New-York tribune., 1886-08-05
ROLLIN NJ. SQUIRE ON TRIAL.
THE HEARING BEFORE THE MAYOR BEGUN.
LIVELY OBJECTIONS BY Mr.. sTRAHAN-GoiNG o'hH
THE CHARGES.


eating big bills for the people to pay. , 'o.' .,
poration Counsel Lacombe and his assistant T. W.
Scott. sat next TO the Mayor "Citzeh |n"'
Miller and Wheeler H. Pcckham were also proscn' "
represent the Mayor though ostensibIy couhsei LUZ w
siopers OF Accounts who were present as more
| fgurehcads John d. Townsend occupied sea' noa'
the Mavor. while John II. strahan and Richard D. N
combe appeared for Mr. Squire. who was preso"' ~
his counsel. Charles II. Swan. Deputy oon'
missioner Smith. Lawson N. Fuller and others "e''
among those present.
When Mayor Grace took his seat Alderman Morgan'
In Jolly and laxative mood stool up an" ook"" '"
talk. Whom do you represent r. inquired tho Mayo'
" Tho people" replied the Alderman. you na'o "v
place here; both sides are represented py co""sor
said the Mayor at which there ripple OF iauB"e
In the room and Mr.. Morgan sat down.
Mr. strahan began by obectng to tho employment OF
stenographer without consultation with the "eio"''.
The senographer. he said, was unknown 10 num- a,',
not sworn oicsr, though the record mere wou''
have TO be passed upon by a higher cohr'. i"o ''
overruled the objection Mr. Strahan thch o'Jcc'ou w
the Mayor proceeding upon charges made Dy 'no "o'
mi.soners Of Accounts Mr.. shoarman, no sai'' "a'
| a resident OF New-Ie AMI Mr. Adamson' oi poo"
lyn and there warrant Of Jaw FOR ther "'A"S
cnarges against ofira OF this city.
Mayor Gracc-Mr. Adamson Is resident OF ths CITY
| to my knowledge -, ..,or
| Mr. stranan-I suppose the same knowledge apper.
ains TO Nr. shearmsn though you nave fsr.ev
your own signature tn't he Is ra'ldent OF n oasr
lie was appointed Nv you In defiance OF ia" ono'
| evidence u prove these ftotA
The Mayor oycrruc the objection o,,
| Mr. Pcckham-Ihough this Is a secondary po'n''
| think that 1t woni he well To hear the proof. no,
| Mr.. strahan-ine record Is complete S'ahu upo"
| rae Mayor-wc Will hear any eyilcnce you have 70
Mr s.rahan declined to produce the proof the Mayor
having proviou.y cIcluied IL Tho charges were theh
read Mr strahin put III general denial aer ""ich
Robert H. clifford. cAiof clerk Of the Phblc Work. De-
partmeni WA. ani examined by Mr. Miller III IT,
| gard to the mutt atcd record book. The witness WAS
asked II certain In the book was not III Ills
| opinion. cory Of An official letter TO MN.
Mr.. str,har-i object; though sulr''1e that II VIII
hr use. all ojcctio"7 IN tii' pay WIZ De % ovrt
ruled II not an opinion a. to whether
or not II Is An oihciAl letter
MAYOR Grace deciding On the objection. heih
whi-p -pcrcI consultation with the Corporation Oou'c
| ami Mr. Miller
Mr. strnhln-I object To the Mayor sitting hero as
mag,.ratc uO.IiuS -ecret consultations WIN 'nc
prosecution. No are eltt-i t" hlVe ' thai ne S,y
rrco.d The Cofp9rati,n conn',i ha' 40 ni'
er~ la this c'pacny IL - no more 'He % y 20
the Mayor thtG hc - Of Com missioner squire o' any
Oturr city onic!a.
| Mr. L,comb. aud Mr. Pcckhtm maintained that the
M,vor nal ari.ht to consult VITA anyb,iy he might
choose Mr. ,ra,n hen a,srd 10 have an' pFo''o" o'
NV pon Ell ont ihal m,e letter BOOK conisninc cop
f., OF eftrrs pDic record. This wonderful Ia
covery OF tho Couu..onrr+ OF Accounts he sail Iherc
rel u'rlng ,uri book - oe N'P A. Al. 'ir'
Peckham -sl hat tn- wt not th' trh o. an ih'c''
mcni. party might be gitic'' 81 an act th't """''
cpu n
Office
| Mr. strah.n-rhe,, sentiemrn know ani admit that
book = uot q puDac r"corl. lhry say rs 10 Nno"
ina TIA man uun. 10 holi tni> oMce "''t ~
u.s. of the Mayor evidence on that ponti ~"
nave declared aud over assin in IN hew-p'prt-,
snow eisr AMI Ak 'or your proof Sow ney say It Is
| lot uecr.sary t. proIh'~ i"sa evidences.
