The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-21
Mr.. LANE HAS A TURN.
Lively Scenes at a Meeting Of the
Park Commissioners.
A TRIUMPH FOR MIR. WENMAN
Lanes Colleagues Gust Him from the
nspectorship of Licenses.

have been at daggers points, both willing to wound
but yet afraid to strike" for long time. Mr. Lane
has been lashng himself into frenzy OF official virtu
GUS indignation aud forging newspaper thunderbolts
TO hurl at the devoted head of Mr.. Wenman. while
the latter bidng his time awaiting the favor
able opportunity and nursing his anger to keep it
warm. The weekly meeting of the Board was held yes
terday with than the usual sensational results
Tho ball opened by Mr.. Lane making certain general
we'll personal observations of highly favored
nature which ecorrespondingly Objectionable to
the partic ears which they meant to reach
Having concluded his observations he offered the
following resolution. which was adopted
at the meetings held on the August
s had
desire offer and which % to as sn OF t
the meeting to the great prejudice OF the public
Resolved That the meeting. of the Board shall be
adjourned long as any has which
After the adoption Of the foregoing Mr. Wenman
remarked 81 1T stated upon your authority in
the newspapers. Mr.. Lane that this Board adjourns
precpitately. in dread Of the production of some
secret and Mysterious documents of yours. to pre-
vent their being presented to this Board Such
statement coming from you. reflects upon your col
leagues and has foundation in fact. wish to say
right here that l. for one am prepared to remain
here il it takes all day until you dispose of your
''That statement not authorized by me-" said
Mr. Lane.
Said Mr.. Victim cit seems If Mr. Lane cul-
tivates newspaper reporters to give them certain
items of news which reflect upon the action Of this
Board. Between his writings and his talking he
manages to say good many unpleasant things;
and then when he is of breeding dssensions
he denies his words. would therefore sug-
gest that appoint Mr. Lane the biographer or the
department..
PROCEEDING TO BUSINESS.
After this preliminary skirmish, the Board adopted
cement for the walks in the City Hall Park
and the Neuchatel pavement for the roadway, and
directed the Of Parks to proceed with
the repairing OF the Battery walks and wall MIR.
Lane then offered resolution. which was referred
to the Executive Committee to the effect that the
checked growth of tho shrubbery in Central Park is
calculated to impair the objects for which the plan
tatinn made. and that it is now desirable to
realize various effects originally intended. The
luton therefore recommended that landscape
architect be invited to submit plans for carrying Gus
this purpose.
At The request of the Board Commissioner Con-
Withdrew his resignation Of the office Of treas
urer and chairman of the Auditing Committee. All
the bills which had been repudiated by Mr. Lane at
previous meeting and stigmatzed by him ~ irreg-
uar were unanimously audited and ordered to be
paid.
SHARP ATTACK.
After considerable other routine business, Mr.
Wenman sarcastically inquired OF each OF the Com
mssoners, separately, IT his "budgot" OF informa-
ton exhausted. aud, having received an affirm
alive reply, stated that he had been reluctantly
compelled to prepare the following resolution,
which he ofered:-
Resolved That tho action of the Board meeting held
be the is hereby rescinded and that tho
president be inspector until other
wise ordered by the Board
At this point Commissioner Lane smiled deri-
sively, and asked Mr. Wenman's reason for Offering
such resolution. Mr.. Wenman replied substan-
TALLY that Commissioner Lane, to whom had been
referred the subject OF licenses had last April pre-
scented report recommending that certain arrears
OF licenses contracted by Messrs. Clapp aud Dick be
cancelled.
1t appears that Mr.. Clapp has q contract for sup
plying the carriage service Of the Park and that he
i'll arrears for his license to the department up
TO the spring of 1879 III the OF 81 300 MIR. Dick
IL the for the boat service the lake,
and his indebtedness tor license up to the same
period was 49, 292 81. Mr.. Lane in his report al
legged that the cause of failure Of these people to
their license fees was that their receipts
greatly diminished by the hard times and by the
,act that large numb,r Of persons formerly visi-
at the Central Park. were drawn away to Coney
Island Mr.. Lane urged the cancelng OF the ndebt-
edness Messrs. Clapp and Dick for their licenses,
and the same was accordingly done by unanimous
vote OF the Board.
