New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-13
sNAITH's oVERCHARGEs.
THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF Ex-
PERTs SUPPLEMENTED BY AN ENGINEER
INSTRUCTIVE FIGURES GIVEN THE ASSEMBLY
CEILING coMMTTEE-MR. SULLIVAN
EvAsIYE-sPEAEER COLE AND oTHEE
,asrAfpr,yNsrny oN nur aTAyp
Tsx TELEGRAPH TO TIM TRIsrrE.l

AssEMBLYMEN ON THE STAND.
FEY TELEGRAPH TO rHE TaIbuNEi
Albany, March 12.-An the witnesses who have
fed from Albany fearing 70 appear before the CeDng
Investigating Committee will feel tonight that ther
SKY has been overloaded. Most Of them, no DOUBT
thought they would soon be back In Albany as Tao
commission of the prying committee would expire upon
March Ii. But Assembyman Fish, the chsirinah Oh
the committee presented resolution 70 inc assembly
this morning. extending indefinitely its time tor max
ing an investigation; that is making II possible Tor
the committee to subpoena witnesses up 70 January l.
1890. Mr. Fish, in support of his mouon, Saad 1hae
the committee unanimously asked that their commits
sion should DO extended indefinitely. Their counsel
also made the same request In few days the COM
mlttee Intended to mahe preliminary report.
Mr.. sheehan, tho Democratic loader, said that he
hoped the resolution would meet with no opposition.
1t was then passed by unanimous vote
Timothy j. Sullivan, tho contractor was before tho
Ceiling Investigating Committee last night for two and
one-half hours, and nearly unequal length of time to-
day. and when his examination closed this afternoon,
no facts additional to those brought out by the Assem-
ply Committee on Appropriations had been exposed.
When tho committee met at noon to-day, Sullivan and
his books on hand. His private cash-book was In
wretched shape but tho firms books showed that about
$50 900 had been received from snaith through suli-
van on work done BY the company while sulivan's
own books had snalth credited with eoS,7a6 II.
accounts that the witness answered outright Mr..
Bowers did finally get sullivan to admit that nothing
could be told from his own books.
Regarding the investment Of the $1,000 OF tho
money received frum Snaith In stocks, the witness
would not tell publicly I'm what stock he had invested
IT, but agreed 20 do so privately to tho chairman.
Regarding snalths running away Sullivan said that
he was sorry that no had gone. He didn't see any
reason for his going although he would confess that
be didn't feel very safe here himself But no had no
influence over snath and didn't know what no could
do 10 bring him back
George NJ. Hill, civil engineer from New-York,
was called by Mr.. Seward. With his partner. Mr..
Hill has made examination Of the ceiling. and the
estimate which they make is nearly that OF the
committee Of experts. Here some figures showing
the money values OF the overcharges made BY snalth
IN the vouchers approved as correct BY Andrews
rOn els. $3.50 70; carpenter-work. S942s IS: stone,
N, 76s So: mason work. eli. $50 20: hosting and
leaming. e23,171 IS; and under tho head OF !" mis-
eIlaneous' s5.17o 10. These figures foot UP an over
charge altogether Of s1lo.745 "a Again, In the
charges for men employed, the time charged
AGAINST the State would require 3os men TO be
employed daily for the time that the Job was under
way. Previous testimony showed that not over 900
men were at work At any ono time. M hili
figured tho overchasge made BY suaIth to the Con-
trpler on Labor alone to DO 23,276 days, and OF the
value nf s53.o35 Is.
