The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-26
COUNCILMAN GOT PIER LEASE.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS GAFF-
NEY'S OWN LETTER.
law Forbade II, Says Prosecutor -Dock
commissioner Murphy's Brother GAIT
ney's I'nrtner-Nine Men Questioned
About Dock Deals--Who Is Kidney?

hers Of the old Tammany DOCK Doaro
unlawfully favored their friends In leasing
n,er privileges Immediately before they
we're going out OF Office Assistant District
Attorney Clarke issued yesterday what
are known as task subp9nas' to nine
men who had dealings with the old board.
This was done with view to finding out
whether any OF the men knew sufficient
10 he Of service In the prosecution OF
Charles F. Murphy, the Tammany leader.
]. Sergeant Cram and Peter F. Meyer,
whom Mr.. Jerome described az defendants
charged with criminal neglect OF duty.
The most important matter considered
Yesterday. Mr.. Clarke said, was one In which
Alderman James E. Gaffneys name figured.
In this matter, Mr. Clarke said, Leader
Murphys district Alderman. then Coun-
Gilman. violated section 80 Of the charter
then in force, which says. mo member OF
the municipal assembly shall while such,
I've contractor with the city" According
to Mr.. Clarke Aldermen Gafrney, when
Councilman in 1901, wrote letter to the old
Tammany Dock Board on the letter head
of a concern in which he was interested :,
a. follows
Tronsfsy Agents. Lehioh Valley Railroad.
JAMES E. GAFPNEY. President.
John j. MURPHY. Treasurer.
New York Contracting and Trucking Com
pany Offices 500. sos East Twentieth
street. Yards. 5l3, Sis. SIT, $40 East
Seventeenth street. Dump at West
Seventy ninth street.
NEW YORK. July 10, 1901.
Board Of Docks aud Ferries, Pier A.. N. r.:
GENTLEMEN: Our company is des rous
Of making number Of repairs on our dump
at Seventy-ninth street and North kiver.
but We do not feel justified in doing SUCH not
having a lease on the pier. We therefore
hereby respectfully make application to
your honorable board to grant us lease OF
The pier at the foot Of West Seventy ninth
street. Very respectfully yours.
JAMES E. GAPPNRY. President
The day this letter was dated said
Mr.. Clarke. .the Dock Board granted a ten
years lease OF the pier ut the foot Of Seventy
ninth street to Alderman Gatfney and his
partner. Johnny Murphy. who Is the brother
Of the Tammany leader. In the minutes
of the meeting held by the board on that
day we find resolution revoking permit
Of William Kidney, who appears by the rec
ords TO have had dumping boaI privilege
for that pier. Up to the date OF Gatfney's
letter, July 10, 1901. 1t seems that Kidney
in 1900. He was paying a small sum for
his privilege, but here comes Alderman
Gafneys letter which says -our dump at
Seventy-ninth street:
If Kidney held the permit how could it
he our dump, as CARNEY saysP How
ever, Gaffney got the lease There is moth
ing to show that his concern got dump
ing board privilege with that lease. Never
theless his company has been using a dump
ing board privilege there ever since. That
in itself is violation OF law
Mr.. Clarke produced the records on file
with the County Clerk in which the Gahney
corporation first appears az having Gafiney
granted John j. Murphy appeared as presi-
treasurer treas e. The f letter will Be used in the
prqSsedinKs in court mex. Monday cr.,..
a,se wan a1 wsm sssn
lawyer who said he bad heard 80 much about
money made in securing pier leases that he
made up his mind to get into the game.
Mr.. Egan told Mr.. Clarke that he was going
and that he was anxious to tell all he knew
before going away. Consequently he made
his statement under oath. He said that
after being satisfied that q great deal Of
chance and found that the Pennsylvania
Railroad tunnel would enter New York
near Thirty-eighth or Thirty ninth street,
so he made up his mind to get hold Of pier
lease at West Thirty:ninth street. -.
upon Senator Frawley. but no has been
losing money on it ever since. Egan said
that another man. Joseph Egan. had Sc
cured the lease Of the Twenty ninth street
The E GRp9 2esa the . as
was anxious to get the lease Of the bulk
head running from Twenty-eighth street
to Twenty ninth and learned that man
named Esan had been favored by the
representative Of the company called upon
the witness, taking him to be the Egan in
possession. to try to make deal for the
just what else William Egan told Mr..
Clarke the latter would not say. Among
the other persons who were questioned
was Henry Miller Of 100 Broadway, book
keeper for Brown 4 Fleming, Arm which
secured sseveral leases from the old Dock
duce his books, but no declared that all
he knew about was figures. Just what
the figures related to In several instances
William j. McGirr, a contractor OF slo
privilege at the foot Of Sixteenth street
but got into trouble with the Commissioner
because he wouldn't ds give up the e.p Iiviesse
privilege was taken away. Then he was
tod THAI he could get it back If he went
about it In the right way and seem poll
,icians He called . upon Naughton,,
MCNlAIOu AIlQ OLu6I kdulIduy HIGH 0lu
finally wrote a letter to Richard Croker.
This letter appears to have been referred
TO the Dock Board, for when he called to
see the commissioners later one Of them
told him sarcastically that he had better
60 to England and see his friend Croker
He never got back his dumping board
privilege, for which he said he offered
more rental than the board accepted from
another firm.
John A. McCary was questioned by
Mr.. Clarke. He admitted that he had OBJ
taind a lease for ten years Of the pier at
the foot of Rivington street, but he said
lie was losing money on 1t. At first he had
a permit but he finally secured lease
paying $500 year for it. When lie had
Inc Lier under permit he had been losing
5000 year on tile deal, ne said, nut ne' err
rneless ne to''k ten-years' lease.
One Of the most interesting men er-
aInined was Thomas F. OBrien. Mr..
OBrien is known as a riprap contractor,
or one who does filling in jobs along the
water front where the city needs riprap-
ping in the building Of new piers. His name
has never appeared In a city contract. so
far as the District Attorney could learn,
hut he has been doing the work just the
same. He admitted that he had acted az
sub-oontractor for Murray 4 Co.. When