New-York tribune., 1874-02-09
cOURTUOUSE REVELATIONS.
MICHAEL NORTON'S CONFESSION.

,,t. sfnre tAe memorable temperance OF Andrew
Garyey on the witness stand IN the hr't trai OF eA-
MAYOR Hall was made in the ai lay't OF Mlchael NOT
ton one Of tho Courthouse Commissioners whioh
,.s,imit,ei on Saturday the Supreme Court, before
Juire Dluohuc in the suit Of the Tcnth National BANK
against the city This suit is well known Dy name 10
LAWYERS who are not familiar with the facts 1or s ap-
,r,uce ON the calendars Of the cOurt has been almost
continuous and the motions and counter motions
h,ve hccn mlDy The bank claims s256il5 %
fom the city, which, Is alleged was
advanced 10 the new Court rhOusc Commissioners IN lSI
wale On the contrary the Controller claims that II Is
ONLY an attempt 20 obtain money from the city 10 Wch
there no iust title The case came up on saturday on
fnotf,n for a peremptorY mandouus 20 compel the
Controller 10 pav the money and new and important
anavits were submitted by the counsel for the Control
Irr John S. strahau. ThCy made by the Controller
Limsa,f las deputy, and Mr Tautor, who was employed
Mr. Green examine into the city frauds, and hnalS
hy Michael Norton. which was sworn 10 IN lhls CITY
on Tue ih inst. and appended The aGidavits Of the
Controller aud Mr. TantOr arc sworn TO before Nchoas
A. mtcnSchOu, Commissioner Of Dccds and mat OF nor
before VIM. Hcey Notary Pebble. The last aindd-
yt appeared 10 take by surprise exJudces Edmonds
ana Drvice. who represented the Tenth National Bank
and without replying they asked FOR an opportunity TO
examine and answer the afiiays. ana it was arranged
,opc- OF them should be served aud tn" argument
proceed ucNt Saturday,
Ma Green's affidavit states that the claim OF the
TrntI Natoua. Bank for alleged advances among others
tNI4t-NOuSG
Is1uDe D.?lr early In STl and the records OF tue
nrplrfmcu. therefore contained information as TO
these pretended advances; that from Investigations
made under his supervision into other TRANSACTIONS
r,a,.irl to tlc County Courthouse, he felt the
prppIiatJ Of having thorough examination maze INTO
% natter, relating TO them. and accordingly directed
NJ Ida'or. an attach6 of the Department to perform
tls duty; lnot from that examination he is thoroughly
sI-rd that valid claim exists on the part o the
IrutL National Bank against the county.
Ma. Euujor, according TO his affidavit, applied to
Walter Palmer, President Of the Tenth National
Eaa TO, information relative 10 the advances alleged
g. aas- been made by the bank. Mr. Palmer referred
hul 10 uis counsel Mr. Field OF Eimonds & Field. He
p.,--d both Mr.. Palmer and Mr. Fold TO afford mm the
necessary facilities enable him TO proceed with the
examination, but this was dcuied. He failed to get
81. e. ,nrr any information whatever on the sub
Jcc. to, uaj atyauce MI Palmer said that he was not
I'm S,7 no 3" '.' IN & no 11 ne IoI,'U i ut ' He lien ap
pei Gc OF thc Courthouse Commissioner. for
inform relation TO tie expenditures OF the Com
u.>-anet ana IN relation 70 the moneys received by
tl"ln. i4!ied obtain any information as 10 any
peruc9.r. l. was about Il months from ,, lne @ s,re
when thc u'ost-dt0ns were begun uhtll they were
completed, cIly IN los. Daring the wnoie OF
sd 1dtotees re ALLEGED 10 have heel madG "HnSin
VI. Tweed. Peter j. Swcruy, Richard H. Connolly John
= bradley, Hugh SMITH James H. IugersoH ana others
tr.c,urs OF The Board. From his investigations
Had s,g,Itucd that Tweed Connolly IDgersol aud
consumed FEB r,frdud Jud dId deiraud the City and
'U"uty ot Ul'rS out Of more llan $4,000 600 ana OF
t,u.l No. canrs, tu win ne new Codnty Courthouse;
fh,t S. H. t.o play ed uu Important part in car,
r,lns iri1t II O.. Ia. Spifacy to dei7ud. lie the
,uadtWu %; Connolly Tweed, ana others engaged III |
upNIIt hc l.d Traced into lugcIsOlls bank accounts /
upward OF 55oJoO5 u large portion Oh when VA, Vas |
d'i h hh among his co-consiHtht"r5 Ia 20 out Qi ~
Cor thei auolt) instances OF deposit Dy lugerson OF
auucl i,aU Ilrutly obtained irom the Treasury, EN-
bricis upward oi S1OyO0)J ana Ol settlements 10y DIS
trnt'o,S. thr payments compared exactly with the
smnuI'- led, aud IN the remaining cases the de-
po-.to aud payments made nearly correspond, the dis
cfopfucl arising u0m some unidentified items niger
s" also caused to be prepared fraudulent plS lor up
ward Of sip0UO m the name OF Inser,ou CO.. ana re-
ocy"d PAYMENT Tor the 2me from ,"nIIolet Sonn0N. M sly
IL Chapter 3o2 OF tine Laws o 1870 entered upon
,,n,m ioutrs were james H. ln2eroon, Michael Nor
ton, Ihoui, CONAN. ana john j. Walsh. By the same
srcuon which authorized their apio'Hlhent tIey were
empowered 20 cNpcnd and compete the COaIthou Iof
q SUM uot tx cedmg SfoJ,O0O, which amount the Con
tsrg Was authorized aud oiece 10 raise on '4e Stod &
a, he county. and the money 50 raised was 10 Be para
approved ,5 the Commissioners. Tue Controller H. H.
