New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-12
WAS THERE A "DlVVY'f
QUEER FACTS BEING BROUGHT OUT IN
NEWARK.
AIR TIcBENoR A REAL ESTATE DEALER Soi'
PROPERTY TO THE CITY BEFORE lie AcTO-
ALLY OWNED rT-sEEMs TO HAVE
CLEARED 5000 BY THE TRANsAc-
rIoN-LAND WORTH $50 PUT
IN DEED AT $500.

A spec,al committee OF the Newark Coii'io"
Council met at the City Hall yesterday TO IN
yestigate the alleged deal In connection VIII"
the purchase Of site for disinfecuhe s'"'oI'
ard hospital for contagious diseases. Inc COM
,nittee consists Of Aldermen ogaeh' N"'
BENJAMIN. Knott and Ely.
The site in question consists OF twenty-lou'
ord one-ouarter acres and is located in Grove
81 Irvirgton The city purchased IL In August
1904 for $4,000 Five or six weeks ago ruhlofs
were current that there had been "crookeoheSs
IN connection with the matter. 1t was theh oe
veloped tina; the Board Of Health hau ooue"'
the land through Robert Schlegel. survey" :"
the Tax Board. Schlegel made the bargain WIZ"
George Tichenor. real estate dealer' An "a
animation Of The records showed that Iicie"o'
did not own the property at the ''me ne ea'.
the option to Schlegel. 1t was actually o"neu
then by the Crow estate. The deed passing 'ie
property from this estate to I1chehor na''e"
sl45oO as the purchase price. but MIS- |ro" was
afterward quoted as saying that Tichenor rea"'
paid only $1,000
When the investigation began yesterday AFTER
noon Chairman Ogden sad This committee
has been appointed by the Common Counch 10
,nouire into alleged crookedness in conpecuoh
with the purchase Of site for the disinfecting
station We propose to get all the Information
we can and have full power to compel the at
tendance Of witnesses"
City Counsel Riker suggested that the RECORDS
be put In evidence and Assistant CITY Sieih
Cyphers read the minutes of the Common Coun-
Gil and the Building Committee bearing on the
question II was shown that the Couhch h"u
appropriated $4,000 for the purposes named an
that the Board Of Health had then been author
lied TO select a site.
DR. Charles Lehlbach. secretary OF the Board
% thlf
covering the same subject.
George w Tichenor." called City CounseI
Riker
NJ richanor anpeared to be perfectly self-pos
sessed as he sat down. smoothed the wrinkles
out Of his waistcoat. folded his hands and pre-
pared 10 answer questions.
How did your attention happen to be drawn
70 the fact that the city wanted lana! asked
Mr.. Riker. after few preliminary queries
mir. schlegel asked me what ia take for It,
After some bargaining finally told him l take
$4,000 for IT, He brought an agreement to me
and | sisned It, Then he gave me chech loi
$500 TO bind the bargain. The check was sieheu
by John b. Stobaens That was on August o.
had bought the property on August l. FOR
vear had been negotiating for the purchase OF
this particular piece Of property from the GRO"
estate. made the purchase through George
w.
q letter from Mr.. Stevens.
The letter stated that John NJ Burnett had
never had authority to sell the property, and
that Mr. Burnetts statement TO the effect that
the property could have been bought for S9ooo
was made ION his own authority" Mr. Stevens
did not say what Tichenor paid for the prop
erty
II gave Mr. Stevens $4,000 and little over
three acres Of land for that property" Tichenor
afterward said in answer TO Mr.. Riker.
Where are those three acres?'
Down on the Meadows, the Peddie
Street Ditch"
when did you execute the deed to Stevens?'
II don't remember exactly. but it was some
time before l conveyed ii to the city.
Mr.. Riker read the deed given by Tichenor 10
Stevens and it was dated August 80. the date
On which Schlegel closed the bargain with Itch
enor for the purchase Of the other property.
Tichenors meadow property was valued in the
deed at 1865. Tichenor thought" that he paid
not more than 1925 for the property.
FIGURES WHICH MEANT NOTHING.
How did you come TO put such a high figure
In the deed" asked Mr. Riker.
"Oh don't know. Sometimes l put in dol
lar and sometimes thousands. Mr.. Stevens
wanted sl4 900 for the Irvngton property. and l
offered him $4,000 and my piece of meadow
land"
80 10 make up the price he wanted you
scheduled 1925 piece Of property at $685.
asked Alderman Ogden.
How did you come TO name that particular
figure" asked Mr. Riker.
II don't know"
HAS anything occurred TO materially increase
The value Of that meadow property"
mo. nothing special"
About two months before bought the prop
erty from Mr.. Stevens l asked him what he
wanted for II, and he mentioned $4,000" Tiche-
nor said in reply to more questions from Mr..
Riker Il did my business with Mr. Stevens
at his office IN New-York"
What did you do with the check OF checks
you received from the city,
Deposited them in the bank"
What did you do with the money!
Il paid $4,000 to Mr.. Stevens in addition to
the $500 already paid him.
What did you do with the remainder?'
Used it in my private business, except the $500
advanced by Mr. Schlegel TO bind the bargain.
j gave him check for $500
The check dated September s, although
the title was not passed until two days later
How did Mr.. Schlege know that you had this
property foi sale?'
"Oh, told him a few days before we made
cutting the property up into lots. I didn't know
that the city looking for land"
Did you divide any Of the m6ney with any
body?
mo. sir"
did you pay anybody anything for expedting.
assisting or influencing this sale?'
NO. sir. No one asked me for anything"
when you sold the meadow land TO Mr. Ste
vens did he go with you to see it?'
mo. sir. ] described it to him as nice land
free and clear"
The idea Of describing a piece Of swamp as
mice land" tckled the audience. and there was
more laughter at Tichenor's answer to Mr. R!k-
ers next question.
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