TIE M.yor tururd TO consult tue Corporation Counsel
Mr. e,r,ban-I object to such procecdng The Cor
por,non Counsel the magistrate AMI has no bn'
Inc Co. ora,lon Council -hond override the OBJ
Inr n,yor-f overrulo tho objection ani admit the
Wr. Wter GO witnc..j-Do you know where the orig
ina. ~ Have you place where you keep '"e"'
Mr. str.n'n move to .r k on, all aoou. ,nls S.y .p
Mr. reckham-rhat istruc
Further developed fact that the pages OF
the letter book torn copies OF letters Addressed
| to Mr.. Bumcntha. superintendent of incimorahce''
| winch cont .ined charges winch Commissoner Hq"ro
| pr"po.ci q nan. As he resigned tue charges
were destroyed Mr.. clifford was then examiner III ro'
| xAfd to- letter sent Dy ,hcf Engineer birds"i 10
Commi,.on-r squire on January ). lsed. IN regard
to .ilegei irroruar-. IN tao payroll' OF tho or1"n
AqueIuct rho Sitness ,Aii thts me rt'er ua
rcmo'.d fran tho h'r. "nd ho con n"a m"i IT.
Mr. -trAhan i- objections to questions our
tn. Mayor f"ilow"i the opinion of tnc "'F' F' "u"
| Brisan was then sworn aud 10 was shown u
| copy OF the ,etter which he s"'u was was
| correct copy Tn. lctt"r adires.ei To 'onnn.-
-ioncr squir- aud called attention To the tac hat l. H.
| k,mnriy Theodore A. Hamilton, Waiter j. B"ss-'
srr. m" performing such duties In his letter MrBrd-
| sail spoke Of TINS AS All irrcSulaly
! In answer To the question ~ what he meant bv
saving In his letters that irregularities existed the
wle.. SAID It opinion that the things mentioned
| were irregular.
Mr. Mnct-Nere they continued on the payroh a''cr
Sir str.n4n-I object because p,yrols will speak
fot themselves. They are the cVidrhec' no' '"' WV
Ihe Corporation Coun.el-it 10 my opinion that thc
| objrc, ION /, well akcn.
Mr .wcnml,e un An undortone TO Mr.. str.han) Cot
em sgain
Then Mr.. Miller produced letter dated January IL
from Mr. squire 10 tho witness. Ia WHICH '"'
Cvminis,loncr ordered tho Cniof Engineer !"
accordance with your (hi-) suggestions u
transfer AIemon, Fay, White. Me"do' '"'
iivan Dunysand others tho payroll OF tho Crotou
| tho l.ttrr over aud asked Mr. Miller Why ho was So
stupid Mr. str~hAu polluted out tn"t the shni s' % r
| against that he had carried tho hH '' "
Murray. u. In-. Cooney. Brtton. Coopef' uol'., ~
Kelly. Armeu Bose. aud Bran ION on tnr n Tn.
charge IN s-l Mr.. strhan insisted, was hi"to rhousu
lar NJ. All IN. money came out OF tue Ipayors o New
V"rt what d,d II matter wnsther they pad out o
ono tuna or another Bui, n dii mater. WV, ,,,i
were not Murrsy iiA LIE and thosc sprcinei IN the
charge. but Fay, White. Mr@'o aud otuefs NOV 'o
Mr. Msr said that tho letter was an answer TO 'na, n
OF January ., WRIT ny Mr bird'''' 10 "''
tnr Mayor decided to admit H. -,
sir str.n.n-Il answer atall ana ha
| reference To that tho "i'"'''j -.
Ine Aayor-Iuu nave rguL 10 cross oAa"'"o '"o
...
| Mr. StrahAu-Your Honor, only exposes your is""
rance of IN, law y SAVING that. Tue LEARNED torpot"'o"
COUNSEL will ADVISE Honor tn.t wnen these pso.'u
attempt To crow paper IA ou tho rccoIi i" ."' -
1 tho witness as ~ 49, :"
about o the witirssl what dd IT r Il 10 ~ !.
! a con yrr.atlon 1 hal with -. Iuwper smith, mo "ou
Deputy Comm s-iphcr which made tue suEscs'''"
! ir Sirah.n- nerc nOw TINS letter mas no 'o"uoV
| Ia these charges.
| Iho Mayor took counsel of Mr.. Licombe, VINO qu''S
said that he Thought tho letter incompetent e'uonoo
aud IL - ruled out.
Mr.. strahan-if Your Honor had Only gNoh III"
chance all tuis tiur would nave been saved
lhr Mlyvr-If juu WI Dcnavo yourself as gohtio
wiz give you every cOnsiieraIion.
Being asked why hs c ,inrd tnat tI- nnn iheno"o'
were rro sulary carried the CrooD Fund roll thos"'
ness va. his opinion tnst tho names "hou'a "
taken from that payroll TO the general iund.