New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-11

THE FORK OF THE SPECIAL GRAND JURY
The people of New-YOrk are beginning to
look with some anxiety for the results of the
long labors of the special Grand jury of the
Court of Oyer and Termner. The jurymen
were sworn in and charged four months ago,
and they have been holding sessions for five
days in the week. 1t is only natural that some
feeling of disappointment should exist that so
much work has apparently accomplished so
little. They have examined many witnesses
and taken an enormous volume of testimony,
and their experts have been busy in a number
of departments. Only few minor indictments
have been found, and no prescntment of con-
sequence has been made.
Among the members of the Grand Jury are
number of well-known citizens, whose intelli-
gence, uprightness and public spirit are recOg-
nized by all The complete list is as follows:
MERRITT TRIMBLE Foreman;
CHARLES G. KEYS. ROBERT c. LIVINGSTON,
HARVEY Il. LANE, HENRY V. MEAD,
GEORGE II. PUTNAM, HENRY s. HERMAN,
FRANCIS s. WYNKOOP, FRANCIS A. STOUT,
JACOB ADLER ALEXANDER BRANDON,
MAX DREY, MATHEW MURRAY,
GEORGE II. ROBINSON, DAVID r. NASH,
LOWELL LINCOLN, BOWIE DASH
JOHN MCGINNIS JR., CHRISTOPHER WkAY,
THOMAS c. SLOANE GEORGE NJ. LEVENTRITT
WILLIAM +. BRIDGE,
In his charge to the Jury, Chief-Justicc Davis
instructed them as to their duties with the
directness, clearness and force which dis
anguish all his judicial utterances. He said
There is no law, no rule OF moals Justice
sense that should prevent the part of every public
officer and most especially every Grand Juror the ex-
ercse OF that scrutiny which will that the heavy
burden imposed the people of this city by it's enormous
taxation Is not used for any purpose except those for
which it is allowed by the laws o; the land.
In conclusion the Chief-Justce said:
1t your duty under your oaths under the law Of the
land to see to that the investigation thorough
complete and so searching that the guilty shall not es
cape and that, above all, the innocent shall he
Iletely vindicated
If the Grand Jury will carry out the spirit Of
these instructions with diligence and with the
least possible delay, this community will have
reason to feel satisfied with its work. If it falls
short there will be just ground for dissatisfaction.
The fact that it mas yet brought comparatively
little to public view cannot be due to lack OF
material. At the time when it was sworn, the
coupon frauds in the Controllers Office, the
stealings in the Water PurveyOrs bureau, the
frauds in the Bureau of Arrears, the Dock De-
partment embezzlements and other evidences of
partm ents had been made public. Since then
The TRIBUNE has exposed the fraudulent char
acter of the unbalanced bids in the Department
of Public Works and the rOttenness of Mr..
Thompson's system of buying supplies and pay
ing for work in 5000 orders. Sworn testimony
has been given before the Senate Committee on
Cities showing that Mr.. Thompson gave out five
orders for one continuous job on the Fifty
sixth-st. sewer amounting to nearly $4,000
that he gave nine orders for the continuous job
of painting the Court House, amounting to over
81, 900; and that he bought the coal for his de-
partment in net tons of 1000 pounds on 5000
orders at far higher price than the Board of
paying for gross tons of 2,240
pounds on contract. 1t was not until the abuses
of this system were exposed that Mr.. Thompson
began to let contracts for COAL confessing by
the change that his former course was indie
fensibe. The Senate Committee has also taken
evidence proving serious irregularities in the
purchasing of supplies for roads and avenues,
not TO mention minor points showing the waste, |
and disregard of law prevailing in |
he department. The Assembly Committee has |
ilsO been busy in supplying matter for the |
Grand Jury, and there is general surprise that |
he startling disclosure of violations of the law |
N the Sheriff's Office has not resulted thus far in
he indictment of single subordinate. There may |
% some good reason why the Sheriff himself |
hould not be held criminally responsible foI
he illegal diversion TO his own pocket of public
unds on false charges for transporting prison