New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-19
STRANGE BRIBERY CHARGES.
A BITTER ATTACK ON HILL AND MULLER
&" THE BROOKLYN EAGLE" TELLS TALE MORE
INTERESTING THAN TRUSTWORTHY - EN-
LICIr pENIALs FOLLOW PROMPTLY.

pLfCrr DEXIALs FOLLOW PROMPTLY.
GThe Brooklyn Eaglon yesterday printed ms us
loading editorial an article nearly column In lene'h
devoted to serious charges against Governor HILL
which II gives In detail. and calling upon the uo'-
crnor 10 lose no lime IN refutIng the charges, II they
can be rcfuted that tho party may act with duo
regard to tho duties and difficulties Of the case be-
fore the Democratic State Convention puts IT'S ac-
uon beyond control The first part of these charges
which The Ea-e, has In array, refers TO tho now
famous letter which Mayor Hewitt is said to have
written to the Governor regarding the Aqueduct ana
the investigation which the senate Committee mas
been making This letter such q startling III
dlctment of the Governor and his alleged connection
with the Aqucduct matters, the story ran, tat nc
literally driven into recommending the passage
OF the act abolshng tho old commission and institute
Ing tho present board The history Of this reported
letter and tho details concerning 1T have already been
fully described in The Tribune.
The other story. given cditoriay, and also in The
Eaglc's' news columns, IS in substance as ioho"s
John T. Dcvcn, the former chairman Of the county
Democracy General Committee and attorney Tor ana
one OF the auditing directors of the Mutual Lie In
.ancc Company OF New York, is represented shortly
before he died, having told Police Justice Maurice
J. Power and cA-Mavor Edward Cooper that he had
discovered among the records of the insurance com
pany a voucher showing the payment OF So0oOo 10
Judge william l.. Muller, the Governors Intimate
friend and former law partner, for securing the Gov
crnors signature to the act, passed by the Legs
laturc, which excmpts insurance companies from a
state tax levied upon them, and returning 10 them
moneys they had previously paid into the State
Treasury The Eaglc7 calls attention TO the fact
that such an act passed and that II received
Governor IIlll's signature. 1t says also that the
Governor and his friends emphaicaly deny any
knowledge of the payment Of the $4,000.
THE STORY DOES NOT LACK DENIAL
"Thc Eagle" flows this with an Interview by one
Of It's repoi't"s with Mr.. Power yesterday Mr.
Power denied that Mr. Devclln ever made such
statement as the above him. and said that he IS not
aware that Dcvcl.n ever made a similar one TO
cx-NIayor Cooper Mr.. Power declined 10 say whether
or not he was aware that Mr.. Dcvein had made that
statement to any one, contcntlng himself with say
ing that Mr. Dcvcn had nevcr made It TO him. Jus
ticc Power had left the city and had gone TO Far
Rockaway last evening. and Edward Murphy, IT,,
chairman OF the Democratic State Committee, who IS
also mentioned in "The Eagles article as having
learned the facts Of hc alleged transaction when he
sought polltcal assessment from the Mutual Life was
at his home in Troy. The Eagle says that Il IS re-
ported that this discovery led Mr. Murphy to d"nounce
Judge Muller as "a thief and also represents Cover
I'M as dcnounclng Muller TO Murphy
Judge Muller was found at the Hoffman House last
evening and had his attention drawn 10 Tho Eagles
articles by Tribune reporter After carefully reading
the portions which alluded TO himself, the Judge
said These statements are wholly false There IS
not tho slightest vcsilge OF truth In them. John r.
Dcveln never audited and never saw any such paper
or voucher Of mine IS described among the records
OF tho Mutual Life Insurance Company or anywhere
else and do not believe he ever said SO. never
received $50 900 from the company for obtaining
Governor HIS signature, any other sum, large or
small. Nor did receive any money al any time
from any person company In consideration
of any official act performed by
the Governor As to the legislation referred 10.
never had the slightest interest In 1t personally,
politically or otherwise"
PRETTY GENERALLY DTsCREDITED
as this tho first time that this charge has been
brought TO your attcntionl7
1T is answered Judge Muller Il never heard
Of It before
Richard A. McCurdy. president Of the Mutual Lie
insurance Company, visited by The Eagle s.
reporter yesterday, It IS said and his statement was
rs he'd for MIR Mc,uriy declined to SEQ the reporter
but sent word to him by messenger that the presl
dent knew nothing about the alleged payment OF
$50 600 to judge Muller Mr.. McCuriy lives IN Ne"
Jersey and was not IN the city last evening. The
general opinion gathered among politicians OF All
shades In the various headquarters and hotel corldQrs
last evening was that tho $4,000 story was wholly
improbable. \ corporation with such reputation
for Integrity and prOhy IN all its transactions, pub
pany enjoys, II thought. would not make use Oh
I.ufl.oV 10. fbnrf inf rg-fg