The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-04
ATAN0LE OF LAWSUITS.
Lots Of Business that Comptroller Groon has
Made for tho Lawyers.


The big claims for street cleaning and
street paving. known as tho Brown claims, that
for a long time have been the subject OF ltlss-
tion with the city. are on the point OF settle
msnt, with the exception OF two that amount to
about 10000. John L. Brown was we'll known
a. the head Of the Street. Cleaning Association.
He presented bills to the city for about 100000
for street cleaning, 10000 for paving part Of
Tenth avenue, $4,000 for paving part Of Fir.t
avenue, and $4,000 for work In 10<th street, and
. further claim for $4,000 for work In Tenth
avenue. Comptroller Green has opposed the
payment of the claims With all the pcrtina naoity Of
which he 10 capable. Suits were begun to en-
force their payment, and every effort was made
to defeat them. All kinds Of technical defence
were interposed. and the actions were contest
cd stuboornly at every step. The worry and
anxiety so affected Brown that his mind gave
way, and he died In the spring OF last year.
After Browns death fresh trouble arose from
= conflict over his will. This instrument be-
queathed all his property, for her life. to Han
nah K. Brown, who had been living with him as
his wife, and after her death, to his son By
Hannah &. The admission to probate was con-
tested by his next OF kin and by another Mrs.
Brown, who averred that she was his only law
full wife. and that Hannah L. had not been we'd
ded to him. SURROGATE HutchinRs admitted the
appeal, which 10 not yet determined.
Meantime a sr.c,. .d-,,-'s'--tor OF the
Brown estate was appointed In the person OF
William A. seavsr, the President Of the Adri tito
Fire Insurance Company. and BY him the suits
against the city were continued. In tho street
the city for ,i and IN .Ss saa ,aycyns aSn
the work 10 First avenue judgment was OBJ
tsined Tor $500 Upon all the claims there are
large accumulations Of in crest.
Numerous law arms appeared In connection
with the claims, some for the lesatees and next
the city. Among them were Dexter A. Haw-
kins, Algernon 3. sullivan, Devlin, Miller 4
Fullerton. and John II. strahan. Toe suits grew
more and more complicated, and It became
bard to foresee the end OF them. A compromise
was often under discussion, but nothing definite
seems to have been arrived at until Dexter A.
Hawkins took hand in the nRht. That distin-
Ruished diplomatist, whose sagacity has inspired
our Comptroller with such confidence, ana who
has cnampioned him 80 frequently Ia Albany,
soon or0nsnt MI Green 70 ayr agree 20 an oner Of
ment were submi ted To MIR. whitney, the Cor
poration Counsel. and were approved BY him;
and the oner was then made 60 the representa-
ives OF the Brown estate. and was accepted by
them.
yet fail but the offer Of compromise ha. been
definitely acce pted. 1t settles the judgment for
sas c.n n"a Sf so and o roaS caa
IN Tenth avenue, with the accrued interest for
The Judgment for $4,000 ,s not included In
the settlement. Mr.. Whitney, the Corporation
Counsel, saio yesterday that no expected TO get
. reversal Of that judgment for errors at the
trial and for other legal grounds. Neverths sless, II
the representatives even OF that CLAIM were N i'll
log to accept reasonable Offer OF compromise
he would be III favor Of making II. He at no
time expected to have any of tnese claims re-
jected altogether, although the city had raised
technical questions to the legality of the con-
tract under which the work done. The
work had certainly been performed, aud sub
stantially all that ne had expected TO do was to
p. owe that there had been OveTcharges, and
that tho amount Of the claims should be con.
siderabiy reduced. This had been fully Effected
by the terms Of the compromise. In fact, the
reduction thus effected was larger han they
could reasonably have expected II to be II they
bad continued the contest. The terms Of the
compromise mad been arranged by the Comp
troller, but they had been approved by himself.
The settlement IL said to have been largely
owing to the personal influence OF Mr.. Dexter
A. Hawkins. SUN reporter called upon MIN,
but that gentleman, instead Of fimparting any In
Formations, asked ihe reporter whether lie
thought II consistent with strlct legal IN orallty,
To come 10 counsel IN SUIT aud ask MIN to be-
tray tne secrets that nad been conhded To bis
bosom. When tue porter assured MIN that he
thought there we're o ses In whicn highly moral
counsel might say what had occurred III actions
with which they we're connected, Sir. Hawkins
took another tack, and prOfessed to know nuth-
ing Of any promise, suon as the reporter re-
ferred to, but said tnat he would be greatly
pleased 10 read Ia the sun at bis breakfast table
any news that might be obtained IN regard 30 IL
from OLuer sources.