New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-17

sun uieu not long ago, and that charming gentleman,
senator James DAILY, was appointed In his place Thus
'ne commission ste NJ when Duren filed his complaint
with Mayor Grant. The Mayor was impressed with
Durells vigorous language and he thought the old
should have the chance to prove what he charged SO
nc cent ne papers to shearman and directed him to
investigate. That might have been the last Of It
hed shearman been continued in Office but the Mayor
superseded him and DAILY almost Immediately. The
Controllers friends arc protesting to in this action
that the Mayor desired to injure Myers, and they
grumble that his motive was hostile. This is as RI
diculous as II Is imprudent. They forget that the
relation which tho law intends shall exist between
inc Mayor and this Commission is personal and con-
fdentI. They are his representatives, and the law
expects him to arm himself with "A Commission, as
with private secretary, who shall enjoy bis conf
dence in the fullest sense.
The Mayors appointees arc men little known to
fame. Mr.. Hoahan is cOnspcuously Irish HE has
the Irish wit the Irish kocnness and quicness Of ap-
prchenson the Irish subtlcty OF method and express
sion and the Irish ingenuity. He has two
bright little eyes, one OF which Is capable OF looking
Two different ways at once, heavy. dark mustache
and slightly corpulent person lie Is Tammsny
man ana an active politician Mr: Barker, his col
league is tall, spare, cerlly looking man, with
smooth face and an amlable manner They are re-
mrkably dissmilar I'm looks and manner. The inves-
ugaton IS conducted in their Office in the Stewart
Building. Mr. Holahan sits at the desk and does the
active presiding. Though Judge, Mr.. Hoiahan Is
not lawyer, circumstance possibly tending to make
him an all the better Judge. He docs not sand Tor
Instance, In that paralyz awe OF the rules OF evi
aence which so often operates upon judicial minds 10
the defeat OF Justice Mr. Holahans Views OF the adj
instability Of evidence are the common-sense views
which control business men business matters and
II he thinks a given question calculated to bring out
tangible proofs bearing upon the object OF the inquiry
he rules 1t IN, lawyers briefs, textbooks and their
honors, the Court OF Appeals, TO the contrary not
withstandine
Mr.. Barker sits by his colleagues sido and makes
frequent suggestions which are listened to with def
erence and acted upon promptly.
Mr.. NlcOll conducts the inquiry as sort OF pros
ecutng officer. OF course the law does not contcm-
plate the taking of sides, to speak, In an invest-
CATION Of this kind There is no defendant no prose
cutor, no fudge and jury. Mr. Nicoll summons
witnesses and asks questions only by grace OF the
Commission. Ills labors are really part OF their
duty, and he Is permitted 10 perform them only be-
cause II umo and adds thoroughness to the In
CURRY The Controller is not present at the hearings,
but his Office Is represented in Dir.
Graham McAdam, the acting supenntend-
ent Of Markets, and Mr.. McAdam is rep
resented by his brother, George McAdam, the fussy
little fellow who called Mr.. Ecoll liar the other
day and who creates great deal Of amusement by
IrclueTiy Using IN MS uNe Itcl bA VI Hibht ohu
majesty, and growing very choleric red and ABSURD.
An unfortunate phase Of the affair is that the two
men against whom the evidence chiefly bears are I'M
able 10 defend themselves. These are James J.
Keso and Henry e. Woltman. Kelso died few
weeks ago and Wol.mAn, they say. Is insane. He
became insane Just these disclosures were threat
oniug him Kelso tie County Democracy leader
in tho XXIst Assembly District and tho 6uperinten-
dent Of Markets. Woltman was his chief man. The
Corporation Counsel sent his assistant Dir. Wckes,
upon the Controllers application, 10 attend tho hear
ngs IN Mr.. Myerss interest. Mr Beekman has
disregaried both precedent and proprety IN using
the city's law department 10 defend accused OIL
cla No interest Of the city Is involved In the defenoo
OF Mr. Myers's character That Is purely his own
business. The city employs Mr. Beekman TO givo
- advice on legal questions and TO represent It IN
legal proceedings where Its interests are concerned
It does not employ Mr. Beckman 10 act tho personal
defender Of any individual official who IS accused OF
misconduct These arc distinctions which should
have been clear in Mr. Beekman's mind even II he
wanted tho discemment to draw them himself, for
they were expressed with great perspicaclty few
ysas ago By Mr.. Lacombe. and by reason Of their
expression at that time Nr Beckman secured fco
OF $1,000 paid 10 him by % city outside counsel
for tho Pork Commissioners In the action Of j. Noble
stearns against them. Mr.. Lacombe 70.
fused 10 defend tie commissioners saying
that however proper IL might be for tho city 70 de-
their public conduct, It was no function OF his TO
serve them. In other words, no held that the city
did not maintain law department to defend accused
officials. Seeing that this decision put $4,000 into
Mr. Boekman's pocket, no might well have remem-
bercd H. The case Of Squire, precisely similar to
the one now being considered, Is stu moro recent.
When the Mayor, through his Commissioners OF Ac-
counts, summoned squire TO hearing did Mr..
Lacombe act as sQurc's counsell Scarcely. He
did Just what he sho,ld have done. He placed him
self at tho Mayors sde MFR. wickcs should place
himself at Mr. Holahan's, and gave advice as to the
admssibilty Of evidence Mr.. Wickcs Is cutting rs
fair figure as any man could cut, placed In his
trying position, but charged as no Is with what
amounts TO the defence Of Mr.. Myers, the spectacle
Is apparently presented Of one department OF the
city government engaged in a work which another
department is hindering
The evidence, boiled down, shows these facts
That tho Controller processing with great gsto to
BIO pursuing reform policy in the alotting OF these
stalls, really yielded TO all kinds OF evil pressure 10
the great injury Of old marketmen. lie proiesseu
that HIS reason for excluding Dureli ana his irehus
was that they were Jerseymen whereas he gave
stalls freely to such other Jorseymen as were recon-
mended by politicians. lie professed that no would
sanction private traffic In the stalls, whereas he
permitted in dozen cases. the transfer OF permits Tor
a pocunary consideration In one Instance $500 WIS
paid for two stalls which had never been lifted up or
used and Myers personally sanctioned The SALE Sub
letting, Of the worst evils in tho old market, was
freely permitted by Mr. Myers, score OF cases being
proved wherein men having obtained stalls promptly
leased them TO less fortunate applicants, charging two
or three times tho rental they themselves we're paying
the city 1t was proved that permits were Issued to
mon. on the demand Of political district bosses, who
wpro not marletmen at ALL who never fitted up or
occupied their stalls at all, but who
had mado and were making efforts to
sell or lease them. Among tho bosses thus