New-York tribune., 1886-07-31
THE PIT THAT SQUIRE DUG.
HOW MAYOR GRACE SECURED THE DAM.
AGING LETTER,
MR. THOMPSON GAVE 1T UP. INTENDING TO SAIL
FOR EURoPE-MO5T OF THOSE CONCERNED
HAVE LITTLE To

|
sion Of opinion among Aldermen and others at the City
Hall yesterday that it furnished him by Hubert
| o. Thompson. This was evidently the opinion OF Mr..
Fynns intimate friends His counsel. r. g. Newcombs,
continued deny that the letter genuine.
Of Mr.. Flynn's close business associates said: "I
| didn't think Thompson would be guilty OF such
an act Of treachery." Mr.. Flynn visited his
Office talked rather uneoncernedly about the mat
ter reteratng his denial any knowledge Of the
| latter at the time OF saurc's confirmation.
ibid you hear OF the letter until Mayor Graces
charges were preferred r. he was asked.
AS to that will speak at some other time," he SAIL
The public going to DO surprised before this thing
| Is through with"
Commissioner Of Accounts shearman went about all
day with smile apparently eated TO think that after
years or service in his present Office he mai at last got
the credit, though undeserved Of having discovered
| something.
"Oh, have got him dead to rights" Mr.. sbearmsn
| declared, " and We will mako him squcaJ."
But he had nothing further to say When asked how
It that he had not sought to the unbalanced
BID contracts the 1899 frauds and other Irregularities
that have prevailed In the Department of Public Works
for years. no reply was made, but explanation
given elsewhere that as those Irregularities
glaring under Thompsons administration when Mr.
Grace first Mayor and nothing said about thsn
they could not be made OF without convict
Ing both the Mayor and the Commissioners OF the Ac-
counts OF previous neglect Of duty.
wein.orIned city official gave the follow wing appar
entity correct OF how the letter into Mayor
Grsce's hands:
"There s doubt that Squire wrote the letter. Tho
explanation OF the circumstances under which it
written as given n todays TRIBUNE correct. its
also true that Thompson furnished the Mayor bus
| have to believe that he gave is
TO Ivrs for the Mayor. When squire wrote tho
letter it given to Thompson. who WAS then city
officer That why Fiynns name used. Squire
afterwari consulted Judge Glderseeye, WAC told him
I 4 was a mil al a
Squire then-that was before his conarma,on-recsed
the letter But Thompson. Keenan, and Flynn were nos
ready to trust Squire without something to force Inn
into obeience; so they got him to write ous blank
letter OF resignation and sign 1t, promising to destroy
in the Mayors possession squire wrote
that letter OF res.nson and he told that the other
had been destroyed. But Thompson was dstrustful.
and concluded to keep IL further hold on sqire
Last December after Thompson hal obtained control or
the Custom House aud the Mayor had lost influence az
| Washington, = better understanding WAS reached
through the aid OF H. d. Purroy between Thompson and
the Mayor Mr.. Grace has claim for millions OF do.
