New-York tribune., 1889-12-18
PIT TO THEIR DEFENCE.
TWO DOCK COMMISSIONERS CHARGED.

.,p CRAM EscAPEs-THE HEARING SET By THE
MAYOR FOR TOMORROW.
.,.rves against two Of the Dock Commissioners
- c,,v Edwin A. Post and James Matthews,
" ont Of the recent investigation which Corpora
~. Counsel william II. Clark has conducted before
w commissioners oil Accounts for several weeks re-
ue ,,nr The present condition Of the Dock Depart
80, were laid before Mayor Grant yesterday. inere
.s.e charges and ten specifications ana they are
are - hv commissioners Maurice +. Holahan ana
s.s@~ ss., p BARKER of the Bureau Of Accounts. NO
-. are made against commissioner j. sergeant
,rno was appointed by Mayor Grant himself on
.'' % lie is the only Dock Commissioner VINO Is
%I,oted with the Tammany Hall organization
"',,,n 80 receiving the charges the Mayor
r. .,o accused Commissioners the following letter
sem " soitv with the provisions OF section los
IN i,sr 4IO Of the Laws Of lse., you are hereby
Ootaed that opgonf ~ the Sa Msyors Office in the
each 0i n in the city OF New York. on THURSDAY the
uS day Of December I99' az hoUS pnt he h renoyed ru
noon o. ~ oNce Of commissioner OF DOCKS, ior ,ie
irVa es sci out in the ioo"ihs v,SeS anu 81
rSs s,st charge arraigns them for culpaole neg
49,. :, dutv and maicasanoe and misfeasance IN
80 specification No. under this charge particu
' vN. ,neir failure to collect "top wharfage" or to
@iiD a.. eo,lectiop by their subordinates the dock
. cniv specification No. accuses them Of author
,s ar nermittlng twenty -four certain pieces OF dock
- ,horface property to be occupied without lease
- rermit and without payment OF rent 10 the clly'
s-aeacation No. 3 charges them with permitting
,en,vone parcels of property belonging to the city
,o be occupied by certain persons and companies at
,h same rental at which these pieces were originally
,as.d although said dock and wharfage property had
rreatlv increased in value since the lessees had
entered upon and possessed 1t.
sneciacation No recites the history of the reduc-
top of the upset price of the strip of North River
waterfront occupied by the oystermens Association
from rs 500 to So 500 on May l. 1887, and its lease
for three years to W. Boyle at the latter rental
and charging James Matthews the only Commissioner
en in Office with failure to discharge his duty in the
interest of the city. The next specification, No o.
also involves Mr.. Matthews only. 1t accuses the
Roard of giving a lease Of New Pier No. 65 North
River to the Pennsylvania Railroad for $4,000 year
for five years fIom May 1, 1887, when the pier at
West Thirty siXth-st, the next pier above, had been
rented by them TO the New-York Central Railroad at
$4,000 yearly from December 8, 1856, to October
g. 1894 specification No accuses Commissioners
Post and Matthews (Mr. Cram having voted in the
negative) with illegally passing resolution on October
24 1882 reducing the rental paid by the Union STOCK
Yard and Market Company for the pier at West Fifty
eghth-st from $1,000 year to $500 quarter, the
company having bound itself by indenture of lease
TO pay $1,000 year, or $3.50 per quarter from May
!, 1856, TO May /, 1901. -
East River, rented TO the myth Thomas O'Bren, ana
charges the Board with neglect OF duty ana failure 70
take necessary action TO the damage OF the properly OF
the city. This is the III which eXJustice W; H.
Kelly figured counsel. and in connection with winch
william l.. smith. Kely's client and the real lessee
has been indicted for perjury The next speclheaton
No. q charges the Commissioners with making an
improper dredging contract the removal of ground
above the water line at the old West Washington
Market and Specification No. 8, the last under the
first charge. declares that the Commissioners have
fsIIed their duty relating 10 the subject of dredging
generally.
The second charge impeaches Messrs. Post ant
Matthews of violating Chapter 100, Laws OF 1855 II
transferring labOrers in the Department OF Docks u
act as assistant dockmasters aud perform the dutie
of dochmastcr. The third and last charge Is Faur
10 acouant themselves with the duties and necessiue
Of the Department of Docks and failure in conse
uuence to administer its affairs in the best interests
the city" =, -,
II is understood that John H. Strahan was the law
yer who drew up the charges. and that he Will appea
for the prosecution when the Mayor hears the cas-
on Thursday Mayor Grant seemed somewhat SURPRISED
that Commissioner Cram not included In any o
the charges or specifications, although he had been
Commissioner since May last, but he declined 10 eX
press any opinion of the prOpriety or improperly
the omission.