New-York tribune., 1884-03-08
FIVE ORDERS IN SIX WEEKS.
Mr.. THOMPsoNs EVASION OF THE LAW.
Mr.. MAvoY TELLS HOW REPAIRS on THE COURT
HOUSE WE'RE MADE.

|
| HOUSE WERE MADE.
| The Senate Committee on Cities yesterday
resumed its investigation into the management Of the
Public Works Department Abel Easton, formerly pro-
| prietOr OF the Turkish baths at Broomest and the
Bowery and later the Turkish baths in the
rear Of the Windsor Hotel the first witness. He
said that stock company organized
to establish the Turkish baths in the rear
OF the Windsor Hotel The corporators himself,
Charles d. Keep George D. Gift and +. W. Allen The
stock was s120 900, Of which Mr.. Keep took $4,000
This stock the witness told by Mr. Keep, was for
Commissioner Hubert o. Thompson. While the baths
were being constructed Mr. Thompson there with
Mr.. Keep TO inspect the work The witness check
signed by Mr. Thompson IN part payment OF the stock
After the baths mad been established receiver was ap
pointed at Albany. That receiver aferward ousted
and Maurice B. Flynn appointed at the instance Of
Mr.. Keep The witness said that he received letter
from Mr.. Thompson directing the appointment or MI
Brown cashier and he the appointment because
he considered that Mr. Thompson had the right 70 re-
quest. He stu retains Mr. ThompsOn's letter. Conrad
Smyth, nephew Of Mr. Thompson, made president
OF the company. The witness applied TO the Public
Works Department for a permit to connect the bath
house with the street water main by means OF two
inch tap He was told by the clerk in the Public Works
Department that the OF such not allowed by
the Department. He told Mr.. Keep, who saw Commis-
soner Thompson then told the witness TO write an
application to Mr.. Thompson for the permit and marx
the letter personal Inat was done, ana the permit
was returned signed by Mr. Thompson No water meter
was put into the bath-house But about six
months afterwart The Nelo-Y0rk Sidr had an
article on the subject and then the Public Works
Department ordered meter put In. On
Examination by Mr. Payne counsel for Mr.. Thomp
son. said that the best Of his knowledge
and belief Mr Thompson held stock in the company.
good deal Of time occupied by Mr. Payne in try
ing 10 get the witness questions yes and
this led General Tracy 70 charge that the time Of the , com m
vestigation and cucumber the record
A SLEEPY COAI-DEALER.
Patrick Collins coaldeaer, the next witness
he was a eood-uatured I1shman but seemed to have
strong inclination 90 to sleep. He said that ne had
supplied the Public Works Department with coal on
orders until eleven months At that time Mr. Thomp
son told him that he could buy coal cheaper
elsewhere and ceased TO give him orders. He bid
month ago a contract for coal. but lost That was
the only time he had made bid for several years The
orders given him were issued by Mr Thompson or MS
deputy He sometimes received three or four orders IN
day. He said that he could not buy the same KIND or
coal wholesale at the figures Of the lowest pa on tn
contract gwen OUT 1"nln tS ~ SCo' rTder tIa
@ Il ~ TON and H. sa .d rRGt Re' there gH0T was I a2
inferior Wilkesbarre coal which could ne sol ne sup
posed that price though other dealers might be aOle
to sell cheaper than he could He bought by the gross
ton and sold the city 10y the net ton. II anything he
charged the city ittl" less than private pafue- Nhe
he supplying the Department with coal on orders he
u member OK the County Committee OF the county
Mr.. MAvoY RECALLED.
Thomas H. McAvOy Superintendent Of Repairs and
Supplies in the Public Works Department, who
was on the stand weeks ago, was recalled
He was asked first 10 explain the increase
OF ssl 69l in the cost OF cleaning public offices during
the three years OF Mr. ThOmpson's term as compared
with the three previous years under Mr.. Campbell" The
witness explained part OF 10 by stating that more cream
ers had been employed and more coal used' ana I1aV
watehmen' hreme1 ana ,ne5fenger tSa annIopratinn
for cleaning Offices. In 1880 there were nnetyslx IONS
OF coal used the brown stone court House, me
i'm 1888 2s3 used The difference, the witness
said dne TO the fact that an nia Deen p m
the the elevator. There were about 5000
in Is-O Salaries had been increased and special sup
plies had been used fitting up the rooms OF the Board
Mr. Whitridge-By whose direction were the persons
not cleaners charged upon he cleaners pay-rof Al
can hardly tell The Chef Clerks, suppose
Q-Do you think II legal TO charge cleaners men who
Al conferred with the Chief Clerk about it. Nothing
said about the improperly OF ,,-,.
The witness then examined IN egtrd TO the repant
ing of the corridors the Court House in 1881 This
was done five orders for less than 700 each al
issued between July 20 and September 10, and aggre-
eating $500 Two Of the orders were issued only
MT WRtridee-Are you familiar with the provision of
the which requires that any job supply the several
parts which aggregate more than $1,000 shall be done
QThe necessity for this work Of painting was appar-
when you first examined the Court House ana DeIoEe
YOU began any OF the wOrkf A.-Yes sir
O-Why then was all done by contract instead Of
was insufficient and because it not then intended to
DO all the work consulted with the Controller aud he
an ne expended balance Of appropriation which might
be for the purpose Iddnot want TO 20 further than
O-The trst order was for washing aud cleaning the
walls. That preliminary to painting DO you mean 70
say that you did not intend TO do any more than wash
Tie wallsi At had not then been determined how
much OF the work should be done.
O1Was all the work on the first order completed be-
fore that under the second order was Deguht A-oh
perhaps not all
Q-How was il with the other orders Al do not
ONE JOB OR FIVE JOBS
frac r1p
fund. Now vii you that you did not know the
amount OF that balance before you begun The work. A
NO. The second order issued after the Controller
consented Ia make OF the WOnerfOr tha purpose
of YOU knew all the work finally done had TO be done
before any OF II begun why didn't you ask the Con-
troer f0r the of enough money In the beginning
A.-Niaybe didn't think Of II. ,.,, |
Own you that tie money used 10 pay for THIS
work was not under the control OF Commissioner Ih0m
son Al don't say We couldn't use TINS money withoat
the the Controller or tha the money was not
under the control OF Commissioner thompson t5IAcu
with him about 1t but don remein' '@r VIA h9 5aG
Q-One order for $3.50 was Issued on september ID,
and another order for S67O issued two days later or
September 10 Why did you not issue both orders a the
same time Al don't know now.
Q-You knew that the work 10 be done on these two |
orders would more than Sl,OOOl Al don't know |
O-When you made q requision FOR the painting 70 be
under the order Of tue l3 You had no idea OF CON
tnung the work under tue order lSsue4 On Ine 12tn
A-NO-tO best OF my recollection But considered
each one orders separate job. Mr.. Thompson |
OF YOU started to paint a half dozen all con-
nected would you consider it job each room sep
arate lobl Al knew when DeEuh tnaI Iney Htttq2
all to be painted would cOnsldet II one JOB but II
started to paint only one at tine would cOhsluer e@ch
Q~Then You the painting Of the rotunda Of
the Court House, with the corridors conheced unuer
continued until cOmpletedl Al do, under the cir
cumstances under which the orders were ih5ued ,,
The Committee Will continue its examination OF MI
McAyoy to-day
CHARLES STUART WELLES ON MARRIAGE.