New-York tribune., 1901-07-02
ISAW THE COMMISSIONERS.
SUPERINTENDENT OF NORCROSS BROS.
TOOK JUDGE FITZS1MONs WITH HIM

The suit brought by a taxpayer. one Bradley,
the giving of the contract for the New-York
Public Library building. at Fifth-ave. and Forty
second-st.. to Norcross Bros. was on the calen-
dar in the Supreme Court yesterday. before
Justice McAdam, and was by consent Of coun-
sci postponed until tomorrow. The real plain
tiff in the action is Engene Lentilhon. who was
the lowest bidder for the contract. He offered to
supply South Dover marble while Norcross
Bros. offered Dorset marble The Board of Es-
innate accepted the bid of Norcross Bros, and
this is said by L. Latin Kellogg. counsel for Len
tilhon, to have been illegal. as the variety Of
stone had nothing to do with the contract and
the South Dover stone is equal to that from
the Dorset quaTries.
Justice Blanchard, who granted the tenn
porary injunction restraining the award of the
contract TO Norcross Bros, issued order ap
pointing Henry NJ. Powell, referee. to take
testimony. to be submitted to Justice McAdam
when the motion for the continuance of the in
junction comes up before him. The taking of
the testimony done Saturday, when
Thomas O'Reilly. the superintendent of Nor
cross Bros, was examined by Mr.. Kellogg.
Mr. OReilly testified that he called on the
Mayor Corporation Counsel. and other mem
bers of the Board Of Estimate, on the day be-
fore the contract was AWARDED 10 MS Hth MI
O'ReilIy said he had made out the estimates
for the library building He denied that he
had any conversation with Thomas j. Brady,
former Commissioner of Buildings, or with
Daniel Mcmahon, chairman of the Tammany
Hall Executive Committee He further said he
received no estimates from Naughton & Co.
with which firm Mcmahon is connected. the
examination proceeded as follows: -
Q.-Do you know the quarry which was pur-
chased by Noreros Bros and WHICH % was "a spokea fea
the bid of your firm? Al know of IT. never
& ay Of HfTeT om hat ' don't know
anything about the, quarry; ,,,,,,. .e.oou -
relation to this matter. and if SO, to whom? A
I have not, except 10 the commissioners the day
genheimer the Mayor and the Corporation Counsel
outside their offiees, ., Ave.
wanted to explain & Any bid to them Nv vent round I'D
the Council Chamber Mr.. Guggenheimer outside
his office and the Corporation Counsel outside
to them and that m we had fgured on Dorset marble
which understood was to be the guide for bid
.Q.-well, what did Mr. Guggenheimer say? A
the board The Mayor said the same. l didn't
have more than three minutes conversation with
ance with the Mayor. Mr.. GuggenheImer or the
Corporation Counsel. and introduced to them
panied me when. called on them. Ny purpose in
getting Judge Fitzsimons 70 accompany me
to them. Norcross signed the bid on the morning
when it was delivered. None OF the gentlemen
called resented my call They asked me no
questions, and explained that my firm had figured
on Dorset marble
Odd you tell them you were the highest bidder
for the work? Al don't know
Q.-Did Judge Fitzsimons round and speak
70 any Of the different gentlemen you saw? A.
No: we saw only two. Mr.. Whalen and Mayor
van Wyck. Nobody accompanied me to Presi-
dent Guggenheimer had letter of Introduction
TO him from Isaac Stern.
Odd you them the day your bid was Sc
lected? A.-Yes; the day the bids were opened
saw them at the public meeting in the Mayors
office
Q.1Did you ask any one else 70 speak these
public officers about this matter? A.-No.
Odd Mr.. Whalen say anything more 10 Won
than the others? A-No: TO the best Of my recol-
lection he said the matter would come uD for ad-
tustment the following day. and that OF course
would be there. That all