Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-18
MRS. FLYNN AND Mr.. GOULD.
The Story of Their Engagement and Other
Gossip.

The New York World persists in its con-
tention that Mrs. NJ. II. Flynn and Mr.. Jay
Gould are to wed. and il gives an account
of their acquaintance and proceeds to say:
When Mr. Flynn was III and the doctors hsd
told Mrs. Flynn that he could not live 1t was
then she went 10 Mr.. Gould and asked his asst
ance with respect 10 their Richmond snairs.
Flynn, IL is said had never put any money into
the Richmond street-car railroad enterprise
lie had made contract with the sprague Elec-
trichotOr Company that he would secure them
the necessary franchises in Richmond and ac-
cept as payment for his work one fourth OF the
capital stock OF the company, amounting 10 seve-
raj hundred thousand dollars Flynns idea was
20 secure the franchises by going down 10
RchmOnd at election time and liking the cleo
tion--that Ia 20 say. he proposed TO get men into
tho Common Council with whom he had pre-
yiously made an arrangement 70 vote Tor such
bills affecting the sueetraiiway system as ne
chose TO frame In pursuance OF hs scheme
Flynn went to work, but somehow or other the
political methods which had served hirH In New
York were found % 10 OF llttle use In the capita
OF Virginia. and the men who bad agreed to
vote his way were not reelected Nheu the
franchises bills. therefore, came up Tor action,
rs they did shortly after Fiynns death, the
Sprague Motor Company found that the COM
mon Council OF the city was dead against them,
aud before they we're able TO DO vhatthe wanted
70 do Mr.. Flynn's work had 70 be very expensive
ly supplemented
Naturally. the widow know nothIng about how
Mr. Fynn's contract had been carried out and
put in a claim for the stock. and her claim was
resisted. The attorney OF the company declared
that the Flynn people had put IN shoe-string
AMI they wanted 10 draw out n tsnnery, and his
Cheats were not willing 20 allow any such pro
ceedng. They soon found out, however, thAt
they had % deal with MIR. Gould instead OF Ar.
Flynn's widow. and this put now lace on the
matter. He showed them the contract into
which they had entered with Mr. Flynn, and
asked them what they proposed TO do about u.
The railroad company did not feel they could
AFFORD 70 fight the matter, aud they dld not Ieel
particularly that they could afford to light Dir.
Gould, ana Il is beloved that some SOFT OF q
compromise was effected.
WHAT FLYNN HAD TO DO WITH THE FRANCHISE.
Knowing that Captain Andrew Pizzini.
auditor of the City Railway and Union Pas
senger- Railway companies, was well IN
formed about the history of MIR. Flynn's
connection with these properties. especial
" the latter. Dispatch reporter called upon
him last night and asked If the H0rids
statement with regard 10 the franchises
was correct.
1T appears to me that any one who is
conversant with the history of the fran
chises Of the Union Passenger road can
well recall that Mr.. Flynn had very llttlet
ANYTHING to do with them" said he. They
were obtained from the Council of Rich
mond which was elected in May of 1856,
and the franchises were secured IN the
June or July of 1887 10y NeSsrs. john
| Thompson Brown. John +. Barry, and
others.
FXPLANATTON.
The Sprague Electric-Motor Company
/ had a contract with the Union Passenger
Company TO equip the road with cleo
tricity." said Captain Pizzinl, and that
was all thev had 10 do with the company
/ in any shape. In payment for the equipment
/ the Sprague Company accepted some OF
! the bonds of the road. which they hold at
i present, so far rs know. The money for
building the Union Passenger railway was
put up bv the syndicate composed of
Messrs. Maurice b. Flynn, Henry Steers,
/ Thornton n. Motley, and James Smith and
one or two others whom | cannot recall.
THE story about his not having put any
money into the railroad enterprise IS a
/ fabrication out of the whole cloth.
THE ENGAGEMENT.
~ know nothing of any acquaintance
/ between Mrs. Flynn and Mr.. Gould" said
Captain Pizzini. 81 do not know whether
they are acquainted or not. The latter
part of the article. in which II is said that
Mrs. Flynn put in claim of stock and
her clam was resisted Is all false. As faI
~ the stock of Mr.. Flynn in the Unlor
/ Passenger road was concerned no one ques
toned the fact that he held about one tttt
of the entire stock of the road, and Mrs
Flynn holds it at present"