New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-23
MAYOR BooDY's THREArs
lie HINTS AT PROSECUTIONS FOR prpr
AND LIBEL
SUIT TO BE BEGUN TO ANNUL THE cR.xr.
FRANCHISES TO STREET RAILWAY CON-
PANIEs WHICH ARE ALLEGED y
TO BE ILLEGAL.

PANIEs WHICH ARE ALLEGED -
TO BE ILLEGAL
Mayor Body Is evidently not satisfied 80.
publication Of the evidence which the Gram
listened to last month, and on which II s..
censured him for his action In falling TO pross., ~
public interests by securing as large an annu.. y
money for street railroad franchises as possible ~
said yesterday that he and his counsel, exsseerS.
Tracy, would carefully so over the testimony 80
that motion would probably be made In the Co.
OF Sessions tomorrow To expunge from the reco,a !.
the court the presentment made by the Grand -,
on the ground that the testimony did no, war,,, =
In regard to the contradiction made BY ". Go =
Of his denial that the Union Street Railway CONS
was excluded from railroad conference tho ~
declared that conference was held after the r-.
Company's application for franchise was msda 49,.
the ore at which the complaint OF that comma.
was heard. He also asserted that Mr. Gaynor 80.
mistaken when he said that his company was o,.,,e.
to receive charter at that time. y
When asked what further proceedings he wou,d -
In regard TO the attacks upon him. the Mayor al
that maIy persons asking what would h 49,
with Mr.. GayrOr and his CONDUCTORS. All the ,.,,s
he could make that the matter had been resev,..
to his counsel, General Tracy. and that he Womb
take such steps he deemed proper. The x,,..
added: whether he will decide that proceedings =.
perjury shall be instituted against certain parties a.
for libel against others, cannot say lie will dec,1~
But ore thing l will say. and that Is that I DOM
think the end has been reached yet
While the Mayor Is threatening suits against othe,.
he will be called upon to defend q suit In which \.
will DO n co-defcndant with the Aldermen and d.
street railroad companies to whom they grsn,s
franchises. Tho papers have been prepared In M.
ceedngs similar 10 those Instituted last summer 1,
which the Legality of the grant made by the Aldermen
pany was overthrown. In that case the Mayor sayea
himself from being involved In the proceeding, n,
vetoing the resolutions. which the Aldermen pe~ss
his head. In the present suit. in the preyos,
one, the plaintiff Is John Adamson. n property-ovne,
In Cnion-st, and he sues a n taxpayer under tn
TiIden prevent the carrying Of an asre,
ment against the best interests OF the city. In ths
former Union.st. proceedings the supreme Court hAu
that the Aldermen had acted in bad faith In granting
n franchise to the Union Railroad Company when tAs
Union Street Railway Company had offered $50 ooo
for the franchise.
The complaint in the new proceedings against he
Mayor, Aldermen and III; Nassau Electric Railroad
Company sets forth that the Mayor had announce
that the franchises would be paid for at a certain
sum pep mile, and the representatives Of the Uno1
street Company offered 10000 $4,000 and ana.
900 a mile at meeting OF the Railroad COMMITTEES
Of the Board OF Aldermen. The other companies
made no open offers. Then II j. alleged that As
committee Of the Aldermen secretly prepared resolu,
lions giving the franchises 10 the companies whhl
did not bid. upon percentage system that the resolu
lions passed by the Common Council that ~
resolutions and the intention to give franchises \
this way concealed from the Union street Con,
pany that the action Of the Common Council In IA
matter was In bad faith and fraud. and not In he
best Interests OF the city: that the Common Council
had also been requested TO announce the system upo
which offers would BE- entertained, but had refused
to do so, to prevent the Union Street Company frua
competing; that by this action Of the board IL,
Union Street Company was prevented from competing;
that when the resolutions Of the Common Council can>
to the Mayor lie Informed In writing ofihe coniuet
Of the Aldermen In prpos"ly excluding the Union Con,
pany from competing; that the company demanded Il
him that he give them opportunity TO compes,
hut that, knowing all the facts, the Mayor in ~
faith and frauducntly united with the action Of To
Common Council and approved the resolutions there
10y finally excluding the Unicn Street Company as Q
competitor TO the financial damage OF the city.
The plaintiff asks that the action OF the Mayor and
Aldermen In the matter be declared fraudulent null
and void.
At the trial OF the suit the entire history Of ths
proceedings will be revealed, and the Mayor will have
chance to explain why he did not take steu
10 secure the Information offered To him at the hear.
inc In his Office. 10 show the loss TO the city hy bis
approval OF lhe acls OF the Aidefulen. ana Way DO
signed the resolutions IN such haste that an injunction
could not I've secured 10 stop his action. The papers
In the proceedings will be- served upon the MayN,
Aldermen and l.. III. Flynn, president OF the Nassau
Electric Railroad Company.
In his evidence before the Grand Jury Mr. Flynn
said that h. had been approached by representative
Of the | Mon Street Railroad Company, who wanted
Ia make an arrangement between the two companies.
Mr.. Flynn declined To give tn. name of the man to
the Grand Jury. II published yesterday that
he was Cornelius Il. Donnellon. fathernlaw Of John
Adamson. and wealthy real estate dealer. Mr.. Dom
mellon declined TO say anything about the subject
last evening.
Mayor Body Is expected to call n special meeting
OF the Board Of Aldermen for Thursday Of this week,
10 act upon his suggestion Of reconsideration OF the
resolutions granting railroad franchises for Greene
ave-. Gates ave.> Madison-s. Livngsonst and other
streets in order to leave ont the four named.