New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-09
JOHN BARRY CAN'T EXPLAIN
A BAD MEMORY AND AMAZING IGNORANCE.
HIS 1890 ORDERS AND HOW he GOT rHEM-ALL
HIS RECORDS DESTROYED.

HIS 1890 ORDERS AND now he GOT TlIEM-ALL
HIS RECORDS DESTROYED.
The Senate Committee Cities met in the City
Hall yesterday, and continued its investigation
into the management Of the Public Works Depart
ment. An officer employed by the committee nav
ing been successful, after many attempts IN serV
ing subpnnas on John Barry and William
Mcdonald. those two witnesses were present
James ]. Mooney, Superintendent of Streets, was
recalled and asked about the records of his bureau
which he had been subpenaed to furnish. He
said that he had been unable to find the particular
memoranda requested by the committee, but hoped
to be able to produce them at future session.
John Barry, who keeps a road house in One
hundred-and-twent -eighth-st., was examined at
considerable length, and proved an interesting
witness. He said that Mr.. Thompson and Mr..
Mooney occasionally visited his house, and that Mr..
Mooney first suggested to him that he might furnish
the Department of Public Works with sand, gravel
and stone on orders The orders were sent to Mr..
MONEYS Office. and Mr.. Mooney verbally informed
the witness each time an order was received Inc
witness purchased the material that he sold to
the city from various contractors, but he could not
remember Of whom he purchased the material
furnished to Mr.. MONEYS bureau on any particular
voucher He never saw it delivered to the city and
he never measured the material He accepted the
and also Of Mr.. MONEYS bureau. He made out his
bills on the data furnished by the Department OF
Public Works and he only knew when an order had
been filed by the statement Of that Department.
He did not know what he paid for the earth, sand
and gravel kept no books receipts could not tell
how much he purchased Of any person. and confessed
himself generally ignorant of the transactions lie
kept a bank account but he took the warrants that
he received in payment of material furnished TO the
Public Works Department. and got his pay IN bank
bills in every instance. lie thought he did this to
get the bills to pay for the material, but that was
not ALWAYS the case he afterward deposited some
of the bills He denied that he paid any OF the
money to Mr.. Mooney or Mr.. Thompson. lie
refused to produce his bank account.
Mr. Barry said that his bills were always made
ont by James w. Smith. When shown that some OF
his bills were in different handwrltngS he could not
account for the fact He asked what gnelsS
was aud said that he didn't know, as he had never
before heard the word. He was shown bill OF ms
on which he was paid several hundred dollars for
furnishing gness TO the Department of PUBLIC
Works lie said lie could not account Tor II, though
the warrant bore his signature, which he recognized
"a genuine His bills for stone furnished TO the
Public Works Department were made out at so
much cubic foot. The witness said that he pur-
chased the stone by the cubic yard. lie dld not
know how many cubic feet were III a cubic yard,
and he could not tell how he was able TO make out
his bills to the city On this and other similar
questions he became hopeessly involved and he
could ONLY answer that he did not know and would
not tell anything about IT,