The sun., 1891-06-18
THE CANAL INVESTIGATION.
REFUI7NG THE CHARGES MADE
Ao4IysT LEADING DEMOCRATS

REFUT7NG THE CHARGES MADE
AG4Iysr LEADING DEMOCRATS
Hepubiionr Witnesses Exorerste Speaker
sheehsa-smsth OF Tonnwsnds Was Ua-
able to su-tain tho Charges Mado In HIS
Letter TO Senator van Gorder. hat Co.'S
Eessea That They Were Bssed on the
rlimsiest or uearsay Evidence.
ALBANY, Juno 17-To-day's session OF tho
Assembly Canal Exploration Committee was
by far tho most interesting OF the entire In
yesticntion up to date. II was devoted to the
process OF sitting the chaff from the wheat In
the specific charges OF INSTRUMENTATION
and political chicanery made by Republicans
against leading Domoctats OF tho state IL
was essentially Sheehan's day. although he
appeared neither as witness nor as n sub
rrnaed attendant. The first subject intro
duced was that OF the permit granted to the
Buffalo Dock and Connecting Railroad Com
pnny. which Superintendent OF Public Works
Hnnnan granted under certain very stringent
conditions TO enabls said company to build
limo OF road Along the division wall between
tho harbor Mt Buffalo and the Erie Canal. which
wall now serves as a breakwater. Il has long
been asserted in tho columns OF Republican
organs TINT Speaker Sheohan usod his In
Iuent with Superintendent Hannah hnd the
Democratic administration to secure The per-
init for the company. OF which his brother.
John G. Shcehan OF Now York. is n director.
At the morning session Of tho Investigating
committee Edgar Van Etten. Secretary OF the
railroad company. was first called. and from
him was obtained plain statement OF tho use
now IN ndu OF tho division wall and the desire
o. his company to build q road over II. He did
not think much OF tho charge that the State
ought To have received Il largo money COM
p-nsation or the permit. and demonstrated
how ridiculous the idea was hat tho company
had declined to accept the conditions imposed
by Superintendent Hannah OF building IN the
n w incomplete wall and keeping It in repair.
while all the time the permit might, at the
option OF the Superintendent o! Public Works,
be revoked. 1t would cost them to fulfil the
condit ons nearly quarter OF million. and
then they would hnve nothing they could call
their own. Therefore. tho permit had been
deemed valucless. ana the chief capitalist OF
the company. c. J. Ryan OF New York. had re-
fused to put his money into tho scheme to run
q road over the wall to connect with the Grand
Trunk and Michigan Central railroads. He
Also enphuticnlly declared that Speaker Shee-
han had no interest in the road. nor had lie
been In any way concerned in tho effort to
secure the permit.
The testimony .: Mr.. Van Etten was SUBJ
stantia,ed by that OF Henry W. Bot. promi-
ncnt Republican lawyer OF Buffalo. and Philo
d. Beard OF buffalo the President OF the Dock
and Connecting Railroad Company.
Horace J. Harvey. q Republican mill owner
Philo G. Cook. eS-Assemblyman James H.
Roberts. and Albert g. Hatch. real estate
opinion the state would te the gamer II tho
company was permitted 7" build its road over
the wall w,hou, being harassed with intoler-
Ex-tounsy Treasurer John Esser. who was
elected III Eric county by the Republicans, Also
~ nan l1'iS aud the % eomrany Q, Which his brother
chaneei to be- director. and when the the com com.
snred of evidence to convict any Democratic
: tate officer with any sor. OF questionable
/, apsuction involving the grant ot this permit.
wanda lumber merchant. was put on the
Ian Gorder wherein he charged tnat permit
was given to Matthew scanlan OF TonawandS
sse deh Ds Norh
and that one tuildlne had been erected and
,ha TsOs 5hs was ss Has
man. a d Speaker she-han. This letter, which
senator Van Gorter read dur during the discus.
SssSy and dsndnPSss a. and
ss %
brought out Incidentally that the wit
ness was sonnected With the IN tMicMhtSan Ms,
Wosks to sVsea coa.psny at Tonsxsnds;' nat:
urai gas an elestIH S.arI light and
estate ana lumber and M king q failure Of his
wanda as a Repubiicsn Prohibitlonist; Mr..
AMI the attempt 10 get anything worthy the
name OF a charge out OF his letter to senator
Tho witness began by saying that 70 had
known Matthew scanlan twenty years. and.
n n1t lad s
not even Speaker Sheehan. who had said that
he Smh, n0M3ris.y yS! apd Sa Vas psalm.
anu bound ess philanthropy fairly nstonished
the ommst,e He has "a nn nssn tsh,in the tns-
a lone time, with Mr: scanan but
yet senteTtnined TIE M Utmost utmost IL, i5iendliness
ragged by the fact that Mr. scanlan had erected
!. two story frame. building over the $ ate
State property. and iet that the Democratic |
nt the canals 9uSht TO BE- In
ho had 1red II oS
sesuse the aTn q Tabor; sheshaa: Sa.
he assS wa.er,rens suits ssans. HIN: and
i,y seaman who according 70 Smith. ruled ali |
the politics and politician@s @ OF the VILLAGE With
\ hand ike unto tnRt OF BOSS i weed they mad !
used their influence TO secure his permit. |
Then. too. he had met man on the strert Jlist !
prior 10 the date Of his letter to Senator Van |
iorder. aud that man had told him that Mat. |
Sranlan had Sc cured o permit to bnild q sa- /
loon over the. State dilch at Oliver street,
and all other slreeis crossing the |
ditch. In response to sharp queries OF |
The counsel Mr.. Smith blapdly swore tha, he !
had forgotten the man name. woul! not rec |
oRni2e him II be saw him. ana only knew that !
he was white man. On this evidence he had |
written to senator Van Gorder in order to |
'ers should be pubiished. He never authorized
heir publication. He had NO charge 10 make
against Attorney Ge, oral Tabor. but thought |
hat NJ att Scanlan had too much power over
The appointment OF the employees n the canal. |
After much ioundat out questioning the wit
ness told OF an indignation meeting. at which
over ilfy citizens were present, but OF whom
he could name four only. and OF the sending
u a committee to Albany to- protest against
he granting" I permit to Scnnlan to run
saloon on Stnte lnnns. This committee con-
sisted OF Benjamin Calkins and Franklin War
rep, and they rerorted that Speaker Sheehan
said that Matt wa. his friend and he should
have the permit As matter OF iact this COM
nittee never Jaw Steaker Sheehan. George |
Brownell saw the Speaker about II and was old
he case and had nothing to do with 1t. As a
natter nj personal praference he would favor