Upon this proceeding hinged the proceedings yes
teruay. Mr.. Wenman said that he prepared to
prove that Messrs. Clapp and Dick had by out
side party sought to influence the action of the
Boara and that they had actually paid large sums
OF money to certain ''agent'-the latter being o
brother of late member OF the Board-to purchase
the immunity guaranteed them by Mr.. Lanes
"whitewashing report. Furthermore, Mr.. Wen
urged that the very day Mr.. Lane
offered the resolution which freed Messrs Capp and
Dick from their license responsibilities letter had
been sent from the agent" to Mr. Capp demanding
payment for balance OF $500 III consideration of
having his license reduced. He also urged that Mr..
Dick had paid in cash. the consideration,
the Of s275 Mr. Clapp said Mr.. Wenman, paid
the agent $50 in cash and the balance i'll two notes,
one OF which was paid. Tho other had fallen due,
when Mr. Wenman learned of the transaction and
put stop to its payment MIR. Wenman argued
from these suspicious circumstances that some
body" backing up the agent" tho latter being
but mere go-between. and lac stgmatized the trans
action scandalous and dishonest. As such. he
SAID. he was determined to leave no stone unturned
to bring the responsibility home where it belonged.
The speaker added significantly There is no per-
son In this room that as familiar or Is on speaking
terms with that 'agent' except Mr.. Lane ana l
know that these two have been in conference daily.
MR.. LANE ASKS IL HE Is ACCUSED.
This brought Mr.. Lane to his feet, and he de-
manded to know il Mr.. Wenman accused him of being
party &c receiving this money. To this question
Mr.. wcnman replied that he made no such allega-
ton. "But," said he, "you are lawyer, Mr. Lane
and you can draw your own inference" IL have
The papers right here" continued Mr.. Wenman, pro-
aucIng number OF documents, "to prove every
statement make, and they will be put record at
.he proper moment. Mr.. Lane WAS anxious To be
lliowcd to examine the papers. but Mr.. Wenman
fused to surrender them. whereupon AIR. Lane made
request that he DO furnished with copies OF them
Mr.. Wcnman rotorted by saying that There
hurry Just them Mr. Lane would soon be afforded
M opportunity. If he desired it, to vind.cate him
sell. ''My time has now come. said Mr.. Wenman.
''You, Mr. Lane have bounded me through the
press aud patience has ceased to DO virtue am
going to strike back. not afraid or the result"
APPEAL D1sREGAHDED.
Mr.. Lane Appealed to Nh. Conover not to vote for
Mr.. Wenmans resolution. Nevertheless MIR. Ccno-
order, the secretary to record his vote in the
affirmative, Mr.. wemore follow ing suit The latter
Expressed his astOnsilncnt NJ the nature oi rev
elations and said that he could not countenance
such transactions. There should be no bargain or
sale OF official patronage and ho was bound to set his
face against such irregular proceedings.
coMDArASTs INTERVIEWED
subsequently Mr.. Lane was waited upon by
HERALD reporter. but he refused to make any State
ment concerning what had taken place ut the
meeting. AIR. Barker, the secretary. said lac could
not supply the press with more than tho bare
minutes OF the proceedings. MIR. Woman was
found at his Office in Pearl street. and he substan-
tiatcd the previous information received by tho
HERALD reporter concerning what had taken place.
III have the documents here" said MIR. Wen
man. pointing to pile OF papers ON his
desk. ito prove every word l have stated,
md moro II necessary. Not only In my private ca
pacty but rs president OF the Board, owe il to my
,ef ana the public to have these allegations thor
oughly and impartially investigated. II there
outside parties who control the action of the Board
II Is time should know IL, or IL our proceedings
have been manipulated by some power behind the