New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-21


contractor is apparently able 10 manipulate the Leg
islaturc at will and to persuade IL to pass his indc
fensbc bill creating special courts Of arbitration 10
pass upon the claims. amounting to S9.00OOOO of the
Aqucduct contractors against the city OF Kew YORK
Has lie the assurance Of David u. iTl. Governor Of
this State. that this Will be signed by hlm
Tic public here believe that Ol,rIcn has mortgage
upon Mr.. Hill which the latter will dare to have
forcclosed. 1t is in the shape OF this note which has
already been made famous in one state campaign
$1,000. September 20 1881
-Four months after date promise to to the order OF
William thousand dollars at Mt Morris Ma
tions
Value received. DAVID D. HILL
No. Due Mch. ., so
This note has the signatures upon it's back of John
O'Brcn W. L. Muller and IIcman Clark. the latter OF
O'Brcn 4 Clark, the Aqucduct contractors IL was
learned months aftcrward that this note was cashco
by O'IIricn and charged against him on the books
Of O'Bricn & Clark. But O'Bricn did not nave 10
wait long to get back his $4,000. Through the
Governors influence the firm OF Orcn Clark soon
received contract on the Aqucduct of hr'iu'oy
favorable nature. They got the contract, although
their bid was $4,000 higher than that OF the lowest
bidder: and they made $500 600. This was pretty
good profit for a loan. Perhaps other puhho CON
tractors would like to cnd money to candidates Tor
the Goyernorshp and get 1t returned to them Win
the principal enormously enhanced
Mr. Hill obtained this $4,000 to paw his campaign
expenses in lss5 But this was not the sole pay
mcnt O'Bricn received AT his hands for huancal as
,istance when lie badly needed IL. At the Governors
solicitation Denis OBricn, the Attorney General OF
the state. appointed John O'Brien receiver of the
Broadway surface Railway Company. Then the At
tcrney { encral was himself rewarded by having the
Governors backing for Judge Of the Court of Appeals
an Office Mr. O'Brcn holds. Tho Governor GER
tainy cannot be accused Of ingrattude. Another
note Of 50 600 that was indorscd bv Alton II. Parker.
l..J fsote effa ar DnVleTS
fortunes The Governor made him supreme Court
Judge and then promoted him tO the bench OF the
Court of Appeal second Division. As for William i.'
Muller. he. too received hi, reward. In April l-7o'
or the succeeding spring after tAc Governors election
in the fall Of lso5. the latter appointed him Judge
Of the Court Of Claims. II IS $1,000 onicc ana II
NAV be considered good psy for signing two checks.
amounting in all 20 $4,000, and then nave ''S'i
paid by some other per
Hnt the public l. not vet done with Mr. Muiier'
That is plain. simultaneously with John 'hrons
appearance here pushing DIS hqn'dnct Claim hiii Mr'
Muller arrived and had long conference win William
r. ,hcchan Of Luf.l ihe Democratic leader u inc
Assembly Nr. ~hcchan Friday lat fought ZERO
ciol.ly in the Assembly - motion ot Mr. iioas 81
New York. that the O'Dricn claim bin sholld be klled
The motive of Judge Mullcrs visit 70 Albany ana con
ference with Mr. Shcchan therefore app1snt
There IS, however yet a chance for public opinion
10 express Itself and defeat OIrcn's inquioi' bill
All that is needed IS revelation Of - true char'er
n the As.cmhlymcn who have the power 10 dis
po,o of IT, on Friday many Of tho Republican As
semblymcn voted against killing the bill 1t Is PLAIN
that tbcv were not aware Of It's do
merits. II had been represented to them
that the Aqueduct Commissioners OF NcwNOfk were
pragmatcay declining to pay just claims against
the city Of New or ard that unless special courts
Of arbitration wcre instituted delay Ia the courts
Wonld bankrupt the contractors. Mr. Dean tie
q -
ON cites I'm the course Of bis argument against the
biz Thursday lat that the courts would act a.
swiftly the claims as the tribunals proposed. and
that the sole dc-isn of tlc Aqncdu't contra tors IN
disadvantage. II S. said ~ Dee the aim 4 tie con,
tractor, tp have Oh. Of the arbitrator, named by
certain judge Of the supreme Court, "ho has
kindly iccnls towari ga" A4ucdu,t contractors.
