New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-01
A SUDDEN CHANGE or MIND.
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS FLOP OVER
ACTION ADVERSE TO MR. THOMPSON RECoNsf0EREc
AFTER SUNDAY OF REFLECTION

1
ACTION ADVERSE TO MR. THOMPSON RECoNSIOEREp
AFTER A SUNDAY OF REFLECTION
| When the Senate Committee on Cities re-
sumed It's work yesterday in the Of the Board oil
Aldermen a number OF weknOwn Democratic politicians
were In the room There were FIVE members OF the com
mttee present-Senators Gibbs and Daggett Republ-
cans and Senators ThacOer DAILY and Cullen Democrats
The same members made up the committee at the SEES
siOns Friday and Saturday. when some slgnincan'
testimony was taken IN regard 10 the 5000 orders
given to Richard A. Cunningham by CON
missioner Thompson for tho cleaning and repairing OF
sewers Three relating work sewer were
Issued the day. and the total amount OF the eA
penditure largely succeeded tile limit Of 1000 fixed By
law above which there must he public letting In
another instance developed by the testimony on Friday
Mr. Thompson had Issued five orders, amounting 10
a. 1873 for work on sewer, and there similar
cases. In regard TO these Jobs Mr. Cunningham TESTIFIED
that IN some the work under the orders She
have continuous and probably was In one case 10
said the sewer large and there was no diicuy
in learning what work necessary before the orders
were issued other he changed pipe sewers INTO
brick se vera thus ding Them under orders without
any public letting On the strength OF this and othef
testimony which members OF the committee regarded as
highly important. It resolved MT Thacher alone as
senng to send letter to DistrctAttornty Olney with
copy the testimony asking that the facts be laid be-
fore the Grand Jury order that Commissioner ThQmp
son could be indicted for his dsobedience OF the law
This done the opinion of cxJudSe Tracy ana MT
Whtrdge the counsel OF the committee, who had care
fully examined law that IN their belief the evidence
warranted the indictment OF the Commissioners. Inc
action OF the committee was similar that taken b. tho
Roosevelt Committee in the OF the Sheriff. which
resulted in the Indictment OF that official According TO
the direction OF the committee the letter and the evil
dence were sent TO the Distrct-Attorney.
Resembling THE ACTION TAKEN LAST WEEK.
The publication that such cotton had been taken caused
| puh Worls Danar and led TO
sdera BILE activity the part Of Mr.. Thoupsons friends
which had its effect the Democratic members az the
committee. after the taking OF testimony began
yesterday Senator DAILY rose and moved that the commit
tee 60 into session This motion was supported
by senator Cullen the Tammany member OF the commit
tee Senator Gibbs chairman appeared to be surprised
at the motion, but acccded TO the request, on
the representation OF Mr. Daily that it would only take
few minutes transact the business that he wished 10
bring before the committee. The five members OF the
committee retired adjoining, and soon after
ward sent for their counsel Ten minutes later they re.
turned bu had hardly resumed tho taking OF testimony
when Mr. Cullen again moved that an executive session
be held The committee again retired.
When it returned md resumed the examination OF wit
| ne-ses the members refused 10 disclose what
| had taken p.4cc. But It soon rlnored
| about the Cy n that the committee had
by vote OF tn Democrats against the two Bepub-
Leans decided from the District Attorney the
letter and eyiGeuc" which IL previously M liahoInittd
to him, by an AIM unanimous vote Tor the rs OF mo
Grand Jury. Confirmation OF ths was aiterwaTd on,
tanned by tho appea"'n'e ri the District Attorneys once
OF the clerk of the nittec with letter stating the
action that had and that By vote OF three -
| two il was decided cal tn original letter To- no
Grand Jury. District ,ney Oney Immediately - IA,
he opinion that under decision OF Judge Wesbroo dr.
Thon had the right to give the sewer work o. on
dence and therefore could not tell how the ui,n OF
Judge WestDrook would Dear upon IT, me cl;I1 h So
recalled and t. JmOny with him The DISTRICT
Attorney did not communicate with the Grand Jury
althOugl IN session At the time.
| TESTIMONY BY AND ABOUT Mr.. CUNNINGHAM.
Richa A. Cunnin CHAM the first witness examined.
He said that he paid by tue Department for the work
under ais orders by hour for each and cart He
paid 80 cents hour and received from the
city s. paid and 20 cents hour for aborers and
received 25 cents There any record in his oco
that how many he paid 10 cents an hour
TO- Dr how many he employed His pay-rolls had not
! been preserved
John f. Carroll the bookkeeper for Mr. Cunningham,
was recalled and asked If the pay-rolls had been pro-
duced He said that all the pay-ro previous TO March
| Charles H. Myers chief assistant engineer OF tho
Bureau of Sewers asked what there on file in
| the Department to show when Mr. Cunningh per-
formed the work on bill Of his dated in May 1881, the
for which Issued five months previously The
witness said that the work might have been done sny
| time between January aud May and that there
nothing on file TO show when It was done All OF M
Cmningha work was Inspected by one man. Mr..
Babcock, and he kept an account OF the time Mr.. Gun.
ninghsms men ana carts TqrHeI ms account ne KEPT
| III memorandum book, which he carried Will him, and
! which not on Ale IN the Department.
IracY-Is
during progress of the work which would prevent Mr.
Babcock It's close from taking the account Of labor &c
might be furnished him by MI Cunningham, and turning
il IN as hts owni Al don't know oi any such record
| Q-You never know in the Department when MrsCun-
unghams work begun completed until the fecefpt OF
his bin A.That matter is IN charge Of Mr. Babcock
TOwle, Cmef, Engineer OF Sewers, Was re-
| called.
| work performed 10y Mr.. Cunutnshamf A.-MT. BabcOck
| makes a report L the completion Of the work
QThere n report made before the emo of the workf
O.-fs there onythlug to show when work is begun
completed A-N0hing except the return made oy Mr..
| BaOcoCk at ito finish.
O~iiow many JOBS r.?y Mr.. Cunningham be executing
| on sewers one timef A.Seven or eight IN different
| parts OF the city.
work continue long possible and cost the city as
| much as pOsslb!el Al suppose IL IL.
Or BdbCock the only person that mas kept ac-
count Of the work on Mr.. Cunninghams JObsl Ayes,
! O-what check has the Department upon Mr. Babcock
Ave the length OF sewer built aud about what 10
| 81 sec that Mr. BabcOck IS not required to certify
that the labor charged by Mr.. Cunningham Is cOrrectt
| Alt has never been customary to certify TO that.
O-Mr Cdnuing has testified that he pays some OF
hts aborers Is cents hour but he gets % cents from
the city. Now, IA a good labOTer do much mora
aud better work than poor one did ever occur TO YOU
as engineer charge OF the work that the city had
Interest seeing that only rscass Inen were empoyed
At would Of course be for the interest OF the city
! that good men only should be employed
| Oft would make vast difference in Mr.. Cunning
hams profits whether he paid 10 cents OF 20 cents an
hour for labor. A.--ies sir
| Tho cOInmitte adjourned until Friday.
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IN AID OF EX-CONFEDERATEs