New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-20
TRIBUTE FROM THE DEAD.
Evidence OF A CHASTITY MONOPOLY
THROUGH TAMMANY FAVOR
arp MOSS PROBING THE TAMMANY SYSTEM
OF ASSESSMENTS ON JUDICIAL CAN
DIDATDS-FAvOR OF THE CITY
OFFICIALS FOR THE CON
TRACTORS SUPPLY

OFFICIALS FOR THE CON
TRACTORS SUPPLY
COMPANY.
During the investigation of the Mazct Com
roittee II has been conclusvely shown that the
leaders Of Tammany Hall have used their power
=, patronage to their own pecuniary benefit.
evidence has been adduced proving that every
,tv employe has had to pay tribute in some
form or other to the big luminaries OF ehe Or
sarlzation. But. whatever they paid, the
n,oves did so with their eyes open They had
AT least the option Of paying the tribute or get
ting out Yesterday an entirely new source of
nroAt for Tamm any adherents was uncovered by
Frank Moss. 1t was one. too wherein the vic
tim had nc say in the matter. He could not have
had. for the reason that he was dead An un-
dertaker named Joseph F. Marren, Of Harlem,
having the nestlmable advantage in these days
NJ the personal friendship Of Richard Croker
and John F. Carroll. has secured a monopoly
for the burial OF the dead from the Harlem Hos
pital II was declared the stand that Mar
ren who boasted Of his pull" with the Tam
many officials. called himself the body y-snatch-
err Of the Harlem Hospital
Wvndham Lynn. who was formerly employed
by Marren and is now in the Tombs awaiting
trial on a charge Of larceny made against him
BY the undertaken aforesaid put the
stand by Mr. Moss. He swore that Marren had
an arrangement with the clerks of the Harlem
Hospital whereby he was informed Of ali deaths
taking place in that institution before the usual
notification was sent to Bellevue Hospital. The
rule is that Bellevue shall be informed immedi-
ately Of these deaths. that the relatives may
be communicated with and allowed to take
charge Of the bodies. Marren. however, received
the first intlmation. and after taking charge Of
the body would open negotiations with the rela-
tives for the burial Lynn said that he had fire.
quently received the messages from the clerks
in the hospital. The names of two of these
clerks. he said, were Freeborn and Fitzgerald.
They received So for every case they reported
10 Msrren. and these payments. the witness s.
serted, entered on the undertaker's books.
Mr. Moss thereupon made out a subpoena for
Marren. ordering him also to produce his books
This testimony was corroborated by another
emplOye OF Marren. named Arthur L. Steckler
This witness declared, moreover, that Marren
used the collins OF the Department Of Charities
He related one instance where 90 cents worth
OF black cloth was placed over a body in
5O-cent coffin and the body buried in that
condition. Marren. he said. received $50 for this
burial from a charitable society Marren also
extended his grewsome monopoly to Bellevue
Hospital. George F. Schoepp. another former
employe of his, testified that he had paid money
as Marren's agent to Bellevue clerks.
MAHoNEY DECLINES TO ANSWER"
Before this evidence was adduced James Ma
honey who is said TO be at the head OF the big
gest syndicate of poolrooms in this city, was
recalled. Mayor Van Wyck. Richard Croker and
Police Commissioner Sexton have admitted that
they are on terms Of the closest friendship with
Mahoney. who confesses that his only occupa-
ton is bookmaking on the racetracks Mr.. Moss
desired to question him further as to his reputed
ownership of a large number OF poolrooms, and
as to whether John F. Carroll and other Tam
many leaders were also interested in the places.
Most Of the questions put to him Mahoney de
clned to answer" but, although he sought
refuge in this way and on the plea of private
affairs" he made a bad witness for himself.
The inference to be drawn from his replies was
as convincing as though he had admitted the
damaging suggestions which were contained
in Mr. Moss's inquiries. For instance. he was
asked by Mr. Moss if he was not the poolroom
king mo. SIR" he replied. without hesitation.
Then Mr. Moss asked. But are you not in
terested in poolrooms?" 1mmedia iately came the
reply II decline to answer" He refused to re-
ply to any questions bearing upon his relation
ship to poolrooms and when asked why he took
this attitude he said 81 decline to answer why
decline to answer"
Further evidence pointing TO the favor IN
which the Contractors Supply Company is held
by the city authorities brought out by Mr
Moss This is the company in which Charles
E F. McCann, Richard Crokers nephew. is
stockholder and in which one Of Crokers sons
is also said to be financially interested George
W Raymond. of the National Sewer Pipe Com
pany Of this city examined by John Proctor
Clarke. stated that he had frequently sold sewer
pipe 10 the city. 1t the same kind Of sewer
pipe as had always been required in specifca-
tions for city work Mr.. Raymond said he
learned in the early part Of this year that there
had been a change in the specifications for
sewer pipes In the Borough Of The Bronx. he
found that the specifications drawn up for work
10 be done in Anna Place excluded every knd
Of pipe but what was known as the sel;-centrlhe
pipe. He found that this was a patented pipe
owned by a Pittsburg concern and that the
rights in the patent for this district had oeeh
acquired by the Contractors Supply Company
and that consequently other firm could com
ply with the Specifications for the Anna Place
work The pipe had also been used in Jerome
ave Claremont Park and Bronx Park MT
Clarke drew the committees attention to the
fact that Section 1854 OF the New-York CITY
charter prohibited the use Of patented articles
in city work except for repairing purposes.
!. c. L. Rogge testified that he gave up
5000 year position as Chief Engineer oil
Sewers Of the Borough Of The Bronx TO become
the president and manager of the Contractors
Supply Company. He contended that the sewer
rtx L.. ElnY.11 mt QrH
and other places had been in the nature Of re-
pairs Mr. Raymond had given evidence to the
contrary II. II. Farnum, the present Chief En-
rinear 30 co,,a,s satd he had been authorized