New-York tribune., 1905-02-26
GAFFNEY PLAYS WITH FIRE
JEROME MY INQUIRE.
alderman Makes No COnccdimcW of
Connection 5cith Murphy Concern.

VIII District Attorney Jerome institute an
other John Doe inquiry into the dohgs or the
New-York Contracting and Trucking Company
and its other self, the New-York Contracting
Company-Pennsylvani Terminal?
That is .he question that is beginning TO he
heard around Tammany Hall. and il is making
The Murphys and Gaffneys nervous.
The Murphy company. which seems to ne get
ting about everything in sight in the nature of
contract for big physical improvements in this
city, is owned absolutely by t1e Murphys and
Gaffneys Aldermen Gaffney was indicted t"o
years ago for being interested in a lease Of rier
property while he was an alderman. By pro-
cedure which it is not necessary 10 rehesrse the
Indictment dismissed. and Mr. Gaffney went
on happily. as before. a slight change was ma de
IN the directorate of the concern. Essie Irene
Gahney was substituted for James r. Gaffney.
Essie Irene Gaffney the wife of Mr.. Gaftney.
Mr. Gaffney still is alderman. and when he
voted against the passage OF the New-York and
Jersey Railroad tunnel franchise 4 few days
ago he said good-naturedy that he 50 voted be-
cause he did not want people to think his firm
vas after contract
Among his business associates Mr.. Gaffney
makes no conccaIment Of his connection with
the firm. He said. when asked about the New
Haven contract a few days ago, that his COM
pany got the contract because its relations with
the labor organzatio in this city and its
vicinity were friendly and that the NeW-Haven
company felt that its work would he pushed
forward better on account Of that fsct.
In view of the fran1ness of the alderman in
saying that it is his firm ,hat is doing this, it
is a question whether he is not playing with
legal fire b. remaining in the Board Of Alder
men. It is grave question. which the Tam
many leaders are discussing. whether he Is not
jn1o inc Tor
which he was indicted two years ago. This sec
ton of the charter follows
Officers; not TO he interested in contracts.
Section 1888. No member of the Board Of Alder
men, head of department chief OF bureau. deputy
thereof clerk therein or other officer
poTatOn shall .be become intcrested directly in
directly contracting party, partner, sOckhOder
otherwise. in in the performance Of contract
work or business. the sale Of article the eS-
pense price consideration Of which is payable from
the city treasury by any levied by
act ordinance Of the Board of Alderneu in the
purchase lease of real estate other property
belonging to taken by the corporation. or which
shall he sold for taxes assessments. or BY virtue Of
legal process at the Of the said corporation
II in this section mentioned shall during
the time for which he elected appointed know
ngIy acquire interest above described in any
contract work with the city any department or
officer thereof unless the shall be devOlved upon
him by law ne shall conviction forfeit
office punished for a mIsdemeanor. All such
contracts in which any such person Is becomes
terested above described shall. option
Controller, be forfeited void. No person in this
section named shall give. promise give. any por
tiOn of his compensation any money valusb Bile
thing TO officer of the city. per-
son. in consideration Of his having been being nomi
mated, appointed. elected employed such officer.
agent clerk empioye. under the penalty forfeit
ing his office and being forever disqualified being
elected. appointed employed in the of the
city, and shall, conviction. punished for n mis-
demennOr.
The discovery by Superintendent Isaac A
Hopper Of the Bureau Of BUILDINGS that he
had been violating the Law in accepting adver-
tising from the city while owning Bronx
newspaper caused him to hurry back home
from Florida and explain the District At
torney that the violatiou was a pure oversight
and that the paper while he owned it would
take no more city advertising Mr.. Hopper was
in sense only indirectly affected by the pro-
visions of the charter, as tho newspaper is
side issue" with him. In the case of Alderman
Gatfney. his position in the Board OF Aldermen
has a direct relation to the commanding posi-
tion taken by his firm in the contracting bust
ness. Essic Irene Gaffney is spoken Of by her
friends as Il charming woman but not even
Alderman Gaffney himself ever has advanced
the suggestion that she has anything 10 do with
the practical running of the contracting business
in which she is q director. ON the other hand.
Mr.. Gaffney, with frankness that has made
MIN a general faNorite never tries 10 conceal
the fact that nc is at least an indirect beneh-
ciary from the pier iaases 50 thoroughly eN-
posed by The Tribune two years agO.
il learned las. night that the vu'nera-
bty Of Alderman Gaffncy has been brought 10
the attention of District Attorney Jerome. who
is likely to find out soon whether Mr. Gaffney is
not violating the law in being Interested di-
recuy or indirectly as party contracting with
the city.
EANNAHAN AND SHEA REMAIN HERE.