New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-26

The Tribunes exposure of the crooked ways
Of the old Dock Board led to sensational develop
rents in the official inquiry yesterday. 1t was
shown that the board gave a lease to the New
York Contracting and Trucking Company while
James z. Gaffney alderman 1t is as
serted that this renders Gaffney liable for mis-
demeanor and forfeiture of his office. AS the
offence was committed less than two years ago.
II is said the statute Of limitations does not
shield him.
The trail is getting hot, and is leading un-
comfortably close 10 Charles F. Murphy, leader
Of Tamnany Hall
Charles f Murphy, as Dock Commissioner, on
July 10 1901 with his colleagues. Messrs- j.
Sergeant Cram and Peter r. Meyer, leased to
James E Gaffney and Mr.. Murphys brother.
John ]. Murphy. the West Seventy -ninth-st-
pie for thirty years at $1,000 year.
The Commissioners must have known at the
time that they were violating the law. as the
application for the pier. found yesterday in the
files Of the Dock Department. was typewriter
on the regular letterhead Of the New-York Con-
tracing and Trucking Company. as follows:
HeH-York Contracting and Trucking Company.
pany. James E Gaffrey PRESIDENT 98hn 6o 2 =; =;
TWerRtfeth-st Yards. No 5iS to Sic East Seven
teenth-st Dump at West SeTgnfynfRfhsis 6T p 1901
Gentlemen: Our company is desirous OF making
9, and North River. but we do not feel justified IN
doing such not haElng Iea4e ape pe apnleston TO
your honorable board TO grant US a lease OF IN. me
thuiiy You yoars JAMES E, GAFFNEY. President
James E. Gaffney at that time was an alder
man from the XvIIIth District-Mr. Murphy s.
THE LAW IN THE CHARTER.
The city charter provides as follows, under
''Ohicers-Not to be interested in contracts:
Section 1888 No member of the Board Of Alder
men. head OF department cnlef OF purede, oepuIy @
yoratior shall be or become interested directly or
] jn4Tsc1y ~ ofbeTs as in OR in the perforanoe Of
any work or business, or the sale oL eaSS
is payable from the city treasury, or by any as as
T2oar5 Of Aldermen or in the purchase or lease of
anv real estate other property oelongins 10 9I
taken by the corporation, or which SHAH be SOLO
for taxes or assessments. by virtue Of legal proc
at the suit Of said eorPqraod; P din ii any me i'm.
for which he was elected or apponted; kn0"lcery NOW @
tract or work with the city. or any department OF
oicer thereof, unless the same shall be devoLpee
forfeit his ONCE. and be punished for a mis-
9n ie or becomes interested above described
snail at the option of the Controller be forfeited
and void
The surprising thing about Alderman GdfIney 3
letter is that at the time he wrote A., o. July
"a 1901 the New-Yorl Contracting and Truck
inc cor7narv did not have any lease of a dump
=, the yenty-rintf-st- pier, as stated in MS
letter. The records Of the Dock Boards meet
ing on the same day that he wrote his apphca-
tion show that thc dumping board lease was
held by William l. Kidney. In fact, the min
1Ites of the meeting show that Kidneys permit
was revoked, and then the board with MI
Murphy present, granted thirty years lease
Of the pier, but of no dumping board TO Alder
nan Gafney and John J. Murphy Carney anu
,5,rrhv went ahead without any lease and oc-
ard AM
on 10 it ever since, although they do not possess
any lease Of 1t.
INQUIRY FULL OF SENSATIONS.
Sensation followed sensation yesterday at the
Criminal Courts Building in connection with
the Dock Board scandal Assistant District At
forney Marshall B. Clarke called the following
and listened TO testimony from all except Mt.
Monks: Michael Egan, lessee of the Thirty-ninth-
81 pier: Henry Miller. Of No 129 Broadway
bookkeeper for Brown & Fleming; Thomas
Stokes. North River and Thirtieth-st-; William
] NcGirr. Of No. 610 Ninth-ave.; John A Nc
Csrthv. Of No. 243 West Tenth-st-; William
Hastorf. Of No. pa West -hundred-and-thir
ry-7rst-st.: L. H. Harrison. of No. 19S Hudson
st John Monks, former Dock Commissioner;
Thomas F. OBrien, Of o Brien Brothers.
The District Attorneys Office now is looking
20, the mysterious William /. Kidney. If the
Murphy company (WHICH '-o o~i1'P - go
der a permit TO Kidney on July 19 1901, ac-
oer6ing 20 Alderman Ganneys letter, then
doubtless il is a fact that the same concern
practically owns Kidneys other lease Of the
West One hundred and thirty -third-st dumping
board which pays 10 the city only $500 year.
The District Attorneys office has five signatures
written by w / Kidney" Only two of the
five resemble each other. The remainder look
as if written by different persons.
In consideration Of being allowed TO go 20 ne
Klondike At once. the mysterious Michael Egal,
lessee of the West Thirty-ninth-st- pier at Sl2oo
4 year under ten years lease, freely answered
all the questions put TO him by Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Clarke yesterday. Egan is law
clerk Ee appeared in company with his coun-
sci Daniel r Cohalan. Egan's story shows
that State Senator James ]. Frawley had good
bgftOned.