New-York tribune., 1903-07-22

Alderman James E Gaffney. OF the XVIIIth
rsstrict where Charles F. Murphy is the Tam
-,ry leader, was indicted for misdemeanor yes
..r5av by the grand jury. He is charged with
.so,ing a lease for the Seventy-ninth-st. pier
h,,e a city official in 1901. At that time he
-.s president Of the New-York Contracting and
,-,cking Company, of which Councilman John
I Murphy was treasurer.
Alderman Ganney was early Informed that he
bed been indicted. In company with his coun-
s.l lanes A Deering and Peter A Hendrick
he went to the District Attorneys Office and
.hsr nresented himself before Justice Mcmahon,
n Part / General Sessions. where his counsel
-,oved fcF an inspection Of the grand jury min
,'tes II was not granted
When Nj Gahney went 10 the Criminal Courts
runsing he first surrendered himself to Ser
reant Mcknight. who had warrant for him.
Ev-AIderman Patrick H. Keahon went on his
hail bond for 81 900. Mr.. Gafney viii plead to
the Indictment on Friday.
Fx-Councilman John ]. Murphy was placed
,,nder arrest on July for alleged nisdemeanor
,n connection with lease Of the Ninety sixth
ST. pier.
II was persistently rumored yesterday after
mon AZ the Criminal Courts Building that an
otber person had been indicted, and that war
,ant for his apprehension had been issued It
was the only thing that prevented another ar
rest from being made yesterday. II is likely
that his arrest will take place to-day.
Another effort was made yesterday by the Dis
tr5ct Attorneys Office to obtain possession of the
hooks Of the New-York Contracting and Truck
ing Company Frederick r. Killeen, an Office
enploye Of the company, was seen at the Dis
trct Attorneys Office. He had been ordered to
bring the books. He did not obey the order, CIV
ing as an excuse that Il books were in the
custody Of the principal Office of the firm
This IS the firm Of which Mrs. Essie Irene Gaff-
nev is treasurer. She is out of town Richard
Couch is the secretary Of the concern. He is out
Of town. subpenas for both have been re-
turned unsatisfied-
WILL CONTINUE THE CONTEST
Messrs. Deering and Hendrick, counsel for the
defendant Gaffney. said yesterday that the right
Of his client TO appear at the inquiry conducted
by Assistant District Attorney Clarke and Jus
tioe Mayer would be contested for at every step.
and that the case would be taken to the Court
Of Appeals.
The specific offence with which Gaffney is
charged is signing a lease of the Seventy-ninth-
st pier This particular pier was occupied by
the mysterious William I. Kidney in July, 1901.
with q dumping board. when the New-York Con-
tracing and Trucking Company applied 10 the
Dock Board for a lease Of the pier. Kidneys
dumping board permit was revoked and a thirty
year lease Of the pier was made to the company.
But no dumping board privilege included
in the new lease. Despite this the company
went ahead and put on a dumping board. The
city tried to stop It, and the case is pending in
the courts.
In connection with a lease of the Nnety-sixth-
St pier Gaffney and Murphy were arrested on
July and paroled IN custody of their counsel.
They were charged then with violating section
1888 Of the charter, which prohibits city Off
Gals from becoming directly or indirectly inter
ested in city contracts or leases
When Alderman Gaffney appeared before
Judge Mcmahon Mr.. Hendrick moved that he
be permitted to inspect the minutes of the grand
jury. saying that the defendant had right to
know whether the indictment was found on
legal evidence. District Attorney Jerome said
that IT was the assumption that legal evidence
had been found
Mr.. Hendrick insisted that the defendant had
a right to know, and Judge Mcmahon said he
himself would examine the indictment and the
minutes, and if he found the evidence INSULT
Client. or If the defendants rights were preju-
diced, he would grant the motion but at present
he would dismiss It