New-York tribune., 1884-01-10
Mr.. THOMPSON'S ORDERS.
HOW HE LOOKS AFTER HIS FRIENDS
PUBLIC FUNDS USED TO BENEFIT PER-
SONAL ASSOCIATES.

missioner ThompsOn's methods of tyadng the
statute relating to contracts arc given below.
The $999 order system is shown to be used cx-
tensvely to benefit his personal and political
associates. Richard A. Cunningham is espe-
ciay favored. A complete list of the orders
given to Mr.. Cunningham for cleaning and re-
pairing sewers and restoring payements is
printed herewith Since Mr.. Thompson became
Commissioner he has paid Mr.. Cunnngh aIh on
these orders over s223,OOO. The loose meth
Ods of making out orders and inspecting Mr..
Cunningham's work are shown by extracts from
unpublished testimony given before the Senate
Committee. During the recent campaign Mr..
Thompson increased the inspectors on the re-
paving fund from one to eight, although no
extra work was being done.
THE MEN WHO PROFIT BY THE ORDERS.
A RICH NINE FOR MEMBERS OF MR.. TmoMPsoS's
POLITICAL CLIQUE.
One of the many features of Hubert o. Thomp-
sons administration of the Public Works Depart
ment which have called forth censure is his
system of giving out work and purchasing supplies
on orders so as to evade the law in regard to con-
tracts. Twice charges have been presented TO the
Mayor this subject, but no official action has
been taken further than to call Mr. Thompsons at
tenton to the matter on occasion and to receive
his explanation. 1t was almost the only subject
which Senator Grady's committee undertook to in
vestgate as nothing said at that time in re-
gard to unbalanced bids. That committee de-
velOpel some facts showing that inspectors were
being paid by the city who were at the same time
actually engaged in the performance of similar
work elsewhere and were paid for that work also
that Thomas Leahy and Charles Made were em-
ployed during election time without being requireq
to do any work for the city. But the time OF the
committee was principally devoted to an endeavor
to ascertain the relations between Mr.. Thompson
and the men to whom he gives orders for work and
supplies that should by any decent and honorable
regard for the law be purchased under contract at
public letting Considerable testimony was taken
on this point when the committee suddenly ad;
iourned 20 meet at the call of the chairman, and the
matter was dropped.
ENRICHING PERSONAL FRIENDS.
It is a noteworthy fact that the orders given out
by Commissioner Thompson go to his personal and
political associates. Maurice b. Flynn and Richard
A. Cunningham reap rich harvest from these
orders. They are both members of the County De-
mocracy Executive Committee and Mr.. Thompson's
personal associates. NJ. J. Treacy and Patrick
Collins have received many orders for coal, for
which Mr. Thompson has paid more than the price
paid under contracts made by other departments OF
the city government Both Mr.. Collins and Mr..
Treacy live in Mr.. ThOmpson's Assembly Dlstrlct
and are members of the County Democracy Execu-
tive Committee. Another member from the same
district is w. D. Bruins, jr., and from him Mr..
Thompson has purchased wood on orders to the
amount of many thousand dollars William Pbelan,
from whom much stone has been purchased on
orders, is also a member of the organization of
which Mr.. Thompson is the "boss." Frederick
Thilemann, jr who is kept busy laying CrotOn pipes
al of iS a of
Thompson's organization. William Minnie k, who
was recently paid one day $1,000 for painting
given to him on orders, and who does great deal OF
this work on orders, lives in the district with
Mr.. Thompson aud is one of his warm supporters.
Others of Mr. Thompsons personal and political ass
sociates who have rec iyed orders A. Clinchey.
John J. Mccarthy, John Flanagan, J. B. Dcylin,
and Alexander Brandon.
In fact this order system is almost exclusively
confined to Mr.. Thompson's political supporters.
In a few cases friends of Maurice b. Flynn, or men
who purchase supplies from his firm, are on the
order list: e occasionally relative Of one of
Mr. ThompsOn's bureau officers comes in for share
of this business 1t is tins singular fact in rega to
this $999 ordar system, that 1t is made in almost
every instance to benefit personal political
associate of Mr.. Thompson, which has caused so
many people to be suspicious of it, when not IN
possession of positive information of the loss that it
has caused the city.
PROSPERITY OF THE SMITHS.
4 great deal of the contract work in the Public
Works Department also goes 10 Mr. Thompsons
active political supporters, and large sums paid
for "professional services" to the same class of
men. For instance, during the three months ending
on December 81, w. V. Smith paid for his
services as a surveyor Si410; and during the year
1888 ne was paid nearly $4,000; and no doubt he
has claims for services the warrants for which have
not yet been drawn. Douglas Smyth also drew a
large sum for surveying and superintendent, While
j. Mcintyre Smith and other members of the smith
family were almost equally well favored. W. V.
Smith is a member of the County Democracy and
Mr.. ThOmpson's personal friend, while Douglas
Smyth s Mr.. Thompsons cousin.
The clause in the city charter which was designed
to prevent work and supplies being purchased for
any considerable amount except BY contract reads
as follows:
Whenever any work is necessary to be done to complete
perfect particular JOB or any supply S n1tdin m Ior
dertaken supply furnished for the corporation, and tho
several parts OF the said work or supply shall together
involve the expenditure OF more than thousand
dollars, the same shall be by contract ioHhded on
sealed bids OF proposals
Another provision in the charter makes il a mis-
domeanor for any public officer to "eyade" the law
or by neglect of duty to allow the public property
to be lost and also prohibits any officer from being
directly or indirectly interested in the performance
Of any contract or the furnishing of any work or
supply to the city. In giving ont his orders Mr.
Thompson has kept them within the statutory limit
of 81 900 though it has often been found necessary
to divide a work up for that purpose For making
such division he was called to account ocI"fe tho
Mayor, but no testimony was ever taken Inc
records of the Finance Department however, show
chat orders have frequently been given to cover
what is practically the same work, the combined
amounts of which exceed many times the statutory
limit of $1,000.
MR. CUNNINGHAM's MANY ORDERS.
Tho order system has been used greatly 10 the adj
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