New-York tribune., 1886-02-09
PRICE THREE CENTS.
JACOB SHARPS CHECK-BOOK.
IT HAS NO NAMES. NO DATES, NO AMOUNTS.
TRACES LOST IN THE WASTE BAsKET-HUGE CHECKS
PAID THAT LEAVE NO MEMORY.

Broadway Surface Railroad investigation Mr. sharPs
check with without dates TO identity them OF
adorn them, the feature OF the day. Mr
Sharp declared that he had kept account Tor twenty
had records Of his cheeks and all his vouchers
he had consigned the basket The investigating
committee held their sessions the annex OF tho new
York Hotel and the members thereof Aldermen ana ex
Aldermen. other witnesses, spectators ana reporters
hudded closest and hottest possible
quarters Alderman Jaehne offered the Ahermanic
Chamber for the sessions. this not accepted
After some preliminares. ex-Alderman John C. OCon
nor j, Of the Board of Aldermen 1884 and 1885, was
called to the stand and allowed to tell In his own
way what knew He told OF his efforts to pass resc-
luton require railroad franchises to be put up at auc
ton and then said that August 25 1884, ne wcntto
lenox Mass. after instructing Clerk Twomey TO seno
for him when Broadway franchise was to be acted
OIL He left his address On Monday. September 1, no
got notice Lenox. forwarded from this city, with tho
memorandum that 1t had been received at his house on
Saturday August 80, at 230 IN. The letter nad oeeh
originally mailed here Saturday, at p in' ana was
the noticaton of the meeting OF the Aldermen 10 DO
held at a. NJ that day. AT that meeting the irancnise
was grantedl The witness and Alderman Grant wero
the only vote against the FRANCHISE when co
up a second time. october 20. 1854
James A. Richmond the quckmoving keen-eyeo pres
ident Of the surface company was sworn ana WIN III"
aid Of an assistant produced the books ana pa
pers which, he said, he supposed his suop"as
called lOr Inc ltedsuItE VI t"" N"'"f""'
said. was Mr. Bird. [Mr. Hayss BILLY" Birdl
and the secretary, Mr.. Mclean. Mr.. Richmond knew
NJ the mortgage OF 81 500 The interest manred on
January l, 1886, he said, and it had been paid
"Haye you received your interest ~ Mr. Conknns
asked.
"Yes," the answer.
Mr. Congling-By whom was it poiti Al assume S pp
those who guaranteed It, the Seventh Avenue ana tn"
Twenty third street companies 49,. ...o..,,, q, tina
200 600 mortgage bondsl Al own Few Oh Iheui'
have knowledge of any OF the others s nnrnose,
AEThey were oil gwen by Mr. sharp
Mr. Conkliug said blandly that did not desire to Dc
ipousitiye but he would really like to Know now MT
Richmond got his bonds. Were they paii Iorf
Mr.. Richmond (promptly)-No, sir. They were gwen
to mo by Mr. Sharp.
o.-Hov many we're therei A.-MustI an'werf L de-
cline TO answer. - .
- Mr. Conking said that Mr. Richmond need not answer
tfbe had any fear of incrminatDs himself Mr. kich'
rd declared he did not iear that, aud on Chairman
Iow,, iu.tructing him TO reply, he ansWeiea' 90
bonds of 81 900 each. He had been 'oia U! 'e'"iSo
& Co. and others that the selling pr1ce "heh 'ne' e,"
frat spoken of to him l07 Mr. Rlchmoni knew no'n
ing of the second mortgage OF 81 loOoooo' Oeyohu no
say. The nrst mortgage bonds Mr. Richmond Signsa III
scribuer & Bright's Office aud lett thehl 'here "o 40
be knew they remained there. -
Mr. seward-why there two pettonss LOT .h.ro g
rancsei A-BecsSse Ggr sgty o. the rst grant
and rather than suy risk they thought IL oes' " "
Iacob sharp was then called the chair lie had been
hacked away In a remote corner OF the rooin' 'ains
trying TO hear what had been going on but alter oes
rate effort he succeeded getting TO the 'front.' Every
hodv leaned fol ward to get good looA at tne nau S
seated himself soltdy in the char pan'e.
