
HOW TIE BROADWAY WIDENING JOB WAS De
TEATED.

HOW TIE BROADWAY WIDENING JOB WAS De
TEATED.
To me Fditor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Some one has said, "'Tis an III vlnd
that blows nobody good" and II would so:m that Prov
ilcucc has by special dsprnaton, turned to Valuable
account tc death OF The late County Auditor watson
The accident li.h resulted disastroasy 10 him has
already borlo beneficial fruits TO tie poperiy-oVhers
of TIT, city, II has lcen tie means OF ccteatns ore OF
tho ncst gigantic and iniq'ioUs frauds which tie ram
many Ring ever concocted.
TIC Legislature Of this state nj is session last WINTER
mass an act uhoriz X the widening o. Iroa1w2y from
Thirty-f,lrih 10 Fity-nAtst Commissioner were IN
ediat ,ly appointed TO The "domise'' Tor INJURY
inflicted end "beneAs" for value conferred upon prop
e-tv affected by the project. These Commiss'Olers,
working in tie interest Of the "hImany hhe'' were
no. "a hc.s to their masters. Proceeding to the Work
that hid been intrustcd 10 them they succeeded III paw
inc the way for one Of the most shameless swnCl's OF
modern times BY collision with the owners OF properly
taken for the widening, they managed n schcWe "Hci
but for its timely Illustration would have enriched me
members OF the Ring by oyera millions OF d"dr5' Inc
allowances made to these prgpcrty-ovncr5 for damage
done 10 tier property far In excess q what th'y
ourEt TO have baln / mi. U cite instances
without num.cr Of the truth Of this Allegation.
| mention one which shows M the fraud IN ils
hacLc.t color. Ivycrb by tlo name of Cudipp doing
business on Broadway owned some lots within the INIT
of The projected Improvement The damage done to bis
30, nm,uuied. 10 about s.a@o In no
case could 1t have exceeded SsO5J0. The Com.
missioners ASSESSED his damages, at hrst,
at somewhere in the uei gborEood OF four hU"dred
{osan9 dollars, and without. any apparent subsequent
reason added one LuYdrcd md my HoHse'h dollars
more TO tho allowance TIE whole work cf the Commits
so.rrs was done upon similar estimates ard the allow
auce for damage done to property exceeded IL 'e dsIe-
gate three times the amount Of damage actually in
hictcd.
No one need be told where this enormous excess was
to co. Tie Ring had voted themselves big job; and
they resolved that the opportunity which II offered
for prod ious swindle should not be lost. share,
albeit small share, Of the excess, was to have gone
to the property owners. The remainder was to
have been pocketod by the mon who lad
initiated aud were developing the scheme.
BIT then Il would have been far from safe FOR the hng
10 have permitted the whole amount OF the allowance TO
pass directly from the city into the hands Of the owners
OF the properly assessed The Ring would, In that event.
have been hy no means 10 have secured their share
~ the pnnder Tie property-owners might nave
had 10 more honor than the members OF inc hlhB
themselves; and they had refused - divide
their receipts as agreed upon the Ring would have been
without means enforce the payment. Tho courts OF
law and those Of equity could not have helped l,ein
and what other rec urse could they rave
The money must be passed from the Guy mo
Should i've to each calnant hs share Of tie unds
ud,r the agreement Tie County Auditor, Mr.. James
Watson selected FOR this purpose In consdefhlon
tpem bad been induced 10 assign their claims against
the city for dana over 10 that gentleman IN trust 10
pay tie Ring IT, share and 10 the property owners their
STARE the proceeds. Most Of the property owners ile
this ass snmeut and IL Is said that, at the time OF his
death, Mr.. Watson trustee on this account for
s9NOO0 Much less than one-haf Of this in the aggre-
gate was to nave been paid 10 the property-Ownera
Mach than one half was 10 have been reserved Tor
division among tie members OF the Ring A.. 49,,
But even while this fraud developing the poison
which was tO hi il preparing On certain DAY OF
last month, County Auditor Watson, lille riding through
giuied. Bleeding and unconscious he was coh'eyeu 70
hi, home where be lay for days between lie ana
death. Meanwhile, anxious friends visited Ms resi-
drnco and inquired at his place OF bl'l,
ness. 10 ascertain his condition. A continual
stream Of politicians too governed by sordid IOutrS,
aud IRON both places, To- inquire eagerly INTO tie
Tered 10 him. and eycrted themselves 10 the utmost 70
save HIM the jaws OF death. Bat neither the sincere
OF corrupt politicians the efforts OF medical men OF
the tf-t rank in their profession, could save MN,
and few days after IN, inc S deoGhen which de-
feaed ne fraud. No had the last breath cl tI9
body 81 Mr. Watson than Mr.. Tweed leit inc houe anu
WAS qucky In communication with hls itlivW.CohspIa-
Tor. IbD trustee OF tie MONEYS which their 1faud was
So have secured from the city was doid. Mnht WIZ 10
be done Dead men tell no tales, IL Is rHu, p.e 's
dead man had "a taie WHICH, unless Ae "oAo i'' W. NO
would diVulgc
his estate mus, taken before the SURROGATE and then
All the circumstances connected win tue cIca u vi inns
triist e.fate OF i9.u0oOOO would De inquired lnlO.
The fraud, the swndle of the RING, W2u us We laia
bare to tine pubic gaze Wha sI eat eV pop his aue
ton was short ana decisive Inc act NJ ~.
widening Of tine street must be repeated, bne loss
ouipLlv communicated his directions 10 MS mlu0ns at
lbany and the Repeal Act has aleauy passed 10 ITS
tLrd reading The dead man may nave peeh numbered
from telling his tale HIMSELF but nave 'Oa Io hlin
6sis, IorE. Feb. 5. lsIl:---