New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-21
THE DEFENCE OF A CRIME.
BOODY PRACTICALLY INDORSES THE WATER
SCHEME.
HE THINKS CHAPLIN DID RIGHT-woULD HE NOT
BE AS MUCH TOOL AS BRooKLYN'S
PRESENT MAYORf

BE AS MUCH TOOL AS BROOhLINS
PRESENT MAYoR9
1t will be hard work for the Brooklyn ring to per
suade the voters of that city that Mayor Chaplin was
alone at fnu for the attempted steal Of 100000
from the city treasury by OF the Long Island
Water supply Company, In view OF the efforts MADE
by all departments Of the city government to prevent
the unearthng of the dishonest operations, and u
hinder the prosecution Of William Zeglcr's suit IL
will also be hard to persuade them that DAVID A.
Body would be any less the tool Of the Boss, and
the Most Trusted" than the many other men On whose
responsibility the gang has traded and under whose
closed eyes they have enriched themselves A few
days ago Mr. Boody said through the columns of The
Eagle7 We think that fair minded citizen believes
that there anything dlscreditable In Mr.. Chapns
connection with the waterSupply natter 1t may
fairly be assumed therefore, that under similar crcum
stances Mr.. Body would consider perfectly proper
to do what Mayor Chaplin and his associates did. lie
defends secret financial negotiations between politicians
and ofcehoders to do Illegal acts in spite of warnings
that aey illegal lie also approves the lntimida-
ton OF witnesses the 6ecreting Of records and the
doctoring of evidence, such prscused In the
water lie believes in the propriey Of the clty's
paying S125ooo0 for S250,o00 worth of property.
1t should be remembered that when William Megler
brought his action restrain the purchase of the water
company he presented to the court certain sworn state
ments upon which the Injunction granted and
continued. What OF those statements were and
how they were met il will be worth the while TO
examine.
One of the charges made upon affidavit was that
the mains of the city waterwOrks and those Of the
Long Island Water Supply Company had been con-
nected NOyes G.. Palmer, civil engineer, had been
informed by a person holding responsible place in
the company himself made the connection under
orders from f. N. Trecartin, the president OF the
company.
Benjamin Rausch. a lawyer, swore that in May, 1890
while the negotiations for purchase were being
carried on by the city Oicals) Samuel A. Livingston
superintendent Of the company, told him OF the con
nectiOn and confessed that the company was using
the city's water Livingston afterwaGd denied that
there was any secret connection, and Rausch later
made affidavit repeating his former statement adding
that Livingston had said that he did not wish to say
ANYTHING about 1t as he might be hit In the head with
stone. At the time OF the statement, Livingston,
according to Rsusch's affidavit, not friendly
terms with the company, but was aferward reconced
through influential persons and put upon the eligible
Civil Service list
Mirabeau L. Towns in October, 1890 hearing of this
connection, spoke to John p. Adams, Commissioner
of City Works. about it, and Mr. Adams denied all
knowledge Of IL. lie greatly disturbed and made
strenuous efforts TO find out Just how much Mr. Towns
knew. He was NOT disturbed enough, however, 10
exmne the records of his department, which low
contain papers purportng TO make people believe that
the connection was made nearly year ago In
perfectly open manner. Nevertheless, for some time
alter the beginning Of the suit those papers cond NOT
be found.
When it became impossible longer to deny the con-
neciOn between the systems affidavit was produced
by Thomas F. Nevins, chief engineer Of the Fire De
partment. containing copy of letter from him to
Henry Hawkes. the water purveyOr bearing date Of
October IL, 1885, asking that the connection be MADE
80 as to protect the Twentysixt Ward In case OF Ire
Mr. Nevins swore that he supposed that both systems
belonged to the ciby. Mr.. Zegler made afldavt IN
reply that he did not believe the latter statement for
he was Informed that Nevlns connected with the
purchase of the water stock from Samuel Hatton at
$40 a share, and present at two conferences at
least when the sale being arranged for. The
hollowness Of the fire protection was shown by inc
officials themselves, when they aferward made samuel
4 Livingston swear that the static pressure OF mo
water companys reservoir greater than that OF
the CITY and the water would not from the cty's
mains into the Twenty-sxth Ward. II So why did
Nevins want the connection to protect the Twenty
sixth Ward In case of fire
AS soon as it was runored that there were records
OF n connection, demands made upon Mr.. Adams
and his subordinate, Mr. Hawkes.. 70 see those records
and the demands were refused, Notwithstanding the
fact that these officials would not deny that the persons
asking for the papers bad perfect right TO see theH
This was only one case Of cOnceameDt of papers In
other offices tie attempt made. but the onclais
came to their In time % save themselves trouble
Later the letter Of Ncvns was shown IL was on
simple sheet of large letter paper. 1t was dated
October o. 1880 but ut the date there bad been an
erasure with q pen-knlfe The ink was never blotted
and though purporting 30 be over year old had a
mstre which Ink manufacturers say fades IN 10"
months the furhest except In the case OF some niue
used copying and Japan inks 1t was never copied
and M mention was made Of the connection In Mr.
Nevins,s annual report although he took pains TO
mention the LAYING OF some few feet of pipe In some
side streets. .
The only folds in the letter were two which maze n
fit a large business envelope and by curious con
cdenoe they exactly coresponded TO the folds Oh some
papers from the Corporation Counsels Office to whch
II was pinned Yet people asked to believe that
that single sheet letter written year before had been
delivered In large legal envelope, filed among the
papers of the department without being creased III any
other WAY and had remained file for year wlthou
Incoming even yellow at the AT the same
fine the daily reports Of the foreman were sho"l'
similar reports made few days before and after the
date Of the one telling Of the connection were IN lnK
that had turned a dead black. That one was OF
pale green. .
Among the damaging afldavits brought forward at
the beginning OF the suit by Mr.. Negler was one by
Moves g. Palmer. The ring thought 1t essehual 10
break the force Of bis testimony. They sent 10 NM
told him that he had injured bis friends ana aiter
browbeating him TILL he afterwad Said his nerves
were utterly unstrung, made MIN sign an Hnu''i'
modifying his first calm statement Similar tacucs
were employed elsewhere
Fnallv the case came into court and an lnluhctoh
ras granted. An amended complaint and an answer
were served Before the time allowed before tria
had expired Special Term OF the Supreme court
onened with Justice Dyllman on the bench. uUhg
before him on February 2, Corporation Counsel jerks
asked that the case be set for trial two days ater
although well knowing that it was not properly on the
calendar and it WIS so set down despite the protests
of the plaintiff. on February the court onereo 10
dis.olve the Injunction II the plaintiff did not supuate
to 90 TO trial on February 10, Notwithstanding the aet
mat the case had been appealed TO the General Term
Mfr. Caynor denounced this action rs Illegal ana so
MAINLY showed that it so that Mr. jerks never
dared 10 enter the order which had been ohered 10
him BY the court. lie himself knew that u was
niece OF buncOmbe.