recess and was questioned regarding the passage oil
ths bin last spring mailing tho appropriation Tot
doing The Assembly ceiling work He objected some
what to the bill which Mr.. Ainsvorth's committee
had because It rested with the speaker TO appoint
tho committee. He did not care 10 have anything
10 do with the work Re continued:
Thers was . general feeling among the Rcpuoliesn
members that Mr.. Andrews rank partisan, and
he DEMOCRATS thought that he ala his work within
the appropriations he got After the bin passed and
became Law held the matter In Aooyanoe iof some
tine. ! had promised Mr.. HSdey, OF Franklin place
upon The COMMITTEES. Some Of M Answorths friends
suggested would be wise 10 select him, but MI
AinSworth told that he did no. care 10 60 on soms
Of Mr.. Husted's friends suggested that he @ chairman
OF the ways and Means, ought 70 on but was dis
inclined 70 Spoint him. had some idea AZ one time
Of appointing Mr. Martin, hut on reflection |
and consultation with various gentlemen, concluded
10 appoint as the Democratic members, ur. sheehsn |
md Mr. weed promised Senator Hendricks NAT II 'hs
IAN bseamo law. should appoint Mr.. Gallup.
About The other member Mr.. Enr.
Wen. the appointment o. EnI was not al M En-
soileltaton had been informed that the Governor
you'd not sign the bill II Mr. Ainsworth or Mr. Hadley
was upon the commission. was requested by MI AIMS
worth and Nr. 1Iadley aud numerous people, 70 zee ne
Governor upon the question. was perfectly wiling 70
90 IL Mr. Hadiey had bill IN tho Governors hAnas |
which had not been signed, and he had been writing 70
me ana soliciting inefeede with the Governor "a ms
behalf IN regard 10 that bill He SAID ne was psHseu
willing to get on the commission II the Governor n1a
that the Governor had feeling against both ann ana
Ainsworth.
Ths Governor told me frankly that he dd not like 70
have either Mr. Hadley Mr.. Ainsworth upon The com
mission. I asked him 10 suggest Someo<dy. He sug'
ges;ed General Hustled and Mr. Cheney. 1 told him
aid not care 10 appoint General nusted and that MI,
Cheney was from the same county a. Gallup whom
had promised 70 appoint / asked him how M. AIMS
worth would do. think It was that suggested EnI.
The Governor aid "An nEht" and asked NE whom waa
going 70 appoint for the Democrats told him haa
no particular choice. and that should like 70 put
shsehan for one. said "Put on sheehan ano weed
told him that would be satisfactory to me-
A left the Governor he said: well, don't think
much Of this legislation, and don't say that shan
sign it, said II don't care whether you sign IL or
not" Before that, however, had asked him about MI
Hadley's bill and he sid he had already hgned H.
During the progress Of the Job, the Speaker said,
bs was frequently called upon by political and
personal friends To recommend the eEnloyment OF
men who wanted to get work. This no did TO tho
number Of about three four per day As to sna'th'
Mr. Cole never mot him until tho DAY that inc con
tract was signed; and since then he has not hsd any
conversation with him regarding the execution OF
the work Mr. Cole mado q brief statement In
explanation OF the reason why the Ceiling Committee
were not called together oener during the summer re-
marking that there was general understanding that the
different members OF the committee wond 20 IN Al
sSny 9S%s I'M w es and Give the speso
notice n they wanted him 20 call meeunE .
Ono reason Why SULLIVAN WIS Iot nPPIO'vv
contractor by the committee that Il was thought
that BIO would devote his energies 70 tn9 SSC 0 "
Governor Hin and Snalth was looked upon g
nm Republican, objections were maio 70 nm also
These matters. however. did not Influence any mem
Der Of the committee TO hinder either contractor get
ting the work
prepared 20 give all the testimony the commttee 90
sred to obtain referring TO the presentation OF ms
bAnk.books and accounts for the inspecllon OF tho
committee To this Mr. Cole replied mat he had
como fully prepared and no continued u nave my
hank and check books here and the committee wish
10 examine them they may do so would
prefer TO have them examined In executive SESSION.
tor thero Is nothing IN them that would not De en-
tireiy willing that any member OF this committee
should know about. / look upon tho request That
pregent my books as o sort OF insult but shall
hand them 20 this committee this evening You VIII
find that About - 900 worse on than morning.
and have been for several years.
Assemblymen Sheehan, EnZ and Gallup; t1ree other
mnmhers OF the Ceiling Commission, also festlned,