The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-28
The Boss Secretary Testifes Before
the Aldermanc Committee.
SORRY HE SETTLED.
Inside History Of the Divi-
sion of Percentages.
"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS"

the Aldermanic Committee the other day believed
they saw an exhibition Of enrontery and moral cal
losity that absolutely sublime; but the exchair-
maker was AZ clothed In sackcoth and ashes
compared with him who yesterday told the story Of
his guilt Ebert A. Woodward added TO the boldncss
OF 1ngersoll brutal manner.
John Il. Keyser was FIRST placed on the stand. He
testified that the claims no assigned to Jackson 5.
Schultz were selected from tho accounts on his books
There were other valid claims hts books, but he
never intended to collect them.
Ebert A. Woodward former clerk OF the Board OF
Supervisors, called TO take the stand, and in the
course OF his testimony stated that he had signed
several OF the ants In question Tor Keyser, and
that he did so by virtue of a written power
OF attorney from tho latter to sign both "John H.
Keyser' and "keyser Co." A number OF the war
rants selected by Keyser forgeries were identified
by Woodward as having been signed under the cir
pumstances stated; ana three of them. which he
could not identify, were again submitted to Keyser
for Inspection and he said they might have been
ngned by himself That disposed OF the charge OF
forgery
wooDwARp's STORY.
Woodward testified that he orty- years old
and lived at South Norwalk. Conn. in 1858 or so he
entered the service of the city volunteer clerk IN
the Supervisors Office and after three four months
was appointed assistant clerk to the Board.
Witness repeated the off told story of the division
Of the sixty-fve per added bills against
city.
q. You think there nothing wrong in your
hiking these perceptagesf A. No. and still think
iLaughter.)
Q. Did you think it was wrong for Tweed to take
his pcroentages A. No, sir
Q Do you think II was wrong for Connollyy A.
Yes, SIR.
Q. DO you think it was wrong for Sweeny? A. Yes,
Q Do you think It wrong Tor HallY A. Yes,
q Now. why was it not wrong for you and Tweed,
and wrong Tor Hail. Sweeny and ConnollyY A.
Because there republican Legislature, and Tweed
o You did not buy tho Legislaiure2 A No. sir
=. And why was II not wrong for your A. Because
think fairly earned It
Sia. You considered y 'A'l' '4rn'a' = o. course
q And yet you do not think It wrong' A.
No, sir.
q. And you object to telling the committee how
much you are worth now' A. Well, don't think 1t
q Do you think you were worth $40, 600 when you
we're employed by the CITY A. am not going TO
answer any such question, sir
z, Upon what ground do you refuse to answer? A.
On the advice of my counsel
q Who Is your counsel? A That Is my business;
have settled with the city, and II is nobody's Dusi-
ness
Mr. Townsend here said that he had been counsel
for Mr.. Woodward. but that he had advised
10 answer such questions
wooDwARns RELEAsE
q. Was II n written settlement you had with tho
Eityp A. don't know
q. How do you know you settled with the citya A.
don't know; can't tell whether / have written
release not,
Q. Have you seen written rcleaser A. No.
U And you do not know who gave you that release?
A. I don't know anything about IL, sir.
q You say you have mover seen any released A.
unsolently) No, SIR; If you anything more sub
pena my counsel: will not answer for MIN
= Well, your counsel is not hero now SO ask you.
A. That Is your misfortune, Sir; know nothing
q. Well win lnd out what you dcv't know about
IT, or at least what you swear you don't know about
~ n u4aY
Woodward hung his head sulleniy and said he did
not know what counsel mean. Mr.. Cole maintained
his composure and asked whether witness did not
know what was meant by the terms OF a release.
