New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-15
BROOKLYN RING SUITS.
p.prps IN rR SERVED To-Day.

PAPERS To BE SERVED TO-DAY.
TIE NEAL pRosECUTORS-MR. PARSONS LookiN" 10
TIN TAXPAYERS FOR CoMPENsAroN-"iiAr Is
ALLEGED AGAINST FOWLER LOwBER' hN'SLEf'
AND HEESEY-CHARGEs or CoILusI0N-EHCEs-
sIyE PuCEs PAID FOa WORK.
The papers in the two suits which are TO be
begun against Brooklyn officials and contractors VII
probably served today though the wish u embody w
them specifications OF lobbying to which an
AIS uator IL testify may delay the service for another
day Tho likelihood. however ia that the summons VIII
be served and attachments be made this afternoon.
Two suts are t. be brought, both in the name Of the
Attorney General the people being made pinhh', al
though practically only the members Of she committee Vi
Five Taxpayers Association are the real prosccn
tors This committee IL Loaded by l. l. Backbouse VINO
was for years chairman Of the Committee OF fH'!'
Among its most active members are Samuel Hutchinson
and Harvey harrington. The other two are not Known
TO the general public Although Mr. Parsons appears ior
the Attorney General he looks TO those gentlemen Tor Ms
nav and refused to with the sirs unless they he
came personally responsible for his pay ns counsel
In the Barnard impeachment trial Mr. Parsons depended
for his pay ON the State and received ess than his dls
bursemCnts enumeration. While acting for the Co-
nee in this way. lie claims TO represent the Attorney
General only. and INSISTS that LIE IL ~ liberty 20 conoue'
the eases and employ ASSISTANCE without regard I" tue
wishes Of tic members OF TIC Committee, VINO nave
recommended certain counsel him. Thus far the only
lsvyer employed IN tie matter IL Nathaniel Cothren OF
Nos and 10 Wallet, who has collected oil the evidence
and drawn up all the afdavits MI. Cotbr'n was for
merry a member Of the Committee OF Fifty, wh'ie nc
did good service I'm the Reform interest
The two suits to be begun will be against william n
Fowler nj Edward Lowber Of the Water Board. which
authorized the contracts for the ThifdaVe sewer ana
Hampstead reservoir, and William C. Kingsley ana Ao-
per Keeney the contractors who built the worAs lie
history Of these enterprises Is wei known 10 'he
public The Ring oGic.ls claim that the action OF te
I'D .a.hf rom
pont Ia certain spec al laws juStyiDg all the Iro
eeedngs. THIS defense has been pnt forward 10y the
Ring organs and officials under tile snpposton tha'
the Tax-paycrs would base their ncilcn upon ihc
nlegality of the proceedings. But IT is UNDERSTOOD
that such is not their purpose II seems to he conceded
BY the Taxpayers that, although one of the benocfs Oh
the Board Arcibad NJ Bliss, protested against the Re
eryoI scheme and voted against the Thircaye swndi'
and finally resigned rather than become III any degree
Responsible Boards acts ts course Of tie BoaIu
was of itself Illegal though some Irregularities IL
the record are pointed out The special laws passed ioi
King COUNTY with the object OF furtheTnS these Nwind
linz enterprises secm the action OF the Board
tic rover given 1t was so great ana swecHl"S'
But the Taxpayers, while alleging nreguall'! "
the record % matter of caution and mplc@lhe al INC
Board AS matter of foTm viii base their case upon cV
dence which they claim possess Of collision between
Fowler and Lowber, the majority Of the Board ana we
contractors The nature of this evidence has not yet
been sclOsed and will probably not appear ia the pat
perr served Tomorrow or dNt the aetu 'aii "u'
the afidavits arc most voumnous ana are sao 10 en-
brace testimony by former contractors and suborc
mates of the accused contractors In the ReseI' OF
iop il is alleged thar COLLISION had bctween the Com
IN Ssioncrs and eubOrdinatcs in charge OF the Wafer
Works and the contractors VITO subsequently obtained
the work 20 make IL falsely appear that the lesei-
yoir was demanded ami thus frame excuse for ire
action Of the Board authorizing IT, Allegations
Of further oouson in the letting OF the contract to other
than the lowest Tor also made II believed asn
that evidence of the corrupt division Of the profits on the
contract which was let at extremely his figures, has
heen ATTAINED but ~ the truth tins statement nothing
eond be had from the lawyers Of tho Taxpayers on
any member OF the Committee. Ia the Third Avenue
eewcr case collision between the officials aud the
contractor A. c. Keeney who completed the wOrk, I"
take II from the lowest bidder, Van Wrinkle, VIII NC
CHARGED and tue Taxpayers claim that they have over
Sneiug proofs Of this The record OF the Board IN THE
case seems legal though irregular In some respects
n there can be such u distinction The special laws
ressed by the Ring seem 70 cover n great inanj
Irregularities OF this In this job the contract was
originally bet to Wrinkle. The uext lowest bidder
was S,th l. Keeney, TO whom, when Van "ihkie WAS
aiseharged the contract would naturally have fallen
pnt the Board voted Fowler and LOwbcr against Bliss,
Ia give 10 A. C. Keeney, who lad never made Bit of
my kind at figures considerably above those oi D j.
Keency and IN most 80 and 68 per cent above
thos of Van winte The following comparative prices
will nd cate the glarDg character OF the alleged frauds 10
THE ono contract, involving cost to the CITY q" over