New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-02
MAZET INQUIRY AGAIN.
HORGAN &c SLATIERY, THE
ARCHITECTS, ON THE RACK.
THEY SHOW HOW ADVANTAGEOUS 1T IG
TO BE FRIENDLY WITH TAM
MANY HALL. fF'>

MANY HALL. fFN
Messrs Horgan & Sattery, the municipal
architects as Frank Moss calls them-the two
men TO whom the Tammany government now
gives practically all the city building contracts
were the principal witnesses before the Mazet
Investigation Committee when that body re-
sumed its inquiry yesterday. While Mr.. Moss
did not attempt to show, as rumor fore
shadowed he would do. that the sudden pros
perity OF the firm OF Horgan & Slattery was
due to the influence Of a silent partner in
the person Of Richard Croker John F. Car
roll, yet he succeeded in eliciting many inter-
esting admissions. tending to prove how close
corporation Tammany really is and what
manner OF men It takes under its care. Until
the early part of last year Horgan & Slattery
were comparatively unknown. They first came
into notice the who were employed to
convert the Democratic Club from Dark and
dismal abode to a place OF luxury and elegance.
They exhibited In drawing their plans an eager
anxiety to comply with Mr. Croker's every wish.
and from that time they have become the adj
visers in building matters and the official archt-
tects Of the Tammany administration. From
their own evidence given yesterday II made
clear that they have been remarkably favored
by the city. Apart from the seeming monopoly
which they enjoy OF drawing all the city's de-
signs and plans for new buildings they have
received awards OF contracts Of many kinds
from landscape gardening to the construction
of and dump cars and the overhauling
OF the machinery OF the municipal freboats
More than that they employed to pass
upon the work OF architects Of National reputa-
ton who designed and planned the new Hall OK
Records and the new Tombs prison. In both
cases they professed to find much that was
faulty. Their qualifications TO look for defects
In the plans Of architects of established reputa-
ton and admitted ability may be deduced from
the sorry figure both Mr.. Horgan and Mr. Slat-
terry cut upon the stand. When Mr. Moss en-
deavored to examine Mr.. Slattery to his ht-
ness to criticise the plans Of other architects In
specifying the faults in those plans and as TO
his knowledge Of marine architecture which en-
abled him to overhaul and rebuild steamboats,, he
referred counsel to Mr.. Horgan. He makes all
the specifications and plans while only do the
outside business" was the burden Of Mr.. Slat-
tery's excuse. But when Mr.. Horgan was called
he was an even more unsatisfactory witness.
While he admitted that he had condemned the
plans for the new prison and had substituted
stronger beams and heavier cell work, when
| Mr. Moss sought to test his professional compe-
| tency the pretensons OF the witness were not
| upheld Even the most elementary questions IN
| physics and mechanics the witness did not an
swer finding refuge behind the plea that ne was
| not subppnaed TO undergo a technical exam'ha-'
ton That he apparently not sincere IN TINS
! excuse wes seen when Mr. Moss questioned him
! upon his knowledge Of ancient styles or achi-
lecture This was a subject Mr. Horgan dih
know something about and he discussed II read
! ily and with manifest delight. He baked again.
| however when Mr.. Moss asked him TO explain
the comparative principles Of strength ana
finally. when Mr.. Moss pointed out TO MIN the
! absurdity OF declining to reply 10 one set or
technical questions while consenting TO answer
another he exclaimed in perturbed manner:
81 am the peer Of any architect In the United
| States"
| "Do YOU think you the peer OF such man
| as saw. George b. Post? M. Moss asked.
| Yes retorted the witness with more Vehe'
mence than modesty.
| 1estimonv was produced by Mr.. Moss showing
that the effect OF Messrs. Horgan & Slatterys
| changes in the Tombs plans would be to saddle
| the civ with an additional outlay OF over
| 5000 600 and the incongruity was brought OUT
| that q great deal of the extra expenditure was
| for ornamental work in the new prison. while
! in the case of John r. Thomas's designs for ue
| new Hall of Records the Tammany archltecS
| had cut out many artistic and decorative feat-
| ures The suggestion to be drawn from certain
| lines NJ examination followed by Mr.. Moss was
| that contractors friendly TO Tammany wou!o
| benefit by supplying the large amount OF extra
| material called for in Horgan & Siatterys pans-
| chief Deverv who. II was said. Mr.. Moss pro-
| posed to call within the next few days su'r'eo
| on a vacation yesterday. He announced 'ha' h'
| had NOT been well since the strike. and was go
| ,r, 70 the Adirondacks for two weeks.
DETAILS OF THE HEARING.
! The lack OF public interest that was apparent !"
~, oios,no hearings Of the committee before ens
| .tor,ru,ent nve weeks ago. marked the resufnp-
.,o, y, the inquiry yesterday. outside OF the nu-
-,,s rewsnar,.r reporters and witnesses. there
| Nor. nrobably upt a dozen people IN the roonI
| part TX OF the Supreme Court, In when the CONF
- ga, vvas unlike the Board OF Trade rooms,
a od,o,s aroIgh: but II was impossible FOR peo-
I =, arv distance from the witness stand to follow
-. ,hread q, the evidence. Mr. Moss has fallen
49,. ,ho Droct,ce Of placing himself Immediately IN
iron, NJ The witness with two or three feet ohir
| ,r,ervening between him and the stand Inc re-
,I, "a that the examination becomes sort OF con-
orsa. a.ion hetxeen counsel and witness, making IL
rnossible for most Of those In court TO near ethe'
ouas,ion or r.pIy The official stenographers were
rlaced ,u The Jury box the beginning OF the ses
s,or but ,hey were soon compelled. because OF the
low tone in which the evidence was gwen 10 hho
position nearer to the stand
THE ONLY ABSENTEE.