New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-03


Q.-You think 1t right, your duty, 10 reward Tam
many men with contracts when you can? A.-Tes.
Q.-WeIi that is Mr.. Cookers idea. is IT not?
Al don't know.
Q.-Why did you let out so many contracts on
treasury orders? A.-WeI, they were cases OF
Are yog not aware that this is serious us mat Dab
i suSh coacs s1od ~ We "a, apni, n the
Department Of Docks
Q.-Wen. II that be so 1t Is a matter for the Leg
eral dredging companies and get their figures be-
fore giving the order TO any concern? A-Well; We
did not want the companies TO get up comoina-
Q-Then they do combine? Ayes believe so.
Mr.. Moss went through a number of private con-
tracts made by the Department with Morris &
Cummings, and could find reason for haste. ex-
cept that the engineer had reported that the WORK
should be done as soon as possible
Mr. Moss also elected from the witness that the
Dock Board provided monopolies for favored con-
Germs in other directions than dredging. He forced
Mr. Murphy 10 admit that all the asphaltne ana
paving work Of the Dock Board had been given 10
one firm the Uvalde Asphalt Company without
calling for bids from other companies One piece
OF work done by the Uvalde company cost Woo
and vet the witness thought the law had not been
violated in not making this work matter OF pub
lie competition.
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
A recess was taken at this point. and upon re-
sumption Mr. Moss called Frederick Hail. who said
in November, 1895 he had paid 800 TO jules
Schroeder we'll known Tammany pohuciah anu d
saloonkeeper in Forty-second-st.. on the unuer-
standing that he would be appointed to the police
force The witness produced a receipt Tor the
money The witness added that Schroeder was
friend Of Commissioner Lantry and Richard
Croker.
How do you know he knows Mr.. Croker MI
Moss inquired. WV,
81 saw him with Mr. Croker at the Murray Hill
Hotel"
Were you appointed a policeman?
NO went up for examination before the Wv"
Service Board, and failed In the mental examine
ton"
To Mr. Hoffman witness said he had known
Schroeder twelve years He had first talked win
him year and a half ago about going on the ponce
force and Schroeder had said he could get MN IN
the Department for $500 He had failed 10 pass 'ne
examination. but Schroeder said he would TX l. al
right He had not done and had refused 10
give him back his money.
NJ uo1non protested against the introduction
Of such testimony. but Mr.. Moss insisted that u
was evident that some persons who mao apPa'en'
power from the organization were oeeu'"s .o
ignorant men who supposed that power was real
Mr. Hoffman suggested that an arrest and lndlct-
ment would be the correct method OF proceeding
against such persons that witnesses should not DC
brought before the committee to accuse men OF
whom they knew nothing.
To Mr. Mazet the witness said he had demanded
his money from Schroeder Nnen ne ldlIeu W &C.
on the notice force He had not obtained the money
and had tried 10 employ a lawyer, a Mr. Steckler.
The lawyer had asked for fee Of so in advance
and as the witness could not afford to pay IL ne
had let the matter drop.
Commissioner Murphy was recalled ana MT
Moss sought again TO ascertain the motive OF 'he
Board in giving contracts exclusively TO the Morris
e. Cummings company and the Cvalde company
but the only answer the witness could give was
that the Commissioners believed in the trust
worthiness OF the concerns.
Wei. let US see" Mr.. Moss went You
favored another company, didn't you. In the mat
ter Of cement? What firm did you purchase cement
from"
From John p Kane Co"
ODD Edward F. Carroll brother ,t Of John %61 , F
Carroll eyer solicit orders for cement 'r0" you i0'
'n o u did You favor the Kane Co concern?
At was a reliable firm. and they gave US inc
ODD You get any figures from other companies?
o.-Why not? Al was satisfied that we were
getting the lowest figure cha, Won co,,,dn.,
have got better price from other Arms? A0 ~
"o woo 1'S You have no official knowledge that you
got the lowest price? Al was satisfied that so'
QWe how do you excuse yourself for n not i'd,
vertising for bids for cement? Al nave noIhinS
money for cement
THE CONTRACTS FOR CEMENT
Mr.. Moss read from the records furnished him
from the Dock Department showing the amount
Of cement purchased from the John p Kane COM
pany from January l, 1888, TO March 8. 1879 Alto
gether the Department during that period paid
to the Kane company A56sD for cement. Ai'er
March II appeared from the records In the pos
session Of Mr. Moss that the Dock Board had ad-
vertised for bids for cement Kane Co. had put
In a bid for 81 9S barrel. but on May 8 John Early
g. Co bid at 81 94z a barrel and received the con-
tract Since then Kane & Co. had not furnished
any cement under "treasurer's orders.
do you know when this committee was APP
pointed" asked Mr.. Moss.
mo. sir"
Don't you know 1t was appointed in March
last?'
mo. sir"
WAS IT not for this reason that you thought 1t
would be well 10 have public competition In this
matterT'
mo. sir"
did YOU not realize that your Department was
likely 10 be investigated. and you began TO look
around and see IL there anything wrong|
Not at all
you thought 1t perfecty'
There was nothing wrong In any or our de-
nar,nents IN the Department OF Docks"
1t was shown also by Mr.. Moss that the DOCK
Board by of treasury orders. had pur-
chased $l05 lGe worth OF piles from Houghton
Co the contractors. while paving work on piers
along the North River had been awarded TO Sen
ators Plunkitt and Maurice Featherson. and 10
John NJ Sheehan. without first asking for bids
from other firms
Albert Winternitz. who until recently was sa-
| loonkeeper testified that he held contract from
the city 10 put in machinery and insides into
the Department Of Corrections boat the William
T. Strong and that his work is inspected by Hor
gan & Sattery. who had the contract for removing
| the boats machinery. Mr.. Moss also brought out
that the witness frequently visited the courthouse
with people who desired TO become naturalized
DR. Joseph s. j. Manning. of No. rs Madison list,
an aspirant for place police surgeon. ad-
mitted that he asked Paddy" Diver TO help him
IN getting the appointment. but he denied that he