The sun., 1893-05-12
PIGoT HAS HIS INNINGS.
HIS DEFENCE AGAINST THE CHARGE
OF COLUMBIAN CORRUPTION.

Cost $4,000 Instead OF SEQ, ,OoO-The
District Attorneys Expert says the RiIi
for the Stands Was No, Extortionate.
The defence OF Plan Clerk James II. pieot
OF the Building Depart ulent. who is on trial In
the Court OF Sessions In BROOKLYN for aiding
and abetting. as alleged. In the presentation
OF false. fraudulent. and extortionate bill OF
Sill. 400 for the erection OF the Alderm nio
grand stands on Columbus day. was begun
yesterday. The testimony encouraged not
only PiEot himself. but the numerous other
defendants involved in tho Columbus celebra-
ton scandal to look forward to an acquittaL
District Attorney Ridgway. after presenting
some testimony to show the dim ensions OF the
stands. called Myron G. Rush. a builder. to the
witness chair as an expert. Mr.. Rush was
disappointment SO the prosecution. for, ac-
cording to his calculations q fair price for the
stands would have been SIT. U.2UO.or only 81 200
less than the city actually paid. Mr. Rush also
said that IL he had been the contractor. and
only four days TO do the work had been given.
he would have charged more than II he had
amble time. When Mr.. Rush. who was con
sidered an excellent witness for the defence.
Ind retired. the District Attorney abruptly
rested his case
LAWYER O'Dwyer tlren made motion 10 dis
miss the Indictment. but J udgc Moore promptly
denied 1t, and said the case must 20 to the
jury.
In his orening for Pigot Mr. O'Dwyer said
that the pro- scution had entirely failed to sh ow
that there had been the flaming corruption
which had been charged in the motion. Pigot
had simply acted US supervisor over the con-
struction OF the stands under the direction Of
a special committee OF the Board Of Aldermen.
III the money" concluded Mr.. O'Dwyer.
was expended without authority OF law. 1t
was an honest mistake on the part OF tho
Mayor. the Aldermen. the Auditor. and the law
adviser OF the city. and the expenditure has
been leg allied by the Legislature"
Mayor Boody was then examined and cx-
planned In detail all the Official acts In relation
to the Columbus celebration. Although the
celebration had been talked ot in March. no
action was taken until a few weeks before it
came or
When the matter OF a celebration was first
brought to his attention. he suggested that the
people should have IN opportunity to contrib
ute to the expenses. but his suggestion did
not seem to meet with much favor After the
mittee OF the Board OF Aldermen. which had
been appointed in March TO attend to tho mat;
Arch had been com mpleted. and was soon to be
dedicated. and that there seemed an earnest
and widespread desire that the celebration OF
dedication o! the arch should be united. He
told the committee that the great question
the expenses could be legally appropriated.
Tho Corro ration Counsel advised them that
the @ .o5 th1 b.
troller informed them that there was an unex-
pended balance that could bs 50 transferred.
creased to. s5o,lUI This was found necessary
because tho SCHOOL children haI desired to
pHired S'Is tor the the music. The paroehial schools
were to parade Wednesday and the public
schools on the day roliowinG The witness
in response 10 Mr; liidgw4y. Mayor Boody
prepared to obtain Legislative sanction ior
the expenditures had been dropped; because
he di1 not at ,st &nprGvo Of the
%sdicston ., the soldiers and sailors
.sssion.. The @ estimate q s3o.9oS had TIs Sssa
a"a msfe hs sG N.s way added whsn the si ths
nihed their desire to .partiepate. He suggest;
NO. No ss eS M 7 sot at% q else re
either Iieot or Ross about the matter. which
Was entirely in the hands Of the committee.
Thess ss to "s E9e TIA. work
ehes an" tes.d sif % '&.. tie contract
furnish the grand stand ior si1. 400. ana Pisot
Was selected to supervise the work and see
h 4%s as sS went to sesfy Ss sss WITH Tsd
and measured on the space required. which
he thought was between l.3OO and 100 feet.
witness. who. with Aldermen Hsaney and
this same bill Of Koss's den ed that he had had
pronted directly or indirectly in the matter
Alderman Hehnry was the next witness.
n ~ t..ti Mad w nj lit.Itnn han
kee in reference to the stands. He was
member OF the snb-committe on the stands.
init co that the stands should be erected with
some aeeidsn', and that vas Why rlGot came
sent for liCot and explained what was wanted.
pigot was instructed to supervise the work
him and Ross. the contractor. and looked over
the ground. This was only six or seven days
before the celebration. He went to New York
stands put up, at the same time over there.
and was told that the stands. WHICH were ex:
cost something like SIO.OOO. He reported the
result OF his investigation to the Committee Of
The san.at was T awardea to Ross He had
known Ross previous to this as a contractor.
Ross was given to understand that tho work
manning. and hat he woul lie held RESPONSE
hle for any accident which might occur He
the lumber aftor tho celebration and clear the
space. Ross was also told that Tigot would
have to Dass on the Work.
Q-uave yol benefited directly or indirectly In this
InAtterI
a i have not. II | didn't believe The bill was an
homes and Just one would not have approved OF IT,
A,sisi Dlst Attorney Clarke-I to say for
yscit and hsO for Mr. RidgNs sy that we don't believe
Alderman iirRIty got penny out OF It
MIR UDwyer-AnI Yet lie has been Indicted for pre.
senting this alleged fAlsc and fraudulent bill
Alderman Wafer. who was also on the Sub
Committee on stands. gave 81 milar testimony
and also denied any personal benefit. lie ad-
mitted that wnen it came to giving out the
contract he had some personal preferences for
Ross. hut the question OF charity did not en-
ter into tho matter
Aldermen Thomas and Pickering also testl-
fed but no additional facts were. elected.
Henry l.. Spicer an architect and builder.
figured out thai, Si'SG2 would be n fair price
he would have asked much more than the
regular rate FOR such work. in view OF the
great haste required.
The trial will probably be closed to-day.
Th' O'Brien- Can't Pay tho Rint.
The John J. OBrien Association. once the
master of the political situation In "d de Ate"
is now without home and retains merely q