New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-18
A DAY OF EXPLANATIONS.
w. w. WRIGHT, ID. +. WOOD. AND Mr.. SEYMOUR BIZ
FORE THE LEGISLATIVE cOMMiTIEE-MR. WOoDs
RLAHOR,TR DENIAIS.


ELABORATE DENIAIs
ALBANY, N. Y, Dec. 1.-THE Legislative
Joint Committee reassembed this morning VIM. u.
Wright exCanal Commissioner, was recalled, and gave
statemont his connection with the repair OF the
Gibson dam. uo said bills bad been certified " ny
him with a statement that they were correct
The lion. ID. u. " God was called and sworn ITO "as
informed that in the inyes ation made by tho Commit
tso of Canal Claims his had frequently appeared ~
attorney and lao requested to make statement OF
his connection with chose claims. Mr.. Wood complied
His statement substance follows tie LANGUAGE
given being his own.
II has been my try more canal claims than most
attorneys began their trial in the ordinary conioe OF
tho practice of tho law. and about the tine wien me en-
Iargrmcnt OF canals began, which IN consequence OF
the state authorities appTopnasihs Va, Properly % t
too side OF the canals thiou "a tn, Sts h h
obstructing tho natural now anu a.?tvpIla"hS euy
ateIs and streams necessarily Created
oV,y I hE taI Commssioner Fzhugh who was in
charge of the middle dy isi0n Of the canals as attorney
eases on MS division which not retained on mo
side. This gave mesln experience and reputation
large amount that class OF law business occupying my
tine the exclusion of other pra,iice ana shortly;
without yOtOn OF my own, running into specially
have never knowingly attempted 10 swell claims DeyOhd
which appeared 10 be Just u my client alq
while have endeayOred TO prosecute theIn Wtn sisOr
tavn h.s1 ho nDrt Of the practice of the law
uniformly advised ny clients t. exclude from hem
every item about which there might DC a ieasOnaDio
dsui;t though in pursuing this my clients have
often conplaiusi that bad rejected items of damage
thar justly their due one OBJECT Ws 70 ayod Ia
CURING ihe prejudice Of the Canal Appraisers anu OF t
Canal Board from tho s1pposltIon tha. the cain haa
beoH swoed unduly' AnotLer Gtect was 70 Ir%ia
rejected tho salt Block cascs items OF claim Tor
damage tor stoppage ana detention OF 'he %orAJ
amounting fii Onethird OF tho CLAIMS class ot
by most lawyers considered To be legitimate ana
va1 not led 10 believe was a valid claim against tho
State, and uniform success after the Soseiest con-
c olpel sue mn 1r of Inv procc have had brought
~ A nj sugz
jr tl St9tt liable for the damagrs although tie
toy in good iaish believed tAat tue state
vas liable. l have had great many more
claims brought to prosecute tnan could ever gee
he I'D tan II was possible Tor ne u Try ~ bt' nsen
charged have assistants 10 hunt up claims 1ns
charge is Cpsrciy untrue Whatever compensation !
La received from my clients has uauly been arrived
al ny mutual agreement and consent ana Ueen mutually
ssts actoTy matter, tie 10. o no concern ~ auy ono
but the pa thereto. Ia some Instances s las Oeen
ated, nave received, IN Nfe OF euc agreements, as
high 90 per oeng or the amount collected, OUT IN ah
the COMPENSATION vas shlyeC. 10 thc OoIs%
ton 10 pay OF IL all tho expenses o! the prOSccueOnt
accompanied with tue RISK vi reee, ing nothing II
nothing recovered, Arrangement soloties an
! have presented petitions to the Legislature for
enabling act authorizing the Appraisers 10 near Claims
ami il would ny duty attorney 10 appear before tho
Committee Of the h'ssaure 10 argue casts before them
sch service has always been Considered believe eglt-
male professional service. This aud preparing the pa
pcrs to submitted 20 te Legislature, has been tue ea-
lent Of my services Ia CONNECTION "it 81 CESSATION
lave never rendered any Other and haze never ron
dered such service at any tline when have beeh
member OF the Legislature During tnc year tAat was
II meDiOerOt the Legislature, previous 10 1870 II ne
quo ~ became my daty Is such representative TO
present petitions OF constituents for rhef and 20 ses
That they properly considered by the body 10 WHICH
| belonged. du1 not. however, oonshnF IL my uuV
even 10 present petition unless was satisfied that the
liable AID Tue culn JUL Une, ana never dd
present but that did answer tnls description and IN
me exercise vi this discretion have persuaded con-
sutuonls 20 fOfoSo tcr appicaVns IN many instances
where consider tic state liable for the damages
complained OIL WBIle have been member OF me
Legislature have never acted upon claims before the
Legalauie fos which VAS al Tie tino ato,cy OK co9n-
Neither have ever received, either directly or u
droccy, any compensation Ior any .eSSiatNe services
rendered VI NO ia cONIeeo 'LeIsMi1n' NAetAe Is ~
logncy otherwise. In loo0 OT lcO1, when was
reirsf vntrd for bv me which bills however
were passed. Among these were the claims OF Grip
t"cb AveTv ana Bgf9es wnch have been ref,rci 10
IN one OF the leading Journals Some Of those claims
M 80. ftepS,Id under te .euc-,l AN pssed ia
1870 When / was NOT a lncmbcr. 40 the time OF such
legislative action upon these claims had La connection
yhatever Tie case Of Il Robinson SOFAS was tried
passed III lsOS, WHOM was not IN ;ho Legisla
ever 10 do mat same journal enormously stated thas
voted for the bill ior tue relief o. Jona
I. Egor in the year 1863, and afIerward
tried his never knew anything Of the case Niao
ever eAcep. Is 1t appeaea upon tne % NV 1eA
which voted Tor but never had an! tin4 70 90 Win
The record shows that he claim was ti1el oy judge
Dafins the period from 1907 to 1872, declined
claims before Legislative Committees and did not 90
any instance. During the foT years that have Desn
IN tlC Stuatc l. Eohti pteoousSu VI "ufVOHSSUs
canal clam
A recess was then taken till y.
Tie Committee reassenbloi at $3.50 p m. when John
r. Seymour vas called and sworn He read a written
statement in which he declared that he had adj
vsed any claimant to put in large cian TO allow
for its being cut down His charges In prosecuting
claims were usually 10 per cent lilo then detailed his
connection with certain claims and also read aidayn
OF witnesses in which they MI Seymour never adj
yised them to put in exorbitant claims.
Mr. smith here stated that The Committee never be-
leyoJ for moment that Mr.. Seymour mad advised any
claimant to mako his claim cxorbitant.
Mr. seymour said he had taAon The items presented
by tho claimants good faith. and acted upon them a.
Just and truthful
The Committee then went into executive session and
afterward adjourned.