The evening world., 1903-07-01
II Was to Him that ]. Sergeant
Cram Referred in His Letter
to the "coIoneI," Referring TO
Sale of Dock. r.s,,,..
CRIMMINS HAD INTEREST.
Had No Dealings with Dock Board,
However, and Was Ignorant Of
TransaetIons with City Author.
ftles. He Explains.

to the Colonel received an Evening
World reporter at his breakfast to-da,
and gave what he called a full. franz
statement" regarding the negotiation,
OF which that note was a part"
The note was to the late Col. Michas
C. Murphy. at that time Tammany lead
er IN the First Assembly Dhtr!ct ant
President of the Health Department.
The Charley was Charles F. Mur
ply. then Treasurer OF the Dock Do
partment and now Chief OF Tammany
fall.
1t .elated to the purchase by the city
OF the hal: .-terest In tbs Jacksor
street pier owned by Mike Haipin. who
was the Assemblyman from col
Mikes" district. Halpin had trans
ferred title to Maurice d. Barry. agent
for a reformer with money to loan
presumably in security for a loan. ac.
cording to Mr.. Cram, but It was trans
ferred lack again during the negotia.
tions which were held UP by Comp
trniler Coler in the Sinking Fund be-
cause Charley" hat been too liberia
In his offer to Eainn through the
Colonel Said Mr.. Cram:
MIR. Cram's Statement.
That's a letter to Col. Murphy. 1t
relates to the purchase Of @ half inter-
est in an old. dilapidated. little pier
next to Corlears Park, at the foot of
jackson street, facing the Navy-Yard
East River The pier was in q disgra CO.
ful condition. having been half washed
away by the tides. The rip rap was
exposed. The pier was In such bad con-
dition that 1t was not available for
commercial purposes and. owing to the
dual ownership. could not be repaired
advantaseously. Half belonged to tho
city. the other half to private owners.
II was anxious to acquire for tho
city tho full ownership OF all such piers.
The title to the other half Of the pier
was held by q Mr.. Halp!n or q Mr..
Barry, / believe. but 1t actually be-
lcnged at this time to one of the most
prominent members OF the reform party.
I win not mention his name. He will
know He is . man Of high character.
ana has the interests Of the city at
heart-one Of the few practical men In
that party, and he contributed probably
as much as any other man to the sue
cess OF the Low ticket"
The prominent reformer' referred
to by Mr.. Cram IL John ID. Crimmins.
who at ono time held an interest in the
pier but at no time, he said to-day.
was he involved In any transaction With
the Dock Department.
'.Co. Murphy appeared, as I recolleet.
in this matter because his constituent.
Mr.. Haiptn-I don't know whether Hal
pin was the police captain or che Assem-
blyman-had an interest in the half Of
the pier" Mr.. Cram continued. 'Halpin
had been unable to repair or sell. and
Col. Murphy asked the Dock Board to
take action one way or the other.
"I told him the board would act as
soon as possible TO acquire the owner
ship OF the pier to the city. To do this
q regular procedure would have to be
followed.
IAN agreement would have to be
reached between the Treasurer OF the
board. Charles +. Murphy. and the prl-
vate owner on price i Pos possible; abl this hh
agreement drawn up by the Corporation
Counsel and duly executed by the board.
Then It must go 10 the Sinking Fund
Commission for its approval.
my note TO my old friend Col. Murphy
was the Treasurer of the Dock Board.
II II was u. crime thus TO refer to him,
/ plead guilty"
Charlie's Brother John.
John ]. Murphy. brother OF Tamuany
Hail leader Charles r. Murphy, and
former Councilman and lessee of q
dock procured while the Tsmmany
Board. is an ofiiesr in the Steel Clad
Riverside Broom Company, which con.
cern has had extensive dea lfnss with
the street-Clear,ing Department. While
this fact has no direct bearing on the
thoros,ghness with which the present
inquiry 10 being conducted, and which
may ultimately lead to investiga tions
in other city departments in which The
name OF brother John J. Murphy ma
fgure.
The present revelation, In which John
]. Murphy is brought again to the
front. has, however. an indirect bearing
On. On the risss dsss nnys'tsion Ens % It tSsinSs 4
S"i9y @yoe THIS kdnSa "fs asure. m 'as Wish dSes Son
Murphy also az nn offieer OF the Stse
as its president; The copartnership and
Corporation Directory for 1908 gives
these names OF offieers and directors ol
the company; ". l. kidney. President
John MoNally. Secretary; John ]. Muir.
ply, Treasurer, and Kidney, MeNaily
Murphy, Francis Larkin, jr,, and John
Glbney as directors. The address CT thu
company is given as No, 1ls Walker
street.
"charlie" Murphy Remembers.
When an Evening World reporter
asked Leader Charles r. Murphy Tor ar an
explanation he replied:
~ have nothing to say. didn't write
the letter and know nothing about IT,"
The reporter recited Mr.. Grams state.
ment to Leader Murphy, which elcitet
this response:
"Oh, yes. l remember something about
that. 1t was little old pier of Cor,
leare Hook. a disgrace to the city ant
we got II pretty cheap. too"
MYSTERY IN pn,cnNlNc