New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-12
THE CITY INVESTIGATIONS.
WORK OF THE CORPORATION COUNSEL.

HOW MIR. ANDREWS CAME TO EMPLOY THE MAYORS
BRoTHER-IN-LAw.
The Assembly Investigating COMMITTEE met
a. IN o,c,ock Yesterday morning In the Metropolitan
rIotel Messrs. Roosevelt, Erwin. ONei ana Neis'n'
with the committees counsel Messrs Milier ana reoA
ham. were present The only witness examined was
eoroe Andrews Corporation Counsel He stated tha'
for ten years he assistant and was appom.eu on
November g. 1882 to ali the unexpred term OF mii'Aa
G. Whitney. ..,o,
Mr. Peckham-Your appointment as CorPoerarq v,i
Counsel was IN accordance with the latest usa VI rs
Service reform, was IL mott Al ""' '"'"
gard It myself.
The witness was asked respecting the employment py
him of Edward T. Wood brotherin'aw OF Mayor Euson
His attention being called to certain statements 10 o
effect that Mr. Wood had paid some $4,000 Tor scr
vices rendered to that Office he replied that the amount
wac erroneous and that total sum paid him was less
than $1,000 He then enumerated the duties devoiVns
upon the Office of Corporation Counsel, saying
prior 70 the charter of 1873 different departments OF
the city 0 re SdaGse The Charter Of ss
clared that no department officer OF the city NV
should ouns should attend to ali law business
of the city and to all the law business Of all the ocers
e S S amq @ or occr he 6 the only officer Of the
city government, aside from the Health nn
cre or attend to law business the city or s
Offices The Corporation Counsel is 10
o s aid not m nv former place Of assistant had
quite number OF applications but dd npt Sga nace
Among others who wanted the position was C3ione
month of May as steoyys sa REQUIRED %a1 Yet q
spend one or two hours In the middle OF inc Gay
in the Mayors office found that the Ma Eoo %sS Wood
In the matter Of the termination OF the once OF 1
t %Sh sTSSi
held He however. followed my aayicc b Began to
think perhaps it would be better employ Colonel Wood
In INV Office The Mayor appeared to have CONFIDENCE "a
much less II he Should be employed advise the Mayer
whether at his house or Office though ne %Suu Ue
was that while declined for the reasons have
stated TO appoint Mr. Wood an assistant In my once "a
did agree that should render service In the way Oh
vsng the Mayor and in reference to other matters IN
which desired assistance and that he should receS 0on
pensaon at less than $4,000, or more than @oooV
per annum.
Continuing the witness referred to the suits pending In
his office to collect licenses from horse railway COM
panies. These claims, he said, amounted to ml'non
or million and half OF dollars in tne
Broadway and Seventh Avenue suit the city got Judgment
and the Judgment was affirmed by the General Term The
other side appealed the Court OF Appeals II the city
succeeds in that suit 1t will probably succeed III many
others and recover large amount OF money III tnsC
Judgment is reversed it will get nothing Colonel "ood
had been employed in preparing for the final struggle III
the Court of Appeals The witness could not state spec
fcay the work performed the time occupied He had
also been employed in growing out OF the assess
men Of the capital stock and of the track OF horse r
roads He had rendered services In connection with
litigation pertaining the elevated railroads; also IN
connection with suits relating to frauds prior to 1877
Mr. Peckham-If Colonel Wood had not borne the rela-
tions which he did the Mayor would you nave en-
noyed ANYBODY elsel Al should have had TO employ
somebody. When 70 working all day ana IN inc
evenings and on holidays and Sundays, found IL was
little too much, and when there was an appropriation
made to pay some TO relieve thought might as
well employ him.
During the examination of Mr.. Andrews, Mr. Cochran
and A. j. vanderpoel counsel for Sheriff Davidson, ar
rived and held brief conversation with members OF the
committee. The chairman returning said:
The Sherin-s that Mr. Davidson has with
drawn from the position taken by him last wednesday
and will allow our accountant full access 10 all tne DOCKS
and will afford him every assistance in examining thefn
When Mr. Andrews had concluded the chairman an
nounced that the committee would adjourn until Satur
DAY morning at 10 o'clock. lie added that
the committee had called Mayor Edison and Mr..
Kelly solely because Of the publication OF Mr.
Hasns recent letter Under the charter it Is felony
for the Mayor any officer to make such "a bargain
as was there said to have been made and the COMMITTED
exact truth of matter Tho committee may or may
not pursue further Mr. Roosevelt concluded
by calling attention numbers OF anonymous letters
sent 10 the committee alleging all sorts OF abuses IN the
various departments. There also, he said, NUMBER
of gentlemen who came forward to say that they knew
of abuses but refused testify 1--WE will be glad lie
added have any testimony in relation TO abuses tnat
may exist in any OF the departments particularly with
reference Office of Shorthand man VINO teslnes
may be sure that he will be protected"