Woodward protested that he did no and theroupon Mr..
and its terms; Woodward then iterated that no
scarcely anything about his release; It was arranged
between his counsel, w. X. Smith, and Mr. Wheeler
II. Pecknsm, acting for the cay; Woodward was 10
pay $l0A 900 cash down and $50, 900, with interest,
after six months, ana In return he to be released
from sll suits, civil and criminal, tor percentages
which he hau received and moneys diverted in any
other way from the city treasury. These
paid TO Mr. Pecknam by Woodward's counsel;
The sos 900 was PAID ut the time, and UNDER
stood that Mr. Peckham retained $1,000 or conduct
ing come suits begun against Woodward, ana ha nded
lho remaining 100000 over to CITY, Tor $4,000
Woodward, through his counsel, gave note OF hand
Tor the amount TO Mr. Pecknam on the 10th OF JAN
uary Of the present year, and II was paid with IN
terest al maturity SIX months later. Sir. Cole ex-
planned that he asked the witness concerning this
matter, because he mad been informed by the Comp
troler that the $50 0co bad never been received
about the amount he had received IN percentages.
a REcALcirRAxr WITNESS
The witness brdled up and kicked like balky
horse at this, It required liberal application OF
the interrogatory whip TO bring him into the traces
His answers ran in thus way .-suow muchY | aon,i
Know; could not tss l could not give any idea
don't think II amounted TO half milIonr At this
point Mr.. Colo suggested that Il witness would not
read newspaper dnring the examination he might be
nbio TO give more definite replies Woodward sui
lcny raised his eyes, which had been nxcd upon
newspaper upon the table before m, but 20
give vague answers. ~ doa't think amounted to
$500 600; don,i think amounted to sSoo,ooo; no,
Q Do you think your lille climate profits amounted
to $loo,o0os A. don't tank anything about It ~
ALL sir.
q. How do you reconcile the TACT that you sworc
you did not receive as uSuch 100000 with the
statement thai you DON'T think anything about itf
"A. don't recollcct any thing about 1t ~ all.
MI Cole-Nr. Chairman, shall have TO ask that
these questions DO to judge at Chambers see
~neiner tney are not proper questions to answer
10 MI. Cowing witness said:--l will swear that
aid not receive ST. 100000; don't think you have
n right " make me swear that remember anyt
about - / would not DO Wiling TO swear that | aid
not receive 100000; will that did not re-
ceivo 81, 600, 900; 1t might have been 500, 900 or
330oyoO0-thats as near as approx mate; all the
time from 1858 TO 1869 The city paid moro than il
pngut to. ana always had and always would; the in
Z use was rccompense 10 the claimants waiting
souietimes for years until an Appropriation made
30 pay their bills; the percentage received (sming)
vas not TO recompense me Tor delay, but tor my
wees In sccclerating matters; thought had a per-
lect right to receive commission Tor LOOKING alter
JAe claimants' interests
Y Didn't you think putting sixty-fve per cent moro
Bran was legally due was a ,rand on the city a. |
nidnt bother my head about "; yes, now think IL
vas wrong; at that time never thought about II: 4
never gave the counsel tor the city any Information
about my properly; 1 don't know how they came to
settle upon 1856, 900 as the sum should return: IL
was an understanding between Mr.. Pockham Tor the
city and John H. Townsend representing 10 tho
criminal proceedings, and w. X Smith, OF Norwalk,
representing the civil suits; | am in good cir
euInsances Today; don't think have ary money
belonging TO the CITY.
Q. How mucn DO you think you could restore to the
cityf A. lEmDhatcsilyl could not restore dollar,
sir; gave $40 coo TO tue cay.
REFORMED
q / wanted TO see II you mad reformed. A. with a
cynical suiiol / am not a rcOrmcr
q DO you mean to say that you would do the
Thing again. A. (lnsolentiy) mean TO sly there
Is hardly man In lnls room but what would do IL III
they had a chance daughter among the "benchers''
gu side tho raj, and irowns IRON the Committed
q THAT'S q compliment Tor those N the room. DO
you include yOurseiif A. do, SIR; II you ask my
cplnon tue politicians would tell you that never
saw honest politician ~ my life. (l.augnter)
q Have you seen all pohtciansY A. All stripes I
think they would ALI take money Ia pc or
alhcr: predIcate That ballef o. my lnLlmacy with