New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-26
BLANK ORDERS FOR COAL.
l.. A. LA GRANGE BEFORE THE COMMITS
SIONERS OF ACCOUNTS
He ADMITS NOT BEING PRESENT WHEN COAL Foh
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS WEIGHED
LEFT THE CONTRACTOR TO Fill.

HE ADMITS NOT BEING PRESENT WHEN COAL. FOR
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS WEIGHED
LEFT THE CONTRACTOR TO Fill.
IN THE FIGURES
Commissioners o. Accounts Terry and Dennis.
who have been investigating charges mpiicatins
Louis A. La Grange. weighmasier OF the fTe pe-
ar,ment in irregularities concerning Inc weighing
OF coal purchased by the city for the use OF '"e
Fire Department. gave public hearing and exam
med A number OF witnesses yesterday. Ine Weieh-
master is u brother Of General O. II. La grange
until recently president OF the Fire Board. ana was
appointed soon after The General became Coi"iS-
soner under Mayor StrOcg.
II was La Oranges duty 10 certify in duplicate
to the correctness o: the Weighing OF coal one OF
the certificates went to the Fire Departments the
other retained by the coal dealer. La Grange
was expected to be present when coal WAS weighen
and certify to results performed under MS eye
and known 10 him 10 be accurate. He admitted 10
the Commissioners. Mr.. Terry said yesterday iha'
he had signed these contracts in blank and had
given them to the contractor 10 hl in as he cnose
La Grange meanwhile absenting himself from the
weighing place.
The first witness was John 7. Mayors. OF No. 2Jo
West Forty-frst-st.. a driver in the Fire Depart
ment VINO also detailed 10 assist la
Grange in weighing coal Witness said that on
Thursday lat. after ne mad been subpoenaed TO
attend private hearing before the Commissioners
Messrs La Grange and Winant called at his hous4
and told him not TO be alarmed. Mayors SAID tha'
he weighed coal furnished the Fire Department by
Wlnant & Son in December and January lie de-
cIared that Winant's wagons marked incor-
recty their weight in several cases-in one
case me city los; Just 400 pounds OF coal every time
the wagon referred 10 was weighed. All this coal,
the witness said was charged TO the city under the
direction OF La Grange; without having the wagons
reweghed. Mayors said that ne did not know OF the
false weight OF the wagons until his attention was
called 10 the matter by employees OF the Commits
s.oners OF Accounts. La Grange. ne said. mad told
him that the weights OF the wagons were all right.
Eugene sheppard OF No 3iS West Twenty-third-
st. assistant examiner I'm the Office OF the Com
missioners Of Accounts testified that on the morn
ing OF January "a he was AT West FIfty-hfh-st AMI
the North River one of the depots from which coal
was delivered 10y Wnant. on That occasion coal
dumped into the wagons from the boats with
out being weighed. This coal subsequently
delivered 10 Engine Company No. sc. at No 10
West Eighty-thrd -.
Louis 4 la Grange against whom the charges
weighmaster OF the Fire Departmen for one year.
He received 81 day and 81. extra for acting as
had given blank certificates 10 Mr. Wnant 10 be filed
I'm by the latter 10 the weight OF coal when he
Ola GRANGE was not present. This ne admitted
iifcates 70 the weight signed by La Grange on
December % for coal delivered from Pier Nc.
when La Grange was not there were put in ev'-
dence. La Grange admitted that he was not at
Pier No :. On the day In question he was in city
Island,
In explaining his conduct the witness said:
when "a barge load OF coal arrives acquisitions
come in from diff"ren. engnc-houses. TO enable
send these certificates. signed in blank. 10 the
Winants. and they fill them out ] believe that they
put the correct weight on them"
Mr.. Sheppard. assistant examiner Of accounts,
ties flied that when coal was delivered 10 Engine
Company No. 81 on December o. La Grange was In
a saloon In Third-ave. drinking. Mr. W!nant filled
out the blank certificate
The testimony will be presented 10 the Mayor and
he will take whatever action in the matter he thinks