New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-07
JACOB SHAkP'S FRANCHISE.
THE SENATE COMMITTEE BEGINS WORK.
MR.. HAYS VOTES on LARGE TRANSACTIONS IN TO-


meanor sat around "a long table In large caroeed room
at No 81 Nassaust yesterday ana listened to testimony
given by witnesses who after another sabk INTO
big upholstered chair and told What they knew or
what they did not know. while compact OF inter
estei spectators extending back to the window, even
including the windowsills. listened attentivey. This
was tie general external appearance OF aiars In the
Office OF Clarence n Seward in the investigation ly the
senae Railroad Committee Of the history Of the Board OF
Aiermens grant OF franchise to the Broadway Surface
Railroad Company
Senator Low, erect, dignded.and OF genial tcmpcra.
Ineht arrived at 1890 No. aud one by one Senators
Nelson, Walker. Hoysradt, Knapp, Plelly and Pierce
came strayng until it was ten minutes past IL.
large table for the Committee occupied the wet end OF
this the largest law office in the city, while rows OF
chairs Tor the reporters table took up The rest OF
the space James A. Richmond. the president OF the
Broadway Surface Railroad Company was early ON
hand alert business like and looking ready for anything
that might happen. George Bliss In, chaty and
buoyant and nfoT Chairman Low that he cared
IN the interest OF Mr.. Richmond, Jacob Sharp, Thomas
and James W. Foshay the president of the Broad
way and Seventh Avenue Railroad Company; and he
asked the privilege o. sitting by and occasionally asRns
a question IL he thought IL advisable. The chairman
binhly accorded hun chance Mr.. Sharp himself soon
followed Mr.. Bliss. There was much curiosity 10 see
him. He took seat chair near the folding doors
leading from the and showed to all observers that
lie was man OF orce- vigorous constitution somewhat
perhaps proractad illness from which lie had
not fully recovered: between sixty and seventy years
DID, with smoothly brushed hair and wel-tTmmed bcarn
and mustache; OF quiet yet observant manner, and
man or strong self possession.
The room was we'll filed when ex-senator ConRine
entered There general giving way 10 allow him
TO pass to the vest end, whore Mr. seward welcomed
him. ana the two held "a short conference. Chairman
his seat at the east eud of the table Just as Mr.
Sharp moved nearer and seated himself behind Mr..
Bliss and i. Chittenden. who fought the Broad
way Railroad. Richard s. Newcombe appeared In the
interest Of the Board of Aldermen The directors OF the
Broadway companies Vele on hand
IL WAS 1l:l0 when Mr.. COnkling broke OF his con
ference with Mr.. owHrd aud Informed Chairman Low
that lie ready begin. Just as Lawson ~ Flilef
the father OF cables dropped into convenient chnif
Tie dropped their newspa ers or the chat ana
we're all attention. while two stenographers s"lz"i their
penols Mr. Conking opeued tho proceedings by
offer nq the resolution authorizing the Investigation,
while Mr. Seward put IN tho articles OF incorl Oation
OF the broadway Surface r hlroad Company Francis
j. Twomey," Mr.. Seward called The clerk o tic board
OF Aldermen had hiding IN low ncove' but he
promptly responded and was The first to SILK into the
IuYurtcus armchair al the west Of the table
prcssly engaged ~ make witnesses feel 2omfortanle
Mr. Twomey produced n bundle OF CHy Records which
he said were certified copies OF the ormons trAnsac-
tons relative the broadway railroad franchise MI
seward soon showed what no was nfrr by asking CFk
Twomey what tho custom was in issuing calls for special
meetings OF the Board of Aldermen.
Mr.. Twomey-f am TO make u call TOR meeting when
II is signed bv majority Of the Bohrd-thht Is wheh ""
Is O wltAin tWent, four honrs
II taoe fourts OF the mombers sign the call the meet
ing bu held this SHINE day That Is ono OF the printer
rules OF the Boari
Mr. Twomoy uiado note OF II" that Mr. Seward
wanted u specimen copy of tho rule. Mr. seward called
attention to fact that he Cby Record OF september
l. 1854 contained OF Gull for nspociA meeting
OF tho Board Oh Saturday August 80. 1884, at ~ m
m was TIL, special ucrnins session that tho Aldermen
lrantnd the franchise.
