New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-25
SHERIFF GRANTS FAT FEES
AUCTIONEERS TELL HOW THEIR MONEY
WAS DIVIDED.
Mr. JOHNSON THINKS MR.. IVES WAS " MIS-
TAKEN "-sTAYNER's EXPERIENCE WITH
LUDLOW STREET JAIL CHARGES
TSFIFSS BOOKS.

/
that have already been made public by the many
willing and more unwilling witnesses the evidence was
i,rosti,q in one regard only, in that it was cor
rohorative Mr. Topping, the auctiOneer employed Dy
Mr. Grant as a successor to Mr. smyth the reason LOT
whose resignation has not as yet been maze so ccr
as could he desired, gave statement OF MS reauon'
with sheriff Grant which showed beyond any question
that he and Mr. Grant had enjoyed >sharc ana snare
alike systcm as regards auctioneers ices.
Other witnesses deposed on oath, from experience.
recollection and hearsay, which Is admissible erdehoo
in an investigation of this sort, that the manner "
which the shcrd's Office had been administered during
the term of Mr. Grant was no better than IL shouu
be-
state senator Fassett, who knows better than any
man ON the committee how TO ask pertinent ana
fruitful questions. again presided in the absence oi
state Senator Hendricks. The investigation was con
Quoted in Room % Of the Court OF Common fieas'
which was all day long crowded by anxious Iamhahs
men, quivcring and shaking in their Shoes as well az
hv host of eager listeners to the proceedings VINO
owned allegiance to n0body-nobOdy, except """' -
generally called "the outside public
Edgar NJ Johnson, OF the firm OF Hoadly. Lau'er
bach & Johnson, testified tlDt he was attorney io'
Mr. Ives and Mr.. Stayner. Mr. Ives had osuheo y"
saturday that Mr. Johnson's bill had auiouh'cu "
s,a 600 This statement seemed to disturb Mr. Johh
son considerably especially because MT ives h"u s''u
that a part of that $4,000 had gone toward pawn
nonr,v sherifs for their trouble in staying with MT
Ives at the sinclair House and visiting DIS own o'"'
during two three days before he oc'anc e"
of Mr. Heating in Ludlow street JAN al S-oo "ooH
Mfr Johnson substantially said that ne Dad not pam
ANYTHING to the Deputy sherins. In answer 20 ''o
direct question put to him by Senator fassett' lou
,od notb,nr 10 do with the payment OF Martin ana
,ho otber Dcputy shcrfsi' he replied. dccidcnN'
"Non -, ~
Mr. Ives said on Saturday tina: he had paid some
thing TO Martin through Mr.. johnson. Mt Johnson
hod lcCn
.bav owed him a BILL and that If 1t had not bcch lor
, ,cv ~ The arrest he would hardly have acted
,r tho case But all that he did do when ne ionhu
,h. 1vos and stavner were in trouble was 10 ASK
Mr. Martin that they should not be put 10 any no'V
inconvenience than was absolutely neccssal!'
1obnson said that he thought Mr. Ives mao pech '''
taken in his testimony. and added tha' Il MI ".'
had paid $4,000, it was on accoun, OF 'uii,ns wv
Mr. Johnson "a lot Of cat and dog securities anu
other stuff u pa,.s
Iev, NJ Rates Of the former firm Of l.. NJ ba's
l. CO WAS called to the witncsS-chair' put As WI
Kneeland had been his lawyer he did not kho" '"",
about what had happened in the ehcf'" o'".'
connection with the failure. Mr. WINS rccsAcu VI,
vnoo,and He asked him What was the sum pad
n the sheriff by L. NJ. Bates a Co.
Il do not remember the amount
"Dont You remember"
well. think it was $500 or $4,000 FOR extra
compensation .-
How much we're the auconeer's fees u
.vv recollection is that there was 81 900 expense
on the property realized s., 49,,
Mr. Kneel,nd added that the property soid real
tod hc,wccu 10000 and 500 900, but he cou" Nv.
