New-York tribune., 1886-08-25
PLEADING FOR R. NJ. SQUIRE.
THE HEARING BEFORE GOVERNOR HILL

ALBANY, Aug. 24.-GovernOr Hill gave q
hearing to-day on the made by Mayor Grace, OF
New-York. against RoIn NJ. Squire. Commissioner OF
Public Works city. Mayor Grace asks the Gov
ernor approve OF his removal OF Squire from Office
that approval being necessary before removal
be accomplished. Colonel Robert g. fngerso and John
H. strahan counsel for Commssioner SQUIRE pesred
to oppose his being removed, and Wheeler II. Peckham
to urge that the removal be made Mr. stahan made
the opening speech After stating the Las on the sub
iect OF removals he said
"The preparations for these charges have been extern
si,c and minute. Itis In evidence that the Mayor put
the Commissioners Of Accounts into tho Offices OF
Department OF Public Works August %, 1885. From
that date they have been pursuing their Inquiry with
trained accountants ana engineers Not con-
tent with the official Investigation, they
have made charges against him in the newspapers
They have compared him with Tweed. Everything that
could prepare the public mind for these charges has been
done. Seven charges were made against Mr.. Squire
They accuse him Of muiating tho records in his
Office They have represented him as destroying docn
ments OF eliminating character. When 1t
came TO be Investigated 1t was found that Mr.
Squire. out OF pity for an empo,e against whom
charges had been made and who subsequently re-
signed had destroyed the record at the mans request
That charge frivolous that the Mayor has not
presented it. Then. second charge, they said that
Mr.. Squire had appointed three employees who performed
services payable in law from appropriation, andEhas
certified to their being pad from different appropria
ton. We showed that Mayor Grace had permitted that
system OF transfer In 1881, when 1t called 70 his
attention. When Mr.. Squire shown It's
| impropriety he changed the system. The third
| charge relates TO what is alleged 10 be
violation OF the Civil Service Law. He appointed
they did different work. The fourth charge ia that
he employed clerk whose past record bad. It
shown that Mr. Squire did not know the mans charac
ter and when did he accepted the mans resgua
ton. The sixth charge tnat Mr.. Squire permitted
bad pavement be put Fifthae That charge, also,
| is not pressed"
Governor Hills 1t trus that that pavement has boon
| paid fort
"Of nv own personal knowlenge" replied Mr.
strahan, "I state Controller Loew has signed
the warrant 1t was sent to Mayor Grace
but whether he also has signed 1t or
not do know. The seventh charge is the letter
that Mr. Squire reputed 70 have written to Mr. Flynn.
There remains therefore, only charges which stand,
namely The Flynn letter charge and tho Civil Service
violation charge We deny that Mr. Squire violated the
Civil Service law"
Governor Hi-As understand IT, certain men Grew
pay as axemen and performed other duties.
That IT," replied Mr. Strahan, and tho situation
FULLY explained to Controller Loew."
Governor Hll-Ihc Controller must have known It
The Controller OF the would know II paid
for duty and performed another.
Mr.. srshan-IIe did know 1t, and approved OF II to
save money TO the city. And let atten
ton Flynn letter The Mayor doesn't show that
q single thing done in pursuance OF the alleged
agreement OF Squire and Flynn. He does not produce
any evidence to show that Squire did put the Depart
OF Public Works In the control OF Flynn. That has
been charged IN tho newspapers. Mayor Grace has
taken those newspaper assertions and presented them
to you evidence d. Lowber Smith, formerly Deputy
Commissioner OF Public Works, the only VINO
presented anything that resembei the evidence his
point lie said that Squire said he would consult Flynn
about certain appointments. Why did Mr.. Squire de-
sire to Mr.. Flynn Mr. Squire wers that qucs
frank Y. He consulted Mr.. Flynn |
about the appointment OF the County Democracy in the
XIVth Assembly District. lie made fewer appoint |
ineuts for Flynn than any other
Governor Hill-Does it appear in the evidence that
Squire ever Flynn contracts
Mr.. Strahan-Nothing more than will now read you.
Mr. Strahan then real to the Governor
the evidence OF a messenger to the effect
that he had heard clerks talking nbou. contracts With
flynns hfm Guy Q. HOtchkiss, Field il Co. lie then
cont iued; , ,
that Mr.. flynn's firm had contracts. 1t said all
through this Investigation that Flynn hai made
100000 in the past two out Of the Department
Governor, which SHOWS that ID 1885 Mr. Fynns firms
total contracts amounted TO only $50 lsj 10 The sum
OF slsO99 80 were contracts obtained at public letting
and sleO9i 90 by private Orders they were orders
for articles which could be obtained 80 cent cheap
er from the nrm The present year the contracts OF Mr.
50 so7 obtained at public letting and s3 1913 from
private orders. Tney orders for goods that c0nd
only be obtained from , Mr. Flynn's frm That is ai
HILLS there any allegation OF fraud by Mr..
No sir, Sir" replied Colonel Bob - Ingersoll.
m pr ha aecana sec % srg. mr' @ ntrdn Men me 1easn
indictment by the Grand JURY, and hi. own refusal
amined by the Mayors lawyers.
Governor Hl-Up to that time you had made no
Mr.. sranan-No. sir; do ask for delay now in
making decision on these charges. No charges are
actually made against him II stands upon record tnat
RoD NJ squire never had one cent of the citys money
Mayor Grace. No false contracts ever made ly
hin. and concealed behind person 1y I g name OF
Robert g. ingersoIl said that he would like TO present
few OF the thoughts that had occurred
to him while listening TO the tesllnony AGAINST squire
se9e Mayor Gaee & ne ne%spa&eG & ne ssa s
newspaper with the headline Jones IS an honest
man. Smith fairly elected when sat down
to the evidence Squire thought there must
be something tremendous COMING. Tue newspapers nad
said so much against hun. one newspaper mad init
IL ated that squire had stolen the public money
mutated tue puoc records to conee, his ,nedt what @
Of Not tnei Dut kindness OF hear.n Ell eiqTt to
had the manhood withdraw tho charge Then they
said that Pollock had a bad record lie had been IN
honest life. He had invented series OF checks on the
rates which had Increased the income OF New-
to demand Polock's removal. He resigned and Mr.
Squire accepted his resignation. That was tho only
wron; thing Squire did He ougn not to have accepted
Pollocks Resignation. He ought to nave kept him In
Office. Then there is the civil reform charge.
Civil Service Reform! The refuge Of unsucce
fuI politician-ci all humbugs It T. the worst! We Re-
eane and you Democrats had stood behind US licking
your chops"
= Perhaps had better turn our attention TO the
present matter said the Gov ern0r, laughing heartily
Well let consider this Flynn .letier said Colonel
Ingersoll. He then argued tnat there not the
evidonce that Mr.. Flynn had ever received the
squire letter. and that squire believing that tue letter
destroyed before he accepted oice from Mayor
couId righuly be removed because lie wrote
IL. Honor Shoud squire said Colonel
ugerso -every would say that yol did 81 because
the Flynn letter The jury thai Is abon % Try squire
ould quickly him. They would say that
guilt innocence already been passed upon by
the highest officials In the land why SHOULD YOU
make hastef is :heIe any chaIge OF dshonestyf .
Not any. Is he about to do something wrongi Not
thing. Why then, hurry remoya him AT The de-
mand OF the people who seek his official blocdi Why
should you These ana grave charges
shall take original Jurisdiction, original testimony
about this case testimony OF that taken by The