New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-12

There are difficulties about the investigation of
such claims as these that would be more easy of so
luton to n committee that can summon persons and
papers than to correspondent, for reasons already
stated. Beside the Fact that all persons implicated
in such claims fraudulent have the best reasons
for silence claimants have often died or removed or
the authentic details of cases have passed out of
the minds of neighbors. But both In this
list and in the former there are many claims which
old residents declare be fraudulent In this class,
by popular consent, are placed very many of the
Oneida River Improvement cases, which mount up
to many thousands of dollars. These grew out of
the construction of dam on the Oneida River at
Coughdenoy, about five miles below the mouth OF the
Oneida Lake The water of the lake was raised,
though not to any appreciable extent, at
reasonable distance from the mouth OF the
lake, and the claims were countless. One
of the most notorious OF the Oneida
River Improvement swindles the award made
by Messrsi Wasson, Brockway, and Brooks for
Frencbman's Island in that lake. In this case Mr..
Wood was not attorney. The claim was for 1880;
the award, s., 925 value Of the whole island not
more than 81 800. That is the succipct history OF
historic swindle. While there perhaps meritori-
GUS claims among these, there were too many In
which Senator Wood attorney, if general reports
in this city are to be trusted, founded on the same
many awards which are said TO be fraudulent.
Among these those made to Nathaniel Deyo, Aaron
Mogg, F. & r. Mckinley, Louis r. Petty, the
Lynches. and others In both tables, too are many
"salt blockn cases, some account of which has al
ready been given. 1t is said, also, though cannot
vouch for the statement, that many Of the claimants
in these Oneida River Improvement cases did not
know they had claims until Mr.. Woods assistants
called on them for assignments OF their claims to
him. 1t will be noticed that in the Frenchmans
Island case, Messrs. WATSON and Brockway, who
awarded the Black River claims, still insep-
arabic. This WATSON, by the way, when Appraiser,
made Mr. Woods house his home during his official
visits and know that Senator Wood was frequent
ndorser of his paper. With the present Board mat
ters have not thrved WELL and one batch OF cases,
now notorious as the Skaneatees cases, amounting
TO more than $4,000, in which Wood and WATSON
apparently divided the attorneysbips, were rejected
in body. Not cent was awarded in any OF them,
though in one case the claim was for $4,000
Among reputable lawyers from five to ten per
cent. or possibly fifteen per cent is considered fair
charge for collecting claims of this kind; but Mr..
Wood cannot claim the honor Of the most extrava-
CANT commissions unless rumor does Henry ID. Deni
son Injustice lie is said to have in charge batch Of
claims from the town of De Ruyter, amounting to
between 900 and 10000, and to be promised
G62, per cent for his services.
1t ought to be said i'll justice to Mr. Wood, that as
member of the Assembly in 1865, 1860, and 1867,
and of the Senate in like years. his public utter
ances have been always against canal claims
But this has not prevented universal suspicion
from attaching TO him among his constituents,
which these figures will hardly allay. Indeed, am
told that their mere publication would be suf-
cent to prove their character throughout this sec
ton. One wel-known citizen, to whom the first of
these tables was shown, fairly snortcd with indigna
ton as he read it. They would certainly repay IN
vestigation; whether they have ii depends as much
Oh Senator Wood as Oh any one. d. l.