The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-20

'Why, thousands OF notlceS nave Deen
served by Mr.. Muldoon, y said Mr.. Tumulty.
"How do you know that Mr.. Muldoon has
notified themg' asked counsel. But Mr..
Tumulty had no personal knowledge of the
important work Ion by Mr.. Muldoon.
EDDIE
Commissioner Edward H. Dugan was then
called, and, assuming an innocent look,
started in to explain the paving work lone
on Railroad avenue, between the Pennsyl-
wanna Railroad Company and MIR. Stanley.
Thu contract called only for paving between
pillar and pillar and the city made a con-
tract to pave outside of that to the curb at
the cheapest lowest rate. The contract on
the part of the city was for SO much a
yard.
Referring to Nolan's work charge No. y
| on Grove street; Mr.. Nolan had a contract
to Seventeenth street, nearly to the Hobo
ken line. For the next three blocks to the
line the citizens requested the board to con-
tinue the contract.
1--WE had no contract with him." said Mr..
Dugan, excepting that the work should be
lone at the same price as the contract work.
We could stop him at any time"
AS to other items paid for out of the
license monies there was no agreement or
contract other than the preceding. The
board which came into existence in the
spring of 1891 imposed many liabilities on
the present board. This was the case with
Nolan's claims and many others.
did you know how many yards Mr..
Stanley was to payeg" began Judge Doug
lass.
mo, sir" was the reply.
"Do you mean to say that your board told
Mr.. Stanley to pave without you having
an agreement as to paving n or a thousand
yards!"
"We had NO agreement, F" was the answer.
"Do you mean to impose that nonsense on
the Mayor and have the e~ffrontery to tell us
such an untruthF' cried counsel.
''There was no agreement" said Mr.. Du-
gan, growing red in the face.
This passes the comprehension OF any
man that such nonsense should DO palmed
off here" said Judge Douglass.
TILT
'Now, sir, you read from the minutes of
your board, and tell us if prior to Nolan's
paving of Grove street
'He shan't do anything of the kind" said
Mr.. Corbin.
"He shall until he tells the truth, returned
Judge Douglass.
"Well, III instruct my client to refuse to
read y said Mr.. Corbin.
A hot discussion between counsel ensued,
and the Mayor asked the Commissions if he
knew of the existence of a contract between
the city and Mr.. Nolan.
"No, Your Honor" replied Mr.. Dugan.
81 dom know of anything in these minutes
as to a prior contract"
"WeII, what instructions did you give Mr..
Nolan about paving these three blocks on
Grove street" asked Judge Douglass.
my instructions were somewhat vague"
Eyes, Mr.. Dugan, your instructions to
people spending ~unlawfully the city's money
were always vague" added Judge Douglass,
scornfully.
"Your agreements with Mr.. Stanley and
Mr.. Nolan were TO stop when you said 500"
began the Judge after getting his wind.
Eyes, to stop when we told them" was the
answer.
''You never did stop them, though; but
allowed them to go ahead as they pleased
and charge as they pleasedg"
Eyes" the Commissioner replied, smiling
in the counsellor's face.
EDDIE'S KNOWLEDGE OF LAW.
Judge Douglass then turned him over to
Mr.. Otto Grouse, who probed Mr.. Dugan as
to his knowledge of the law of 1891 relating
to advertising for amounts over $500.
Mr.. Dugan said he didn't know anything
about emergency" contracts excepting
what Mr.. Edwards had once referred to be-
fore him.
Mr.. Grouse made Mr.. Dugan admit that
he did know that it was necessary to adver-
tise for proposals.
Mr.. Dugan said that he had given Mr..
Condor instructions to go ahead with re-
pairing the water pipes to the extent of four
miles. Had he known the extent at the
time he did not know whether he would have
given out the order that way.
In an oily. smooth, polite manner, Mr..
Grouse asked for any excuse why the work
on the pipe, which cost nearly 5000, was
| not advertised for.
Mr., Dugan said his excuse was that a con-
tract for the pipe would lave to go before
| the Board of Finance and probably be kept
there, and as it was an emergency it was
ordered in the way aforesaid.
ssVO11 cav Won know that a0varticinO m,1ct
take place for work over S500g' asked Mr.
| Grouse.
Eyes, 1 did, but I didn't inquire why all
these bills with amounts all 1896 were passed
by us, contrary to the law"
Probed on this point why, if he knew that
it was Illegal TO pay bills over $500, he did
so. Nj. Dugan rave the same answer as Mr..
Cook: Didn't know, but they just did it."
you've been in the Board four years and
can't answer that question satisfactorily!'
asked Mr.. Grouse, but Mr.. Dugan made no
reply.
EDDIE DIDN'T KNOW.
Each item mentioned in patches of four
and blocks of five and all either 1895 or $498,
as specifically mentioned in the charges. were
read by Mr.. Grouse and the question put,
why these were passed contrary to the law
which the Commissioner admitted he had
knowledge of, and in every instance came
the curious answer, Don't know why it was
done, but it was"
Mr.. Dugan admitted that he had made no
personal investigation as to whether the
work had or had not been done.
II passed the bills on the same day for
these amounts without thinking that the law
had been infringed. If the contractor had
put a bill in for 50, 900 l would pass it Just
the same. We looked at it this way, that we
had a right to spend the money as we
liked" [Murmurs of surprise among the oc-
cupants of the 1obby.]
at never occurred to you then, as a smart
business man, to investigate why these bills,
all for s495 and S49S were put in OIL the same
day and passed?'
mo" replied Mr.. Dugan, with an air of
simplicity irresistibly funny to those who
knew the gentleman.
Mr.. Grouse then Owed into the funds of
the license moneys in the hands of the city
at the time of the coming in of the new
new board, and the obligations imposed
ON the present board by the board of
three, and proceeded to ask questions
about these contracts, but Mr.. Cor
bin objected, and Mr.. Grouse changed his
position by going into the tagging at Belle
vile.
"There was,n witness said, "a large amount
of work done there by MI. Nolan, but his
bills were n-on-concurred in by the Board of
Finance until cut down.
'BoB' DAVIS SUPPLY COMPANY.
Mr.. Grouse then directed a fire of oues-
lions as to the supplies furnished during '91
and 1872, by the bob" Davis Jersey City Sup
ply Company. When this name was mem
toned everybody smiled, and SO at this
| moment did Mayor Lawrence Pagan of
Hoboken. who entered the room. shook