his hands stout "aihlhs's''A' ~
settled down to the ordeal Mr. Conkling Hiancea a'
him and gathered himself together for the srusse
There was moments pause and Mr. CohAnns' 'i'''"e
within four feet OF the witness, began
How long have you lived in New-Iork Mr.. sharp'
Mr. sharp-Ever since was % wv tweu,S cur; S-'ue
MIR ConElng-And how Old arc you
Mr. sharp looked thoughtful moment anu %"
swered: A: 'Sixty.eight last July
Mr. sbarp had formerly been in the lumber ahd tns
dock business that came to an emu Win MI" ~ io
twenty to twenty five years ago. since theh nc Nd" '
IN the railroad business and had buut lhc o'eeeA'i
street. Dry Dock. East Broadway, Forty-seeo"u su"
Grand street Ferry the Broadway and seventh Avenus
~, r,,ontv.tbird street. the Christopher and Tenth
S+ras, and the broadway Surface railroads MI oharps
~ va. the cause Of much trouble for u SANK alhoss
to an undertone He explained that lie was noe "' go
but would speak up" TO the hest ol MS aoh'S. no
had been working for the Broadway project since io''
This brought Mr. sharp and Mr.. ConklnS down 10 IN
,,7, 80 - connon level where the ex-senator could,
with his accustomed art level deadly plow a MS ~
,,opis, IL brought the question " MI sharp "hoa
were you subpeuaedf ,, 8. .,h,
NJ sb,r, thougat diligently and said 1t must ha'o
b.sr last week ''Iwas in my carriage 1T lho ue' no
dn,i,ted " and was OH my to MI ScriDner oinoe|
md 90 on down there because oil the suopen" ~
-, Iwo yope there anyway" Mr.. Sharp would n"S
no bacn in this point. He did not 80 10 the ooe ~
talk over what he should testify to.
'", nI. Conkine then proDed a! follows: where DO
Won keep your bank accounts Z =,
The quiet answer was: " Ihose ot tne ios", "
which an oiheer ~ '"0 -.
-, Rank; my private accounts
n.,,d,vav Rank o. yes Jas II suddenly recollect-
sar b,ve a small account at Rome. oneida CoaDS'
vhere have farm. That is for expenses tHere'
A. Conrl,nr having struck the kinshp OF oneida
County took up the subject OF the BOOKS anu p"pe'
,b cb Mr. sharp might think covered oS MS suop'
- ooue the short and simple annals from the VII
,,a,s,s lns. 81 have other books except """' 90
n' ;, n sbarp pointed to two chcck-OooRs. Hf.
In,,,,,g was amazed yet he quietly asked "hAs
80 and paper. did you suppose the subpoena ca0~
for Z" ,,o ,,o o,bar books and
80, rons for wears, except check-Dooks''
nave Aop , oronpd the room and Mr. COnkling made
D." w ,sner.te effort What" he said. e no oooss'
% oopnts no records. not even dlary
~ air not III twenty years. was 'ne uniane'i"s
NJ sharp tapped his toes with his cane s"d
s"n,'0d dumb. waiting for Mr. Conkins to go on.
I ,,d 40 In this wise: A" Mr.. Sharp you nave o"no
,a,.ass nm In the millions, have you ho''
pus'ho >, ,ovv so much about that" was the gray
,., old mans answer. Then he added with shsns
- ~ IN. shoulders: g. dare say tha' in All 'Hese
shruS VI ' for living may have amounted up 10
the millions" .o. an orv,h,,s In
Tben you scrap Of pSper OF may be-
show these transactioh'' N
loose slips OF paper. ,,o,, IN vour pocketi A-Oh,
yes; TTe y Won kept any of them A.Weh yes uns na
IA nsed the paper up. Then tore IL III p0''' ""~
threw vo ever throw the papers away without ~
inc them 1pI A-(Blunty)- soy 't an, '"Saru.
"s nng tried another trick to ind ont where Ar.
Mr. a,,sr leaving Mr. scribners office. Home"
snarp tD" woposyIlable 90 yes" he added went to
was quo and bought hat No. HAD no appointment
Duniap I"s -, noms about D. NJ reached the oflco
~ ',o no M Imay have been there half an hour. On.
ros remember, on my way back went around 70 .ae
Green 10 see the starter. had other business ~ '''
nsr's OF private nature It'll. o, and vo,n.x