New-York tribune., 1875-11-29
THE BROOKLYN FRAUDS.

The legal warfare upon certain members OF
the Brooklyn Ring composed of Commissioners Of the
Board OF City WORKS and the contraco Kingsley and
Keeney wiz be fairly begun this week. The whole mat
ter hes been referred to John T. Parsons OF the law firm
Of Man Parsons OF this city for by Attorney
General Pratt. after conference with Mr. Farchild the
Attorney General-eleet, and Gov Tilden The details
have yet been settled but they will bo arranged dur
Ing the two three days. The suits will probably
he begun In Newly instead OF Brooklyn, and Mr. Par
will associate with him eminent lawyers this city.
Who they will be he declines for the present TO state
II is not certain that he has considered the matter
sufficiently tdarriye at conclusion. Mr. Cothren one
OF the Taxpayers attorneys WILL OF course he retained
the evidence thus far collected is in his keeping.
Mr. Parsons said yesterday to TRIBUNE reporter that
whole subject incomplete condition, and he
could say whether the suits would he brought in this
city Brooklyn, or who would assist him in prose
cutting them. However, the details would be arranged
| without delay.
The letter which Mr. Parsons sent to the Attorney Gen
era states his opinion there is reasonable
pect recovering from certain persons in Brooklyn
amounts sufficiently large to make 1t an object to begin
suits against them. Mr. Parsons is OF the opinion that
when actions actually begun still stronger proof
can he obtained of the culpabity OF certain persons
than was furnished TO him individual
possessiug no power to administer oath. He states
that ho has considered II his duty base his judgment ON
the facts communicated by the reputable and trust
worthy gentlemen who submitted the charges, and to
decline TO give hearings the incupated persons The
letter states that while Mr. Parsons does not believe thai
! Mr. Dewitt. Brooilyn's Corporation Counsel, would
prove unfahfu to public interests his social and legal
relations to the accused persons would necessarily
hamper and impede hs action public prosecutor He
therefore thinks that else should prosecute thc
SUITS He then advises the prosecution for the present OF
two claims only These he calls the Hampstead storage
Reservoir case" and the "Third-ave Sewer case In
the former the contractors, said Mr Parsons, were VII
liam C. Kingsley and Abner C. Keeney, EngneerinC Chioi
| Julius ". Adams Water Commissioners, by whom the
! contract was awarded, william A. Fowler, Archba'd
| NJ Bliss and T. J. Lowber. Charge: That by favor
! itlsm and collusion Of tho Commissioners, VIII
the assistance OF the Engncer-inChief the pro
posals arranged and the contract SO framed and
awarded that f56125 obtained by the contractors
moro than the amount for which the work should have
been and been done In the second case the
contractor wa" Abner c. Keeney. Same water Com
missloners Charge That through the cousive action
OF the Water Commissioners original contractor, one
! Joseph H. Van Wrinkle, driven from the work. and
the matter nsed that the contractor was en-
abled obtain $207 900 than the work could have
been done under the original contract Mr. Parsons
then SAYS his private business Is such that ne does
not wish take part III any public prosecution ANA re-
quests the Attorney General il he shall appoint any per
to select some other person TO conduct the case
JTron the receipt OF the report of Mr.. Parsons the
Atorncy-G onera wrote to his assistant Mr. Farehid
1.-THE Gcneralelectl asking him 10 consult with
Gov Tiidcn as to whether he approved tine Attorney
Generals disposition authorize the prosecution OF the
cases Gov Tildcn sgDihed his assent aud the official
notice of his appointment and authorization to begin the
prosecution was sent to Mr.. Parsons The character
and former reputation OF Mr. Parsons induce the BELIEF
that be will bring the suits in this city and prosecute the I'M
pcaed persons both Ivy civil and criminal process Ihc
first step" said prominent member Of the Brooklyn Tax
PAYERS Association yesterday, "wtl be- the attachment
of the property of the members OF the old Water Boari
who gave ont the contracts and of VIM G. Kingsley ana
Abner c. Keeney the contractors This VIII bo done on
civil suit the city against effort that
might their part dispose of their property
Then their arrest will follow upon indictment which
will without doubt be obtained failing action by the
Grand Jury, upon warrant charging the accused pei
sous with misappropriang money belonging TO the CITY
| Treasury OF Brooklyn
The evidence collected by Cothren for the infoma
ton of Mr. Parsons in the preliminary steps is under
stood TO he much complete, far as the alleged
conspiracy reservoir matter, than previously
collected 1t has been previously charged, on the strength
of the affidavit Of named Mcdonald, that the water
of the Brooklyn works wasted TO the extent OF Great
ing famine. IN order to force good excuse Tor
ordering the reservoir Hampstead Plains This All
davit which has not been generally accepted heretofore
as conclusive, and which made by discharged er
poye has BEEN understood, supplemented by others
from men who lost fear TO lose their places in
CONSEQUENCE late political revolutions in the Common
Council and the MayoraIty. The full particulars of the
The principal members OF the Ring were III close and
anxious consultation yesterday They claim that their
every act has been carefully and legally taken. and they
assert that they eagerly court immediate investigation
They will enter at present into details OF Their defense
or their purposes. Gen Benjamin L. Tracy VIII proba-
b be the leading counsel Of the principals who are TO he
accused lie has held this relation to them FOR years past
member OF the Brooklyn Taxpayers Association said
last nj t that they should Immediately retain additional
counsel 10 assist Mr.. COren In the prcpara zion Of.adi-
vits REGARDING the two which would come before
Mr. Parsons prosecution and that the business OF the
lawyers would be he taking Of testimony, and the pre-
paIatory work. relieving the prosecuting officer far
possible from the drtdgcry OF the Office. He had no
doubt he said that the Taxpayers would respond TO al
calls tina; might be made upon TO furnish money to
push the prosecution to a successful issue He SAID that
the matter would be disposed Oi As quickly as possible
SUIT AGAINST MiAUGmIN.
Tno General Term the City Court Of Brooklyn ha"ing
on Saturday affirmed the decision Judge McCue in the
case Of Fire Commissioner Mclaughlin, deciding that
suit can bc lawfully prosecuted against him Tor the in
teres on public money appropriated to his own use Cor
poration Counsel Dewitt that he viii try the
suit at once its merta unless Mr. Mclaughlin takes
/ his case TO the Court Of Appeals on demurrcr
| THE HEMPSTEAD RESERVOIR JOB.
| An AIDrRuANIC COMMITTEE REsCINDs ITS ACTION
| RECOMMENDING TIE APPROPRIATIONS OF 5000
900 TO CONTINUE TIE wORK-A RESULT OF fHE
REPORT OF MR.. PAKsoNS
! The members Of the old Water Board of
| Brooklyn charged with Illegal participation in the
Hampstead Dir contract, the contractors to whom
was given the work. aud other persons IN Brooklyn who
are accused OF being connected with frauds upon the
BROOKLYN Treasury have apparently become frightened
AZ the serious aspec, of the proceedings against hen
ana although they declare they have nothing TO fear,
they give evidence In various ways of their dsny and
apprehension One of Che first results o the report Oi
Mr. Parsons the Attorney General appears III ibc ne
ton OF the Joint Committee Law and Drainage OF the
prooklvn City Council 10 which WAS referred the gues