The sun., 1879-04-27
INTEsTIGATING MR. DUDLEK.
building Department Employees Testirytns-
Passage at Arms.

Tho investigation into the conduct OF the
Building Department was continued yesterday.
in the Supreme Court. William IIaw. inspector
in the Department. testified to his position. to
which he claimed to have been appointed on
Jan. 15 1879 but admitted that he did not offer
to file his oath OF Office until April 25 and 1t has
not yet been filed. Tho certificate OF appoint
ment which he offered was dated April 30. and
Mr. Dudlcy's counsel objected to its going upon
record The witness said that he had been an
inspector in the Fourteenth District from Jan.
Is TO Auril i2 and. during that time was con
versant with the facts concerning the erection
Of three buildings on 10th street. west Of First
avenue His attention was called TO n violation
Of law in thoir construction. in that their east
and west outside. or bearing walls. were
but eight inches thick. instead of twelve. He
reported that violation TO Mr. c. X. Hyde. his
Chief Of Bureau. and after due lapse OF time.
suggested that the violation which was contin-
ucd. should be- reported TO the attorney Of tho
department for his action. Superintendent
Dudley talked with him about IT. got from him
diagram showing the violation OF law, and
subsequently told him TO let the bIildors go
ahead. Notwithstanding the violation. The
thickness. He could not tell whether the floor
beams were separated 10y masonry in the party
wills. as renuired 10y law. or not.
Leandcr Buck, Inspector in the Building De-
paument. testified that he had reported YER
bally TO the Acting Deputy Superintendent that
the party walls in tho block Of twenty three
story buildings on 18th street between Fifth
AMI sixth avenues. were eight, instead Of
twelve inches thick. The builder J. V. Hogan.
lnade an application for permission to modify
his original plans Of those buildings to tho
extent Of making them three stories instead Of
two stories in height and the Board Of Exam
liners granted permiSsion on condition that the
alternate party walls should be made twelve
inches instead of eight inches thick. The con-
sructon Of the buildings went on without any
q y
were all put up eight inches thick. Further
more. the requirement that the floor beams OF
adjoining houses should be laid alternating in
the party walls. with masonry between was not
observed. and in direct violation OF law. the
ends Of the beams abutted against each other
block. 80 ''''
The question whether any person represent
ing Mr.. Dudley had ever collected money from
the witness for retaining him In ofllce was OBJ
iccted 10 by Mr. Dudley's counsel.
came andsT " w. Ada@s ' wSs "9 sSs
pended or Dismissed in the middle OF NOvem-
Der, 1878. aud that Mr.. Dudley put him 10 work
again on Jan. ?, 1879, but gave him no certih-
cate until April 2j. 1879, when he gave him one
which the Mayor had refused to accept. When
court. he was cautioned 10 return on another
day to sign his evidence. and to bring his GER
uncIntf Of appointment with him.
II he has ono suggested MIR. Dudley.
or course. replied Gen. Busteed. 60
yoGa4G AK ~ him to do anything he couldn't or
Well" continued Mr.. Dudley. looking
askance al Mr.. McGrcgor, he won't do any
dirty work. like some people"
for me- ret9rted Mr., McGregor ''
Well, l do mean you,' answered Mr.. Dud-
:, Then you're dirty liar" anGry replied
Gen. Busieed lnterposed with a dlgnifed pro-
test and reprmand for the violence to tho pro-
prieties. but that did not prevent n significant
promise from Mr.. McGregor to Mr.. Dudley that
he should " be seen again" and the latter's re-
q
Then tho examination Of clerk John Riley
progressed. He testified that he worked in tho
Building Department in December, 1878. but
was not on the pay roll for that month He had
been rejected AZ INSPECTOR by the Board Of Ex-
aIniners on Jan. 2S. 1879. but drew pay for Jan
uary. He identified certain reports OF viola
ti9ns Of tho building law as in his writing.
spector but never was either architect carpen-
ter or mason, and never passed any eXamina-
ton before the Board OF Examiners. He was
first appointed in the Department July /, 1868,
and has been in il ever since Was retained i'm
ofice on Jan. 2. 1879. and then received from
Mr.. Dudley certificate which he had reason to
think had been destroyed within a week past.
On April %. 1879. Mr.. Dudley gave him another
certificate
Mr.. Dudley's counsel objected to this witness
being questioned MS % his knowledge Of the
requirements OF his Office He testified that he
did not consider himself an expert in testing
iron and did not deem himself required TO
know much about tito discharge his duties. He
took and filed on April 25. In the Mayors office,
the first oath Of Office he had ever taken.
Geo. NJ. Simonson testified that he was neither
architect, carpenter, nor mason. but was en-
ployed in the iron bureau, where his duties
were to look around buildings and see that
the hatchways are all proper with railings
around them. and II there's scuttle to the roof
that there's a ladder 20 II. and how many people
there are in the building" He never filed any
oath Of office.
John Beattie testified that he was an inspector
IN tho Building Department from 1873 TO the
last Of December. 1s7s was reapponted by Mr..
Dudley on Jan. Is. 1879. and never passed the
Board Of Examiners.
Mr. Dudlevis counsel ohiected M thla vritnesa
being questioned as 10 whether he had been
requested to pay any part Of his salary for any
purpose IN the department, and the point was
reserved.