The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-28
NEW YORK POLITICAL CORRUPTION.
How the City Debts Piled Up 10 Enrich NeA
Politicians of the Tweed Stripe.
Special to the Indianapolis journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Feb 27.-The dust thrown up by
the Senate Broadway railroad investigating coms
mittee has been SO great this past week that ID
has almost entirely hidden three cases illustra-
tive of the peculiar distribution of spols in local
politics. The first is the case of Mr.. Boramjee
Byramyee Colah, Parsee merchant who came
here in 1870 remember him we'll. He was OF
dignifed presence and man of great intelli-
gence. He visited newspaper Offices and public
institutions and attracted average attention.
Suddenly he became insane. Over 100000 was
found in his trunk at the Hoffman House. Az
he had no friends here a guardian was sp-
pointed. Tweed was then in the zenith of his
glory, and Tammany Hall had great influence
with the judges. A wellknown Sachem secured
possession OF the Parsee's effects. He belonged
to the partition element of the party; had never
trained in the ranks of the Pretorians, and was
considered entirely trustworthy. Mr.. Calah was
sent to Bombay afterwards under the guardian
ship of one of the Sachem's friends who was al
lowed $25 900 for his services. The Sachem re-
tanned possession of the Parsees money The
family in Bombay made repeated efforts to So
cure 1t and failed. At the last accounting only
$33 out of the $50 900 remained. The balance
was eaten up in fees and allowances The Sachem,
.
So, 900 was lost in bad mortgage Investments.
The facts are being developed in an effort 10 So
cure a specific accounting. The case recalls the
Taylor will case in Which fortune of $500, 600
was through law court ramifcations. distributed
among hungry politicians.
The second case grows out of the effort to inn
prove the Harlem river at the expense of the
Taxpayers owning land along that stream. The
commissioners were appointed several years ago.
Political considerations, unquestionably, had
something to do with their appointment They
were VIM. Il. Grace. now mayor, General Badly
Smith and Mr. James ID. Fish, now a resident OF
Auburn. They looked at the lands held few
meetings, adopted plan, and put in bill for
$4,000. Smith claimed $15, 900 for his services,
and Grace and Fish wanted $40, 600 each. Coun-
sci to the commissioners asked for $4,000, and
an appraiser appointed by the commissioners
also sought SIS. 600 for his services. One of the
Taxpayers protested and made a fight in the
courts. He has just won it, General Smith Is
allowed only S. 100; Grace and Fish So 900 each;
the lawyer So. 900, and the appraiser S., 500. The
taxpayers saved $45 600 in all, but it.cost them
three years of litigation to do it. This case re-
calls Tweed scheme for the widening of Broome
street, fifteen years ago. The commissioners
were credited with getting $37 900 for removing
an iron railing that ran along the front Of a
block OF buildings running from Wooster to
Laurens street
. The third case is developed by the effort to !,
build a new bridge across the Harlem river be-
tween High bridge and Kings bridge. Politics were
ment of the commissioners. They went to work
with will regardless of cost. Experts were ap-
pointed. proposals were asked for. and all the
little wires used in forwarding similar schemes
were laid when taxpayer took the alarm. He
beloved so loudly that public attention
aroused. and 81, 900, 600 was saved to the public
treasury.
These three cases emit little smoke, but that
smoke is enough to indicate the intensity Of the
fires covered by the cold crust of local politics.
The city is building an aqueduct that will
cost between twenty and thirty million
dollars. The majority of the commits
sioners are cool and calculating politicians.
They get So, 900 year for meeting once fort
night. No reports of their sessions are pub
lished in the newspapers. and the people know
nothing of what is going on The city Is also
making parks up in Westchester county for the
use of those rich enough to ride in carriages at
an expense that threatens to add 500, 900, 600 to
the city debt. All the movements of the COM
missioners, however, seem to be made under
cover, for the newspapers are silent concerning
their operations. Occasionally a shrewd poll
tician dashes across Harlem bridge with a fort
une in his pocket, made by an investment In
the condemned lands; but only his friends seem
to be aware of it, and the honeycombing
process continues.
The Broadway railroad investigation may
prove to be volcanic eruption that will expose
the secrets of the mountain and create an excite
ment paralleled only by that attending the ex-
posture of the Tammany ring 10 1872 Rumor
says that Roscoe Conkling is ambitious Of play
ing the role Of Samuel j. Tilden in this new po-
litiAl drama He is working on the chance Of
receiving pay for his work from the next Legis-
lature. The Legislature will not only be en-.
powered to appropriate the money for the ex-
penses of the committee, butt will also select q
United States Senator. The only question now
is whether Mr.. Conkling is able to remove the
debris that to fill the crater of the volcano.
If he is able to do this the Last Days of Pom
pei" are at hand for politicians now reveling in
municipal halls. AMOS j. CUMMINGS.