There were only sixty one votes given to the obren
Maurice ). Power the heads of Tannany Hall and
Of tac Conn Demo r4cy. ,,uld iahe away NM vote,
The following Democratic Assembly, ymen from Ncw
York. who voted for the biiI
WITH WITH s + '1 .S 1.s:.s '1Eii @i s.:'n. ...
AviI% Yi% }aD5 Ns9s.a s.,..s " T. va' Thomas ''d'
Grant and Maaii,c J. roa,r are r,sPonsltle ard n,
ana Police Justice Power make Il thousand .pccchc.
against H. but every politician VIII know that rncir
Their appfOva. when they voted FOR the III
The In cannot come up In tie As.-u.bly for soy
'ral fat., and IL - 10 be earnestly hoped public
bill.
The public are invited when they consider this
subject T., read Governor Iills message 70 the leg
stature upon July -. issr. recommending the re
noval of the Aquciuct Commissioners:
The suggestion which desire to make ming the
Aqucduc Coma.sioner Is not therefore based upon any
ssuipton Of the truth Of the allegations made against
them but FOUNDED upon Inherent defect mistaken
policy In the two statutes In question creating the Com
In l.l4l M.
whole Commission created 1t must be conceded that
both Of these statute. violated the principle Of "'Ionc
Rule" which ha to BE- regarded essential the
proper Of muni, Taltl,s That raj prnci
pie usually ondcNor,d - enforce. and whenever
departure from 10 has been permitted. satisfied a
mistake has been made. II f. submitted az this time
public called subject that
hr-t prime pies and permit the
local authorities 81 city control the further
.tructon Of. Aqu,dIct Dy their officials. by
citizen commissioner, OF their choosing. and not by
commissioners selected by the Governor and Sennte.
the Legislature 1h would give that city benefit
principle Of "Iiomc Rule" to which II l. entitled
IN reference is local aiar-. aud would relieve the
L,gsatufc from further responsibility In connection With
the cons'Tno Of purely local Improvement and the
ta-sagc Of such would Of Itself be- any
nccton upon any commissioners. but condo emma
ON Of system Of legislation un1dysdy adopted
which should 40 longer b. sanctioned.
The Lcgislaurc took Nj. l at his word aud passed
an act abOlishlng the Hoad Of Aqucduct Commits |
right 10 name new Board Of Aqncduct Commissioners
- the present officers.
In the light OF tis ncssag" cXtOlling Home Rule,
how Governor llill sign John O'IFcns Aqucduct
Claims bin IN the face Of the memorial against 1t
presented TO the Legislature by Mayor Grant and the
other officials Of New York :
TIE OFFICER SIDED WITH THE BARTENDER.
John Ellis tf1ckman. Of No. 100 East Houston ST..
John Fohy. Of No 100 West Twenty fourtl.st.. and |
John simmons, Of No. 63 Spring spent Yesterday
afternoon in OHcilly, skclly rogarys liquor store
At No. 1G7 Blceckcr It,. drinking. About u O'Clock |
Foby and John CORDIALLY. of No. 10 Maodougal st., the
bartender. got into fight about coin that Fobv had
lost on the floor. The bartcndcrs friends attacked |
Foby Ellis and Simmons. beat them severely and |
threw them into the street During the fight some
stole Elss coat, vest, hat and pochctbook. and
he complained 10 Policeman Thoma, Garry. who was
IN the ncighborlood at the time. Garry went into the
nnOr Store % invcsi gac Inc ca,c md whom he