The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-21
MAYOR BOODY ANDTHE JURY
THE TESTIMONY ON WHICH ne CINE
NEAR MING INDICTkD

Ma,u,y n Repetition OF The Complaints OF
| Lawyers Grynor and circuit = Corpora
tion Counsel jerks Advised the Mayor
that the Resolutions Were All Right.
The testimony given before the June Grand
Jury In Brooklyn In reference to the railroad
grants to the Brooklyn City. the Kings County.
and Nassau companies on which the Grand
Jury based its severe criticism OF Mayor Body
and expressed its regret that it could not in
dict him, was mado public yesterday after
noon. AZ has been foroshadowed in THE Sun.
1t contains but little new matter and abso-
lutely nothing Of q sensational character No
witnesses testified to n single specific act Of
fraud or corruption on the part OF the Mayor
or any member OF the Board OF Aldermen. and
most Of the evidence was simply recital OF
the various steps taken by tho rival compa-
MICS in thoir light for the franchises
William ]. Caynor. counsel for the Union
Street Hallway Company. whose application
WAS rejected. and Edward NJ Grout. his part
ner who Is the attorney for the road. told tho
Grand Jury at great length the history OF their
unsuccessful contest for tho grants but did
not Introduce any points which had not been
already fully covered in their printed inter-
views in the newspapers and statements be-
fore the Mayor and Aldermen. Their conten-
tion oil along was that their offer Of gross sums
for the grants. varying from $4,000 to $4,000
mile. or S274.000 altogether. would be
much more favorable com pensation to tho city
than tho percentage on the gross receipts.
which the Aldermen adopted. They also COM
planned that their company had boen excluded
from competition with the other roads on the
Mr.. Gaynor said that the conditions on
which the grants were given may be so per-
centage on the gross, receipts to which 1t is
supposed to be entitled. His company. he
and Only the Mayor TASTY action R in 1v sinnins
the resolutions prevented him from getting
KIT Mnv an in met In his opinion 10Th the
violating two plain sections OF the Penal Code.
and he could draw an indictment getting at
ing ther obligations a. t traHsees Of the city.
4, MI Grout explained that he had informed
his eompany was anxious to compete Tor the
franchises on any basis whatever but that 1t
was not brought III on tho percentage or the
hearing before the Mayor day or so before
he res, sig ned, the res9utions. he explained this
mony, Mr.. Grout sail:
many years. ana ii a man came ard told me
would ,disbelieve It., My point is simply this.
the Board Of Aldcrmenl was In bad faith and
fraudulent in ignoring an offer Of $4,000 in
our offer as efrectually in these other cases
Aldermen Heaney and Thomas. who voted
against the franchises. testified that they pro-
tested in open Bohrd against the proceeding
on the ground that the franchises had not been
disposed OF to the highest bidder. that the
Union Stree: Company had not had fair
chance to compete. and that some str cts
which were not necessary for railroad pur-
poses were included.
Patrick H. Flynn. President OF the Nassau
and Kings County companies, testified that q
very nice gentleman interested in the Union
proposition to the effect that the Union street
people would quit IL they We're taken in. He
thought the Nassau and Kings County COM
taken IN, There was no corrupt proposal.
These other people wanted simply to get
In and divide the thing up. They were then to
quit and get out. Mr.. Flynn said that he didn't
want to give the gentleman's name as he was
good man and II nice man."
Corporation Counsel jerks told the Grand
Jury that Brooklyn did not come under tho
provisions Of the Cantor act. requiring rail-
road franchi SEES to be put up for sale to the
highest bidder. He instructed the Mayor
before lie signed the resol buttons that they
provisions were absolutely binding
and could not be avoided.
Lawyer Gaynor gave out a statement last
night. alleging that some OF his testimony as
given out was garpled. some questions being
omitted and some OF his answers only partly
given. lio also said that ne Is not animated
by any personal malice toward Mayor Body.
and that he persistently refused to appear be-
fore the Grand Jury until forced to do so.
. LAWYER Grant also says that his testimony
does not appear in its original shape.