New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-01
ALDERMAN M'KEE'S TRIAL.
THE PROSECUTION OPENS THE CASE OF THE
BROOKLYN COUNCILMAN
SEVERAL WITNESSES ExAMINED-T1IE HEARING
ADJOURNED ON ACCOUNT OF JUSTICE
KELLY's SUDDEN LINES.

ADJOURNED ON ACCOUNT Of Jl SIlCL
KELLY's SUDDEN LINES.
The trial Of District Alderman william Mckee. Of
Brooklyn, upon the indictment charging him With
con living AT the payment by the city OF fraudulent
bin for the reviewing stands used by the city n The
Columbus celebration last fall ard with the improper
expenditure OF public funds, practically opened
In the ki1es County Court OF Sessions yesterday
before Judge Moore and Associate Justices Kelly ana
strykcr In the Brooklyn Court House. the jury having
been secured Monday. Owing to the sudden line
Of Associate Justice Kelly, OF Flabush, the trial was
suspended al noon. II will go forward to-day II
he has sufficiently recovered 10 sit In court de
suffering with gastrts, AID hi, physician sald
II would not do for him to he out yesterday rs
the trial began before him It cannot 60 on without his
presence.
The for the prosecution was pres"h'c1 oy
calling the same witnesses testified at the 'rai
- Plan Clerk pigott of the Buildings Department.
who wa, the first Of the officials Indicted In connection
with the Columbus expenditures 70 h. tried. -Nider
MAJ Mckee chairman of the Common 'ouhsh
Committee in charge OF the arrangements lor we
expenditure of $50 900 by the city for the celeDInton
4 number Of Democratic politicians were among the
Interested spectators OF tho proceedings Mch"c
appeared to view the proceed with unconcern ana
VA, evidently amused by OF the incidents Vi
the day.
OPENING THE CASE
Assistant rict-At;olncy Clarke opened the
case saying that the prosecution propo'cd 10 prove
that the defendant guilty Of felony IN aiding IN
the presentation Of Il false and fraudulent voucher
for audit in company with Aldermen lleaney ana
Wafer and p. Ro.s and james ii. Pigott. Koss was
a dummy contractor and Pgott an cmploye OF inc
dty lie built the reviewing stands and PAID the
bill, and Ross was not heard OF until he preseht'l
bill, amounting 10 81 400. The actual ccst Oh inc
labor and materials was SI.352 90 leaving surpiu
OF profit " *7,Sl7 40. The specihcatoh OF III" Guy
charter providing that contracts must be a1Vern''
r-r p,opcr competition violated and no bona
WAS taken for proper performance OF the work Inc
contract was given out without authority OF law
and three time. too much paid FOR the WORK
go,t paid the bills for the work and no one hrarl
n Ross until the work was all done. The bills put
I'm 70 the city In hi, name were beyond all reas ~
The materials Of the stands were ,old Tor 800 bh'
fine city was not credited with this amount. Pigot'
knew he could not APPEAR contractor. a. he would
he guilty OF "A misdcmcanor b, so doing. but he got
pos. IN stand n "A tgurehcad This meant that
Psott was doing the work for some one else ana
standing in with him The accused MAJ knew
Of the facts. Pig)t went with Ros, AMI got ihe
money. lie deposited $3.50 TO the credit OF bi'
bIni account and the day after that checks amount
ing 10 3.J32 20 paid out. leaving the remainder
a, hi, share Of the profit. Who're the rest OF IN"
money went was not known, but Il went somewhere
to one else.