lars against the Government OF GILL; which was the
reason he had William II. Roberts appointed MInisterto to
that country. lie has large interests In Peru and tha
support Of the Administration was essential to him In
guarding his interests there. His control over tho
politics OF this city and State was the
best means OF forcing consideration at WASH
ington. Hence, he concluded to work In with lhonp'
son and had promised 10 appoint person rieniy 70
Thompson as Commissioner OF Public Works. IL was
then that Thompson gave tho Mayor slures resisna'
ton and It wa, then sare wrote his letter recall
lngr The Mayor proposed to remove Squire, who
songht the Intervention OF prominent Democrats wito
the Governor -
Yes" interjected David Twohey, who overheard this
remark, know tha, TO be true. wasn Albany whsa
those men came to Albany to SEQ Hill He Is ecli-
blooded artul scheiner and he WAS AFRAID OF Orace
These people said that they did not take any stock IN
| soulre but as bet him anu Grace AMI Thompson
they thought that would be tho lesser evil to leave
4, Squire alone"
The otcl al. resuming his remarks when Mr. TwobsY
had passed on, said: IIlll stood by Squire and the
u,yor deferred ais charges waiting until he could get
something tnat would force the Governor to act. H
was ;aen that Thompson mado the Mayor acquainted
WITH tnls letter. As'atement OF what wa. Sonf on AZ
that time wa. gwen IN Washington dspAtch 10 tns
TRIBUNE, but Mr. thompson was not qu.to rety tusu
that wcld be raised by Flynn, VINO vas supply
lng him money. IL was nnally conc.uled
S. "a. TO tn. Mayor to be used to get qe
IN his absence. lie had engaged passage to san on "e
servrt with the charges. rhomp.on's death m.e no
difference. Had he ved he would have been on ai way
| to Europe. where he would have remained unti tao
case had been disposed Of"
=" " Dsr about tho Governors action 7"
"Weiin win take a good deal Of boldne. on the
part 4 the Governor 10 keep In Once man
hurry about removing squire Look at the cases Of toe
Excise Commissioners aud ot HonerAi shaier' NoM
Grsces term - Mayor viii expire before the Governor
decide, whether or not to remove Sqre n ne .1 n.r
meut. That Will suit him cIActy. , ,
wa. ior nearly two hours engaged al meeting Of tae
Board OF Estimate AS soon as the meeting aNournea
tn them mat no haa nothing new to relate
Nswcono-. @ Mr. Fiynn's counsel. that you offered to
xve him almost any Patronsse ne might as" iOr ~
have IN hi. possession ,..
There no iruth whatever in the story, ina rsp.Sa %
cloth never made tender Of tho KIND to Mt New:
comse As "a wnsro sos 0 shall have to act AS uiss
IN MS the evidence presented for ana against
Mr. squlre would not be seemy In me say any tning
The hearing Will be carried forward az speedily AS p'~
Commissioner Squire said "I have been advi'eib by
my counsel say nothing further lshall follow ais
Maarce b. Flynn said that he wood make no turtle.
'ateIent lie :ad e e1S %aac oaG m ~,on % Is
Chamberlain WINS denied the story THAT a week ago
,.t insslay h. had accompanied Hubert o. Thompson
to a safe depo,i, companys vault aud there received
from nn the letter addressed by squire 20 Flynn
OF the District Attorneys otco yesterday He d'd nos
receive any charges against commi-sion'r sl1re ,rom
tue Mayor ommissoncrs OF Accounts Dn Chariesr
Miler through whom tho etter was gwen TO tae 'oiI
=. se for few minutes With Mr. FtzseraI lie spoke
OF tne charges against squire. but no pan OF phsu
mess On Monday. and Mr. MARITIME will by 'ha' 'ius
have returned 10 the city. ,, J., ,o.. =,
present No complaint ora crimnal nature ht. pes.
brought the attention oi tho oiic' ou' .no ,ht
se'n crilas ccull be proved some steps would ne he
irIct. Attorney Nicoll also non,comnltls as l"
whstn.r ,nv Immediate actioh would De tsneh.
w., WA, M ade by official that there WAS
,i much 10 be proved before there was evidence ol
corruI ain the letter Was shown 10 De senuhe.
~ ND s necessary show Independently ot the ds1s
- - h. in,ter thai IL Was actually written before Com
mlss,oue err squire appointed ana connrLed IL wouu
80. hs show that the letter WAS deN'eFe
sn or lAat tho bargain a uied u IN the letter wa
w y = 'n MN There ulgnt be moral certainty thN
49,. C,unty Democracy Aldermen had voted Tor squire
In Of such promise oa tue mere iAcl tIas
-. ,s,".r a.. m existence sgned by squire and bearing
s,s S,;e vas not suciont legal evideuce that sacA
Va yrr, who wiz represent the Mayor at tho hear
, np "Wednesday are Vince. .er H. Pecgham and MessrA
scott and Miller.
GREAT SNAKES ~ THE FAR WEST
Sr PAIL, MIMI, July 30.-A dispatch from