New-York tribune., 1886-07-30
ROLLIN NJ. SQUIRE'S PLIGHT.
THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS
STILL NON-COMMITTAL.
sURMIsEs AZ TO HOW THE sQUGRE-FLYNN LETTER.
GOT INTO MAYOR GRACE's HANDs-sUP-
POSED TO HAVE COME FROM II. o.
THOMPsON-wHAT GOVERNOR
HILL. MAY DO.


The Mayors charges against Commissioners
Squire the subject OF general discussion yesterday
among city politicians but aside from the letter written
by Mr. Squire to Maurice b. Flynn little importance was
attached to them. great deal OF curiosity was SHOWN
to how tho Mayor got tho letter. and as to wne'her o
not It genuine. Commissioner SQUIRE who came 10
his Office after attending the funeral Of Mr. Thompson
decued to say further In regard the matter
He said that his would bo comPete
when gwen Wednesday next. and until then
he would remain silent. Mr Squire not az COM
posed as usual but he exhibited great concern ho
reiterated his expression of intense disgust at tho course
OF the Mayor IN dragging in tho namo OF u A. Pollard
eI-empoye in the department who many years ago.
when a young man, convicted OF crime III B0ston'
but who has since sought to live 1t down Mr.. squire
denounced such conhuct the part OF the Mayor as
"Drutai and IN TINS there general concurrence OF
opinion among his friends. Even some OF
Mayor Grace's intimate friends were willing
to admit in view OF hts having appointed the Jaw
breaker Purfoy. and other such persons to oce tha
his conduct In going out Of the way to drag in the name
Of Pollard indefcnslble
Although the charges against Mr. Squire were appar'
emily made by the Commissioners OF Accounts IL was
admitted that they were drawn up by order OF tho
Mayor. Charles T.. Mler-otherwlsc known AZ " Cit-
zen Miller. because he tho principal part OF inc
so-callei citizens orgauizatiOn which nominated N'r
Grace FOR Mayor-drcw no the charges. Mr. MlIer
has been employed by the Mayor s"ieei-lauye agent
Albany nud has received sums from tho oV"-
ungent fund Of tho Corporation Counsevs Office as at
torney various ways FOR tue city. Tho preparation
OF charges tho ways which the Mayor
found employment FOR Mr.. Miller. Chamberlain lVins
formerly tho Mayors private secretary aad now ono OF
his business partners. concerned In the work OF
preparing the charges. Mr. WINS haia long private
consultation with Maurice B. Flynn at the rooms
Of tho New-Am-terIam cub Monday night.
Whom tho news OF this conference leased
ourSes,eriny It thought confirm the story that
Mr.. Flynn hal himself givcn to tho Mayor the letter
from squire. Ths report wIs to the edect that, %
avoid exposure threatened By the Mayor, Flynn coN'
.cntcd to furnish tho letor IN oricr that tho MAYOR
could got squire Office. Mr.. Fynns friends. how
ever while admitting ne would sacrifice anybody
to .orve hia personll cnts, would not admit lh't no
could have given this letter to tho Mayor
A, to tho gcnuiuene-s OF tho letler
almost everybody ready to admit IT,
and long at Mr. squire lid not deny It no one e'e
thought IL worth Will" 10 do Nobody could De iouuI
who put any faith IN FYuns denias.
The generally accepted theory tn rcgarito the Mayors
possession oftle letter ihAt came from Hubert
.. Thomp'on He was tho principal in al tHe neso'iA
lions which were nai m December. l9-1 looking 70 TIC
control ~ the Public Works Departments Flynn was
merely an agent in Tnomp,ou', hanl, Il WAS Mr
Thompson ami john keenan, who controlled the county
Democracy votes the Board Of Aldermen.
without their consent one coull have
been confirmed Comni'siouer o. Pn'ic
work. to succeed 1hompson. Mayor EIson absolutely
refused o. resppont Thompson and while tie deadlock
existed squire who had boforo BEEN frcutr tc.,as
.,sthF.yru came on the s.erc. g. 49,. ouOwu Ei-0n
when they wero schoohoys and lc surgcstel - jhn
that tho Mayor u. sht appoint hlu Flynn, w-' was
auTou- about his profitable orl":' anI contracts
with tho department than about anything ese brought
propostou Of squre's the ATTENTION OF lAomp'on
and Keenan, They agreed to tho pi5po.lGon. provided
that they could ~ their squire vas senI TO
sees Nr Elson. whom he made beeso tat 10 i-glirr
would Doe guided by in case Of appoif ftment Nh Ei'on
consented appoint squire the est way oAt oi TIC
dlnculty provided that squire cou set votes enonth
10 bc condrmei. mis- pol.'t that Ae resumed
NEGOTIATION. with Flynn. Thompson asl keenan,, and
this {, supposed TO DO the ume when he wrote thi'
letter.