~ hour much wa, paid to the sheriff on account OK
poundagc and other expenses.
The next witness william Topping 'ho a"V
tionecr engaged by sheriff Grant a. a s"o'os,'' ~
Mr. smvth and the with whom MI "ra'i' "'
testified he had been in the habit OF olV'u'ns ""'
,ioneers fees Mr.. Topping said mat Nr' ""i'' "
ossurcd him that he would give him every assistance
in his power In carrying ou' 'o
sherif's Office.
.Wben the question Of compensation came up ne
oo,,rrca Mr. Grant said the law did not allow the
auctionecr TO be appointed but he would coieo' "ha,
he could for me and give me hall 81 'le amount
ho rot nothing woud get nothing
"Did Won make the same arrangement WIN She'"'
rlach that Won did with sheriff Grant,
"No.7
Mr. roppinc said that he sometimes charged 10 per
cent Of the amount realized II depended aose'hc'
an circumstances. Then he said IN shcrl" IRAN
,eu the proceeds to him had aggregated Sl3'' ''O'
His average commission had only been ABOUT "i'
DER cent Of which Mr.. Grant took hai'
IT, I,ins asked the witness If he knew whether
Mr. Grant WAS liable for any recovery OF money III
connection with the auc,ionccrs fees
~ don't know anything al all about H. was NV
,o,,y Mr. Topplnc. however knew positively mat
his commission was and above all expenses.
John F. b. smyth Mr. Toppins' Predecessor a.
.uc,ionecr Of Sheriff Grant said that he hah No'u J"
tho election of Mr. Grant an Alderman twice ana
,, ,hen he had voted for the election Of Grant rs
| sherr Il heard there a great deal Of h"l''
| in connection with the auctionccrs business il
the shcrns Office" added the witness ana "s"c''
Mr. Grant 10 make me hi, auciioncer.'
/ .Vcll1 asked Mr. WINS, " did Won NM 'hcfe Wa
a great deal Of money In IT
| - e.fd Mr. IN. ~
tho uogativc The Sheriff said that the anctoncers
husiucss was one Of the things that he iiad III MS
gift hut that the auctionecr must nave partner 20
he took as his partner Alderman William T. hIM
Mr. su,yth', gross commissions a. auctonecr were
about 10000. Gu, Of that sum he kept 5000 for
himself gave - 900 TO his partner hlfA' ana pao
10000 to the deputy sherhs
| ~ Didn't Mr. Kirk render valuable services To MIR.
Grant during his campaign for shenh'' asked MI
WINS.
Yes, SIR" said Mr. Smyth.
Mr. SMITH also intlmatcd very plainly That MI
Grant had asked him to take care OF Mr. MIX be
cause lie was a member Of the organization the
.orc.niza,Ion~ meaning in the Witness construction
Of DE word Tammany Hall
other points in Mr.. smyths testimony were that
| he had a disagreement with Mr.. Blnmcnstiel on AZ
count Of Mr.. Blumenstcls refusal to pay some
charges made. Mr. Grant got TO know OF the trouolc
between Mr. smyth and Mr.. Bluncnstiei. lie sent
for Mr. Smyth and said " This thing must stop
The trouble" involved $500 or 5000. and the W.T.
ne>, Oh principle, he said, refused TO yield to Mr.
Ilumcrsticl he left his place In favor Of Mr.
Topping
George II. stayncr partner Of Henry :. Ives In
hueincss and in Ludlow Street JAIL corroboratcd The
testimony given by Mr. as to the cxorbl,ani
sums paid to Warden Heating for board in the Ludlow
street Jail When the time came IN which Mr.. Ives
and Mr. stayncr told Warden Heating that they
,houcht that the a little too much Mr.
Heating replied that he thought the price was only
reasonable Mr.. Heating, according TO the witness
added that his responsibility was exceedingly heavy
However, when the board rate came down TO SO
week the witness and Mr.. Ives had TO go upstairs