Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-04-27
FRAUD INVESTIGATED.
The State Senatorial Investigation Int
Alleged Corruption In the City Of
New York.
Witnesses Dspose of the Connection ef Gov.
eInor Hal In the Business-Threats
and Intimidation.

NEW YORK. April "A At the Senator
ial Investigation into alleged corruption
in connection with the work on the ne
Croton aqueductand in other departments
of the city, Senator Pierce stated that he
had received telegram from Governor
Hill demanding that Rollin M. Squire be
required to produce the letters he swore
he nad received from the Governor.
President Spencer of the aqueduct COM
mission, the first witness, said he had
visited Governor Hill and urged him to
veto the bill recognizing the board by
putting the mayor and comptroller CT Of
It,. This was only q few days before
the Governor signed it.
Rollim M. Squire, ex-commissioner
OF public works and an old member Of
the aqueduct board, was the next called,
and produced q numoer Of letters and
notes from Governor Hill and from his
private secretary. Some of them were
invitations for conference with the
Governor. In one Governor Hill asked
Squire to restore 8 man named Nelson,
who had been discharged from the public
works department. Another was from
Judge Mullin, the Governors friend, ask
ing that Charles Cornell be appointed to
q position under Squire.
Ex-Collector Lowe testified that he un-
derstood that the aqueduct commission
organization bill originated with John
O'Brien Of the contractors firm Of
O'Brien Clark, who,it has been alleged,
profted by the change and aided.
GOVERNOR HILLS CANVASS
financially. The witness had declined to
acceoe to the request OF Judge, Mullin
that he voted to award three sections of
the aqueduct contract to O'Brfen and
Clark, and 1t began to be rumore6s, that
the witness was to be removed from the,
commission.
Chamberlain WINS related the story of
9 visit which he made to Governor Hill
when he laid before him evidence tending
to show that Squire had been guilty Of
q criminal offense. The Governor,
he said, did not think that it
furnished . basis for criminal
action, appealed to his Ovins) Democ-
rscy and said scandals were bad for the
party, that it was dIsloyalty to the party
to bring matter of that kind out and
that the party would hold the man who
did 1t responsible. The witness told him
the party should punish its own rdscals,
and cited the career Of Mr.. Tilden. To
that Governor Hill returned that times
and conditions had changed and there
had been too much of that sort Of thing
already. From other sources later the
witness had learned that Hill was endeav-
oring to prevent the matter from being
made public and that he
THREATENED THE REMOVAL
Of District Attorney (now Judge Martin
unless 1t was suppressed. Wi ness man
age u to bring about the exposure.
Herman Clark CT the firm of O'Brien Il
Clark told Of $4,000 note signed by
Governor Hill and endorsed by his part
ner and himself. He said that the pay
ments of $1,000 a. q time were made on 1t
from time to time. The note wss re-
newed until 1t was all paid. All Of these
sums were charged to the individual &C.
count of Hills partner, OBrien.', he
understood that this and some political
assessments en- his firm and other firms
engaged / the work we're for the Demo-
cratic party, not for Governor Hill.
Elk Assistant District Attorney Nicou
testified that after Squire WAS indicted.
Governor Hill sent for him several times,
and urged him to bring the case to trial,
IS the people were saying thss he (the
GovernoT) Wa having 1t putoi.
Adjourned un1il Saturday.