MI seward-wnen did you receive tho notice Of tha,
meeting About aqu"rier prIoto c,.A nm nm
met msI uct-d The CLERK, William H. Mhnney to seud
ont the n"tices To sll not Ia the
call There we're Aldermen Mclaughlin, Miller, GrNni
Kirk and OConnOr verified from me hcHdl. Itcy on
lived In the city. ITo Mr. C"nklinf. some 81 them
may have br,n out | xnev that Charles Is. Waite was
hotel keeper whore req drnce wa. shr hTrv orr House:
had heard that lac Kept hotel at n~lohdoh' On the
Sound
Tao witness did not know definitely that the Iyddy
Injunction granted by Justice Donohue on August 90
1854 forbding the Board TO grant tho franchise had
been served on the Aldermen. lie had seen oil August
40 the notice of the OF tho suit which
was signed the day before Ifo saw 10 NJ the morning
.e.son The roadcr had handed It TO Alderman waite
WHO lIeo,od, and he president had then passed II IN the
witness There icw people present In the lobby,
but Mr.. Two:ney did not know who.
Lewis A. Low. who Represented County clerk flHck'
wore laiued OF countosnce rs he took the
OATH. hItio AMI whilo h" held the Bible
iu ono hand he ounR desperately To pile of documents
piled up on tho other. lo supplied tho records In the
cAse A. they came from the County Clerks Office He
Gladly intrusted the documents To Mr. fcward who
hastily from inches thrk BOOK Jacob sharps
t..timony before the Railroad Commissioners Nr.
Sham had male AN estimate % 100000 tine pIObable
cost Of he road from niou square to tue Battery
The indcnlurc of IA mortgage made on July /. 1884,
between william II. Hays. trustee, AMI the Iroad-
way s1rfnce Railroad Company OF 81 100000 with
interest ut per cent payable scnl- annually, was put in
and lcd up To interesting scenes OF the day.
Mr. Hays was culed TO tho stand TO tell all about IT, He
looked perfectly willing. Hs was benevolent. plump,
short man with iron gray hair and we'll deTeloped
mntton. cnop wniskcrs Ho fitted into the chair as If
made far H. Mr. Cor king rose and lowered abnormay
above tue president of the Eighth ana Ninth Avenue
Railroad companles-ss he turned out TO te Mr. Hays
looked somewhat awed. considerably placid. nightly
determined. Mr.. COEkDg opened bis batteries saying
almost IN An aside: Do you knoS Jacob sharpT
nave known him Tor twenty years. He II president
Of the wenty third street Railroad" Mr. Hsys couldn't
toll for the lie OF him whether Jacob Sharp had any
other business IN the world at presen or IN ISL Nth
him regarding the b Oadway Boriace Railroad
Mr. Hays decIdediy)-Neverl s.. ...
road A. (Inore decldedyJ-hsveri'
U.-.Whrn aUOut tue mortgage ! A-Not until was
iold hal been made trustees. -, -, -,
Mr. ConklDg wau.ed greatly to learn all abont the
particulars OF the MORTGAGE business Mr. Hays s@id nc
ieen made a trustee from 8 melody Ia Robinson
scbne BrsIrs once yat acI c,o nsS" mat. m
1 know about Il. . -,
O. Cprrsuaslyey)-Were yOn not informed OF the
magnitude OF tue trust 7 A.-No. $4,000.
o. Did you not kuOw wnether IL was 100000 or
81 900 600 A.--NUt until signed the bOnds
O-How many we're there A.-As rerollect loo
OF 81 900 eacn s.sned tnem IN ne ONCE OF ho1inson,
ser,bnrr a. Bright [ don't remember when. know
II was In warm weather. th nk 1t took me couple OF
hOuIs Oh tao days. . $780,,
Mr. Conkmg (ecrtyl-Cant you be more particular
as to date Mr. Hays denderly and ntensrlyl-CPon
my word OF honor, I cannot. / had aclc,l Ia Slch u
capacity many times that paid no special attention
Ia THO n after. think 10 aei the month of May;
really cant remember. Mr.. Chapman a clerk. was
present he bJtted while signed. That Is the whole
truth. - .
Mr Hays scrmed distressed lest Mr.. Conkiing should
doubt his word, and added: did Just the same n
lad been "a trust company
What lid you do With the bonds A. Il lett them
- Aud no else there except Chapnani Al
thii,k Mr.. Bird Was there