Connolly iJ between Dee 20 1870, and March a. 1871,
tu Cprui toners, $50, 1l5 IS OF the said 100000
90 tis .n. ;!3i,52 40 was pld between Dec, ~ ana
jan follow ana Of tIis latter sum SOj,i9s l5 Is
tr,g,ife,y 70 insgrsoll' account IN the BoWery Ma
biur aui an additional sum Of Sl2lS 40 10 The
rJr ."nuut after passing thrOigh the accounts OF III.
ttlmg .1.r pa uys making toal Of S'32glG g. and OF
Saif" deposited by lugersoll to hs individual credit
wlb Itr.ud o II days. Ia addition to the above
suu oi S-.o-5 IS paid By the Controller out OF the
ol tIc LlWs OF 1870, the Controller, on July 7,
@ cdan R o" 'ne eece GourhOue $4,000 G out
he inrncy authorized 10 be raised Tor tue completion
o 1871 thus making total of s79s25 Is OF county funds
pd the vouchers OF the Commissioners and the re-
ccpt of lugcso purporting toDe expenditures for the
the Courthouse that the total expendl-
for the Courthouse aud Of the said sum Of
S9s2l5 dId exceed 100000 showing fraudulent
appropriation of al least $9SOO OF the sums actually
paid of the County Treasury on the vouchers and
receipt OF the Commissioner, or more that the sum
set forth The affidavit Of Mr.. Palmer the President
OF the bank, alleged to have been advanced to the
county 10 jhe Courthouse Commissioners was not
advanced paid by the bank TO the county TO the
Court Commissioners, but was paid 10 lugersOll
director OF the bank at the request or on the nstga
ton OF himself and his cO-directors Connolly, Tweed
Others we knowing that was not 20 be used for
e completion OF the Courthouse and there Is not nOw
there at any time justly due and owing to the
bank 10y the county, account OF these alleged ad-
thore is no law whicn authorizes the COurthouse Com
nlssiOners TO appoint a treasurer ana to define ms
duties.
The Wit OF Norton is follows:
en- and county Of Eeie York, Michael Norton,
baug duly sworn In the month Of December 1870,
was appointed by the Mayor OF the City Of New York
s3l of Laws Of 1870. Of the Commissioners for
the completion Of the new County Courthouse OF the
city of NeWYOrk. Almost Immediately after my ap-
poiDtment such Commissioner urged by Inger-
soil another Commissioner by Mr. Connolly, the Con
trOler by Mr.. Watson, the County Auditor and by Mr.
Twced the Comms sioner OF Public Works, 10 approve
OF vouchers purportng TO be bills for e1pendi
the date OF the appointment OF the Commissioners !
the Controller on several occasions IN |
My impression on rea0ng tne stature suthOIiLlnR
the appointment Of Commissioners that the Com |
msioners had nothing TO do with the claims incurred
against tue COurthOuse prlOr 70 TINS appointment ana
acting this Impression AZ frst refused 10 nave
assured me that was mistaken, that be had been 80
advised aud he pressed me 10 certify the bills or |
approve OF the vouchers he anxious he said to
have tue paiues pad; that they had been waiting
long time 10 get their payment for he had put them Of
delay cOud not wei be asked, OF asked, would not be
allowed. Connolly Ingersol, Watson, and Tweed were
very anxious to have these bills paid There appeared
10 DO perfect understanding between them in the mat
ter BY each OF then was led 10 believe and certainly