New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-28
NEw-YoRK FRIDAY ss-TEN
BOODY CHANGES FRONT.
HE OBEYS BROOKLYNS RING.
. BOSS' M'LAUGHLIN'S INFLUENCE OVER
THE MAYOR
HE NO LONGER OPPOSES THE REDUCTION IN
THE TAX ASSESS MENT OF THE ELE-
WAITED ROADs-A PLAINTIvE PLEA
FROM MR. BARRETT


/ WAITED RoADs-A PLAINTIvE PLEA
FROM MR.. BARRETT
! II Mayor Boody tries to do a good action oy
stealth his right hand i sure to let the world
know what he is doing with his left, and he
is Obliged TO reverse himself. No clearer Illus
tration OF the domination exercised over him by
tle Mclaughlin ring has appeared than dis
| closed az the hearing given by the Board Of As
SESSIONS yesterday in the matter of the application
of the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad Company for
reduction in its assessed valuation. The ap-
plicaton was made a fcw days ago. and when the
Mayor heard of II he called President Wilson, of
the Department of Assessment, 70 him and toll
him that he thought reduction should be made
This evidence of Independent action on the part
OF the Mayor carried CONSERVATION TO the m"fn-
bers of the gang" which holds stock in the
Brooklyn Elevated Company, of which Anthony
Barrett. one of Boss" Mel aushns right-hanl
men. is trustee They brought influence TO
bear upon the Mayor to secure with
drawa Of any pressure he might bring
TO bear upon the assessors whom he appoints.
Before the herring yesterday, Frederick Uhmann
the nominal president of the company; Anthony
Barrett the virtual president. and W. y. Cohen,
the counsel. called on the Mayor and the pr"sl-
dent of the assessors in the office of the former
They heard from Mr. Body the statement that he
wished in no way to influence the action OF the
asscssors and he directed Mr.. Wilson TO convey
thi, official expression of opinion To his associate
assessors.
A1er this exhibition Of shameful subservicncy
IN the cornoration interests Of the men who made
him Mayor, Mr. Body shook hands with his NlSi-
TORS who then procerdcd to the Department OF
Assessment Nh Barrett announced that MesSrs'
thlmann and Cohen would argue for reduction
Of the assessed valuation Of the property oil III"
Brooklyn Company and also of the klngs county
Comnanv from 5000 900 10 3 : o 900 mic, on the
ground that the courts fixed tn" valuation at
eo.O 600 a mile last year. and that 20 per cent
Of this was all the city should tax upon. lreSl-
dent Wilson then said desire to say that the
Mayor sent for me this morning and, as there l.
m immersion abroad that he opposes any reduc-
ton Of the assessment Of the elevated companleS
hc wishes me TO say 10 tn" board in the strongest
,n,nnor nossib, that in no way has he wished
or tried to influence any member Of the board IN
relation 70 this assessment. He desires III" matter
,o rcs, exclusively with tho board and that each
member shah vote upon il in accordance with his
ovp Indictment The assessors We're appointed Tor
just this work
Mr. Cohen than repeated the arguments he pre-
sentcd last week and said that the trolley was
making inroads upon the companies rec'lp's' ana
tbcv would feel compelled TO appeal to the courts
if the reduction was not granted.
President I'hlmann reported figures showing
loss Of 10 per cent in receipts on account ot 'he
t,o,lcy conpetition There was DANCER OF a.
nciency if business did not improve The present
loss was $500 a day from th" trolley
Mr. Barrett, "A trustee, made long ana III
times pathctic plea which caused his listeners 10
think Of crocodilcs tears. He began by saNih"
,hat he would ask nothing which it was not just
10 grant. The assessment n lnld was uh'"r' \
co,npromisc had been reached after years of litl-
cation last year. and 100000 mil" had been
agreed upon for the year. II business had kept
on ircro,sing no reduction would have been asked.
Bn, there was competition from trolley ears,
" which went racing through the city, making
bott.r time than elevated trains, and killing man
ovorv dav Thrcc-fourths of the development ol
the city in the last ten years was du" to the 'l'-
waited roads, he declared, hut the men VINO IN
vested in them had not received any return Tor
thcii money.
"I h,yc almost every dollar ] own invested IN
thc BROOKLYN company he continued. ana
con't cxpcct any returns for II. though my chill
drcn may ! am poorer than any man III 'Il'S
Roord.r he added. with tears in his voice. poor
in papor-in bad-paying paper ana want SON"
little income on my money. " II i~ ! a" a''o
lutcly poor. The papers say thai Mr. barie't i
a trustee for many stockholders. les, ah' out
il i tb. trustee Of widows AID orphans whose
money is invested in This company. ! raise my
hand and make oath that | am trustee for those
vidows and orphans who. when. on my alNl'r'
they invested their money. expected to get proht
in five years have 10 advance money from INV
pockct 80 that they can carry th ir stlck' ana
bonds until they can secure income. Are You
ooinc 10 give way to public camor? Are you
going 10 drive us TO the courts We VIII n'''I
pay upon S!00.O00 mile. We VIII hel.' II ~
the bitter end. The Mayor doc. not want I, III,
Hucncc Vou and h. wants IL distinctly unu'iSt'o'
that your action is 10 be guided ny your own own
Judgment. aud that You are not { b' an'c'Ml ~
hi, Individual opinion. lnasmLch a. IN Nia.oa
intrrf.rnd in thiS matter. u" had to TAX" ,''
proper position he has or We wond appeal 10 u"
court, ON that ISSUE All ask il justice"
! MIR T1rrrtt maintained that all elevat"l rotH
shonld 90 untaXrd for ten years ana that ho
other city than BROOKLYN would taN them ,or
that hod. II" referred TO aeitators ana y'ips
crs" who wer. always rejecting on tie motives ol
puhic officials and received more coh>"fTa.r"
Than was due them. lie believed on lnV"'tlHn-
ton that they would he found rotten 10 the core
Every improvement III th" city had been innghl
hv the leather brrcchcs and reformer'. Lying
reports had been sent ont about th' aHalrs oi
BROOKLYN. when. in fact il was the best 2"V'rn'
and most economically administered clty III !mlr m
v4rd Put abuse should not prevent IN" dolh9
of Justice All he asked was for the valuation 10
lc placed where the courts put II. II iur,"cI
reference to the Mayors interference. u" SAN II
WAS unwarrantcd and that the Mayor hal donc zone
the right thing IN rtrac'ing his oplhl0a' ~ III
as they wcr, designed 10 influence Ill" i'oari
Several of the assessors denied that IN" VI NoI
had sought 10 influence them. and Others k'p'
silent President Wilson SAID that tl"r" was no
politics in the Boar' that tn" members were guF'"
by their sense of raht and the Mayor dl not seek
to Influence them. .,
Final action was deferred in the matter until
tn-dIy but il is believed that majority Ol me
Ponrd will vote 10 reject tie application a'spu
the crack of the :" Boss whip about the" ca's
by " lie" Gilman Barrett.
INDICATIONS OF WRECKS OFF NANTtchhf.
! Nantucket Mass July o7.-The wind has blown WIN