New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-29

oBren, chairman of the state Committee drew of n,s
to Mr.. Muller TO pay che note. rra,
o0was that The last you knew Of III A-ina'
o'-fou didn't pay the note yoursen' ~
Q-IIow long did you know Mr. keenan, A-L 80
far he is concerned had no acquaintance Win n''
until met him then. 40. tia.
do you know of your own knowieoSo th"' ''-
note was In fact paIdl Al do not.
FLYNN RELATES SOME AoUEDUcr HISTORY.
This closed the examination of Judge Parker
The examination Of Maurice B. Flynn, who next
took the stand, was then renewed by 0enerai
Tracy, who asked:
VIII you tell tho committee from whom you nrst
heard IN conversation yourself that such pll was !"
be introduced and what the purpose Of Il was 40 !.
talked about but il must have been about the time OF
It's introduction. Mr. O'Brien and had tahea svons
tho matter, and think IL had been suggested puDnsH
in the newspapers when hoard of It, and regarded
i at the time as Republican measure nAn ,. sSA ~
and a. the senate ps and sse@by both
Eepublcan didn't seem to me possible tns' as 70
pass Both branches '1 ~ the was
to prevent II possible what had been stteinPtea tns
Sion into the hands Of Grace any number Of men he
could control. am frank In stating that was Do
loved about that time that Mr. Squire was likely to
resign and that his successor would be friendly
TO Grace and in that way t would De IN Graces hsnus
AS Grace was not friend Of mine, and had an inter
est in the aqueduct and tho best wishes Of the Demo
cratic party would DO served by defeating any scnemo
Grace had to control that any Of the other depart
ments said to o. Bren It would be good thing If it
O-po YOU mean TO say that even before the bill
was introduced II was understood by yourself and
oBricn that the Mayor would be put of the Commits
sion Al have not SO stated. sad the propriety
Q-what was said about TT Att would be I'M
possible to repeat correctly the conversations. but
Fish would be able to pass such bill and that he was
to be one of the Commission for the Mayor and the
Controller could not attcud the meetings regularly
Matters had to he deferred frequently. There wv
number Of times they would not attend moro than
half of their meetings.
Q-was the reason for the removal Of the Controller
dscusscdl Al think that matter was something
that occurred to the Legislators after the bill had
been introduced. did not believe that that was dis
cussed in the beginning 1t during the progress
Of the bill through the Legislature that 1t was talked
about
o-when did you first understand that the Mayor
and the Controller were to be left ont Of the Commits
sion At was was some time before the final
Q-WhiIe It was passing through the senatel Al
senate and Assembly. 1t was some time before It's
final passage. l think that was a Republican sug-
gesn1lon and d not Democratic craft one s ~ from
what you think? A.-From what remember Of
instances that occurred at the time
WORKING AGAINST THE CONTROLLER
Odd you ever hear any reasons stated for leav-
ing the Controller of Al think for the reasons
stated before matters delayed by Of nom
attendance and the bills which could be paid on and
after the first Of the month were delayed some time
longer.
Q-lOu ndQ ncdfu lhdt stdtcuF Any iniPiO'oi"u
Is that bills were delayed. And II was regarded as
q good thing; and ought TO state that IL was be
leved that tho Controller was working In harmony
with Mayor Grace and If one were dropped the other
o~wsre you in the habit of being at o'Brien,s office
during the pendency Of this bill In the Legislature
Al was there frequently.
ODD you ever meet Muller theroi A:-Yes SIR
Q.-Was the bill talked about between yourself and
Muller and O'Brienl ALI mentioned at all not 10
oL-Was it at ALI Al think Muller may have
heard some of the conversations but cannot swear
o.-Were you at Albany, pending the bill, at all
Odd you ever hear Muller say ANYTHING about
one day IN connection with Mr. Smith who was then
Deputy Commissioner of Public Works T:. ~. su.h
was making mistake in pressing the bill known as the
Bruins bill because It was very much tier for the
public interests that the Aqusdnct bill should be passed
be passed and the Bruins bill could not be.
were to be under that blu Al concluded from my
own knowledge and experience OF politics .nI MI,
in securing tho passage unless he thought he would be
appointed. A.. -. -, .,o oth.-
commissioners mentioned first? A-Thcre were qulte
number mentioned In which the names Oh tnose
finally appointed were included q, Mr. R,drv,v,
I had known him for some time and his name W -
mentioned as well as others. =, ,-..s,
Alt seems to be because the Governor believed tnsI
he was emInently qualified to I'LL the position;
pointed Al know of no other reason. ,, -.
Odd hear from John 4Brlen or GtEsr reas W
then, believing he would be appointed
PAYING THE GOVERNORS NOTES
Odd you ever have any talk with Muller about
the payment of the $4,000 notcl Al don't Know
that we ever discussed the $4,000 note. stated
before that told Mr.. Muller that had reAnqusneo
my interest IN Section IL.
Q-How did you tell him those notes could De
nald1 Al told him that would relinquish ny
interest in Section II.
By the Chairman-For the purpose OF taking up
these notes
that there was nOte that had Endorsed, put
knew the fact that there was some lndeD.caness ct
the Democratic state Committee which had been, as
/ believe proper for O'Brien & Clark to pay, and
contributed MY portion of Il by relinqushirg an IN
Odd John O'Brien tell you that the Mayor
and Controller to be omitted from that Dill 1e
Republicans along tho line Of the Aqueduct as de-
slrabe thing to do. and think any advantage that
might accrue TO Mr. oBren from MS contract wh'
cans along the Hudson River that 1t would De bet,
ter for the Republican party ana Ia er .ne D three
commissioners, 1t would be necessary 70 drop some
body. -. -... ,,......., g.,
having the MAYOR and Controller LETT of? Al
think that the Republicans were at the bottom OF the
whole business, and It was extremely gratifying 10
o-You think they were moro interested in that
than John J. O'Brien In leaving of the Mayor and
Controllerf A-You could not work such cum
bersome commission by adding three members with
out leaving somebody off.
Q-When did you make UP your mind that Mr..
Squire ought to be removed from the position Of Com
missioner Of Public worksi A-That conclusion
never came TO my mind. In 1885, after my return
from Europe found that the newspapers were eriti-
csing him very severely by reason Of HIS poetry laugh
teri and his ndscreet newspaper interviews and rmors
daily appearing In the papers that he had resigned
advised him friend that IL was best for him not
10 resign. | never consented TO Join In the scheme
TO remove him from office upon charge OF which he
not guilty merely 10 crafty the political ambition
of those opposed to him.
URGING SQUIRE TO RESIGN.
Q.-You thought he ought to restgni Al did
o.-You srged hint Al did.
Q.-What reason did he assign for not reslgnlng
Ale told me in 1885 that he didn't care to resign
Ell Mayor Edison told mo that he would advise him to
resign He then stated to me that he had the friend
ship Of the Governor and would not resign because he
et assured that had conducted the business Of his