But he not only wrote this letter hu lac wrote at least
oue other rc,lenins his Office. le'yns ih'
date blank. THIS, It was undef'IooI' was
10 be- used In cs,o M.yor Grace
would promise a, any tlmo to reappout Thomp-ou.
Mayor Grace WA. deeply dstppout"i ln not being ao''
to control the Pubic WORKS Department. anI hf began
az once 10 hunt up material which 20 base charges Tor
squiros removal THIS vas not difficult matter ~ the
department. which had ong been honey comped VII"
corruption was 10 no wl,o improved unlor Mr. squire.
uleea asappcars by hi letter, everything wont ON ih'
.amo a. before squire being nero hsureheaL Flynn
Cunningham aud the other contractors continued 20
name the inspectors ami engineers Who were posed 20
the CITY got from them what Iald ioU l"'
nrn OF Aston Gerry ( Co.. In which Ihomp'on ana
Flynn said To bo principals, continued TO t"r"''n
supplies ana everything won't on ~ before. b"' no
time cAmc when squire got alarmed over the activity o'
the Mayor In seeking to compass his removal 40
heard that tho Mayor shout 20 aSreo to appoint
some friend OF InOmp'on's to tho "Ice ana 'n~t
h. Of rcsignnuon was 10 Doe used II was ~
this tme that squire showed signs ~ n-nbornlp'u"h
toward Thompson by sending To tho Mayor the l'ter
dated December ~. 1855 (which was printed ia yes
terdays TKiBt M declaring that ami All alleged
rc.gnatuns, claimed to be- m existence prior % U''
date signed or unsigned By me. bearing ny oWo'A
nano II any such shall reach your hands-"re hereby
revoked aud Withdrawn"
This WAS In a measure break with Ihomp'oh an" 10
save himself from squire found 1t necessary 10
anticipate any deal tho Mayor might secA TO make
with tho Governor could not reach tho Governor
through rhompsons frlond-, who sought to d"I""' '
for denomination so ho went 10 Iammany 'al"Is ANU
TO Andrew II. Green to get holp from l""o"' n"'"
Green aud tho 1ammnnJ leaders came to squire AT
assuming no responsibility FOR him. but taxing WHAT
they could get ia return Tor using their hnhehco 10
save hin from removal Flynn WAS obliged 70
consent to this arrangement to save MS o"" un""c"
nerestA This changed condition OF ahAr' 10" 10 "o
discharge OF considerable number OF slhe'ui''' "F
pointed IN tho department ny ThOmpson lie was ln-
oenscd aud II Is known that he had stormy n
with Flynn OYor tho matter. 1hOmp-Ou ou~Ik'" -"
with having deceived him III squire ana WIN ' ,V'
pclllhK MN 20 'h ~ Out hl' .sr. attained
tuat all OF Flynu's persora adh"rohls "o,o ti,, +.
and his and orders wont on "s oeloro' hr
SAID not to havo resented Mr.. lhOmpsons anger u1nct
than warn hin that he uhompson) conH not ""o"
quarrel with biJ"G. -. -, ,,.r,
Ihe work OF ocUnumlzing In the Public orR' D'P"'V
steadily at tho expense oi VII. ."onl llE
sons friends Mr.. squire managed to do tho SHio win
~ predroessOr hal iOno A. muoh sm"''rl
and with 200 fouor omplOyo-. but oFoly "'1" .
ch, ,rged AS "A blow AT tho County DEMOCRACY -
noticeable at this timo that Mr.. IhomP'0h h,lo ".o~
sionai visits to tho Mayors private on.'' fur.
the presumption now Is thAI no So,
nshed Mayor with tho lettot
SqnIros on which tue Mayor now seeks to remove tho
Public works COuIinisslouer. rhomp-on pr"bApJ pr
ferrod the department ia the hands OF mo ''i.
win, h friendly To the County DcmOorAcy, th~h uhuo'
control OF his political enemies. . o..
ltl known that the Mayor has boon PeP"''uE w
profor those charges against 74"!"
- thoy we'll under way when thompson uiou 10
went ahead. waiting for the funeral lhi' o"us" tS
good doal OF criticism yesterday, but II wa" oAp'-
that Mayor wanted TO servo ho'Ioo ho'Ioo.,,.'n
Snulre bnfore be could get AWAY on VhoN1ID"'