New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-19
COURTING INVESTIGATION.
MR.. MATTHEwS'S THREAT FALLS FLAT,
THE CITY'S LOSS OF ToP' WHARFAGE SEEMS
TO BE LARGE oYE-MoRE POOR

slOnefS 1Oldn8n ana OF tnc i)uftdu VI hV
counts, frightened by the threat attributed TO
Dock Commissioner Matthews that If the invests
CATION into the Dock Department is rot stopped,
the Corporation Counsels Office and the Bureau
of Accounts will be visited with similar inycsti-
CATION under some act of the Legislature TO which
Commissioner Matthews refers as giving the re-
quired authority.
Let Mr.. Matthews come on with his investi-
gation," said Mr. Clark yesterday. :" / will open
the books of the Law Department TO him whenever
he wants to examine them. and he can bring an
expert accountant along with him if he desires.
Nothing would suit me better than for him TO
attempt to back up his foolish bluff. Mr..
Matthews need not go to the trouble Of applying
TO the Court for an order. Let him investlgar
my department if he wants TO- but shall go on
with this examination into the condition of the
Dock Department He will find that that goes
on whatever he may do or say
Commissioner Barker made similar reply on
behalf Of the Bureau of Accounts. we nave
nothing to conceal here" he said, :" and il Mr.
Matthews will come here we will agree TO divido
the time with him. lie can investigate us In tho
morning and we will take our turn in the after
noon lie has probably realized already how
silly his threat reads when put in cold type. But
it will have no effect whatever upon the Dock
Department Investigation
Mr. Matthews insisted yesterday, however, that
a request would be made on the part of the Dock
Department to have the Senate investigate its
affairs, because the investigation made. by the
Commissioners of Accounts was directed wholly
in the interests of Tammany Hall.
Charles S. Thompson, who was appointed as
sistant doclmaster last week for District No l
in place of his father, Charles H. Thompson, was
excused from testIfying yesterday on account OF
the death of his father, which occurred on Sunday
night
Frederick W. Stark son of the late Dock Com.
missioner Stark who is bondsman for the Ihomp-
sons, testified that he was vice-president OF the
Ncw-Yorl and Lake Transportation Company az
No. 33 Coentes Slip, and since July, 1904, bad
acted as banker for DOcllmaster Thompson. The
latter before his appointment as dockmaster, had
been in the employ of the witnesss father as
clerk The Corporation Counsel, with Mr.. Starks
acoulescence sent an expert to examine Mr. StarRs
books at his office
Patrick J. Brady. the doelzmaster who admitted
that he kept three bank accounts, was examined
as to his collections which appeared 10 have fallen
off seriously since Doclmaster Edward Abeel had
the district. Brady said that he never collected
4" top wharfage, although the regulations required
it. :" Top" wharfage is what is due the city Joe
permitting merchandise to remain upon the pier
more than twenty-four hours after IL is unloadeo.
The regulations require that five cents ton per
day be eXacted for this privilege Brady Siid thae
he had not collected this wharfage because the
Commissioners had never instructed HIM 10 do so.
He and other dockamsters considered the rule .
dead letter in the as it haa eson,ng
he said that the collection would have Increased
the citys revenue on his district several THOUSAND
dollars, but he did not think that he ought TO
Do you think the Deck Commissioners ought
to pay the city this lost money! asked the Cor
poraton Counsel.
The witness couldn't say' He denied that
ne had collected any money for top wharfage
which he had failed TO turn in to the Dock Dc
The next witnesses were bank presidents from
Port Jervis who had been subpoenaed 10 produce
transcripts of the bank accounts OF the wife or
Docl<master David w Bogart. They were Charl,s
ST. John, of the National Bank of Port Jervis, and
NJ C. Everitt of the First SatiOnal Bank of the
same place. They were attended by Arthur q.
Butts as their counsel Mr.. Butts said that he
had advised both witnesses that it was their duty
to refuse to produce the statements demanded,
except in compliance with an order Of the Su-
preme Court directing the same. Both bank
presidents answered Mr.. Clark's request with re.
plies framed in accordance with Mr.. Buttss advice.
Mr.. Clark will make application for the necessary
process to-day. During his remarks Mr. Butts,
who said that he appeared also for Dockmaster
Bogart made the proposition that Bogart him.
self would furnish the statement of his wifes
bank accounts if the Commissioners would return
his memorandum book which they had taken from
him and sealed up on Thursday.
| am satisfied now,' said Commissioner Hola-
ham that more importance is to be attached 10
the memorandum book than was at first supposed
The proposition will not be accepted by the Com
missioners.
Doclmaster Joseph B. Erwin, who has charge
Of District No. 10. which extends from Forty
second 10 SiXteth SITS on the North River, where
the piers used largely for the reception OF
brick, stone. sand and other building materials,
was the next witness Several large dealers occupy
piers or parts of piers here under leases Of tho
Dock Department Mr.. Clark began at Mr. Erwin
tnu1 90 ND
collected nohe Mr.. Erwin said that he dld not
believe that the present regulations OF the DOCK
Department contained any directions to collect IT,
He called attention 10 the fact that the copy OF
the regulations which Mr.. Clark held was issued
in 1882. The witness said that he had never
given any special privileges to large builders or
dealers and had not received money from any
Of them for allowing brick or other material Ia
remain on piers beyond the regulation time, out
when Mr. Clark specified the names of Candn ~
Smith, Canda IL Kane, and Peck, Martin ~ Co.,
and asked him If he would swear that he had
received no money from any of them which he
had failed to into the city treasury, MI ErWih
Mr.. Clark inquired If his refusal was on the
ground that his answer might crimlnatc him, and
the witness replied in the negative, adding,
simply refuse to answer. | think that ID
sufficient excuse His examination was suspended,
Mr. Clark remarking that he would lind way
Dockmaster George A. Dearborn, Of District
No. II, running from Fiftyfourth-st. 10 Ninety
second-st, East River, was another official WHO
not collected it, He testified that the Dock Com
missoners had leased 10 ex-senator George w.
Plunkitt, the Tammany leader of s.-e XVIlth As
scmby District, the bulkhead at East Fifty.
second-st at the low figure OF SO month. lie
had learned this, he said, from Secretary kemblc
and Dock Commissioner Matthews.
William J. Reilly, brother OF County Clerk E
F. Reilly and docmastcr of District No. 3, was
another docl,master who knew nothing abous
top" wharfage or the regulation requiring It's
collection.
During the recess Dockmaster Erwin went 70
the Commissioners of Accounts and expressed re-
grct at having refused to answer questions put TO
him He was accordingly recalled and the Sor.
poratiOn Counsel repeated his questions .n5 I'm hSS
asked if he had turned in all money Es,r said
him for water front privileges, Mr' I'"'"
YES A. r,Isrk
From Peck & Martin ?' asked Mr ''"~'
"les. think So was the anS"''
- Iah MY you did AID but Tm not positive. CanV
/ ai,.