New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-05-18
GIBSON PUT ON GRILL
COWLES TURNS THE SPIT.
SnOzo RemoUal Contractor Looked
to Sam to Fty Out Profits.

The integrity OF Francis NJ Gibson. deputy
street cleaning commissioner. was questioned
yesterday at the hearing before the investigat-
ing committee of the Board OF Aldermen. The
hearing became so intensely interesting at this
point that the dropping of a pin would have dis
turbed il. Frederick COwles. vice-president of
the Electric Gable Company in his testimony
actually questioned Captain Gibson's motives,
and William NJ Spier. business partner OF
Cowles, biuntly answered the query. ''What did
you understand he wanted?' with II don'tl ike
TO testify TO my ideas"
Once the testimony got close to the line that
Mr.. WINS jumped I'D and asked:
do you mean to say that Captain Gibson is a
thief?"
Mr.. Cowles flushed, hesitated a moment. and
replied that such was not his intention. but
added that he did not trust Captain Gibson
and did trust Commissioner Woodbury..
What pretty complImentv' rnurmured Com
missioner Woodbury..
Captain Gibson's name was first introduced
when Cowles was put on the stand He seemed
willing to testify. He said his company offered
to remove snow by a melting process. and that
it was demonstrated before the Commissioners
and Captain Gibson. who approved il. His COM
pany did some work and sent bill for $780,
which, he said it had difficulty in collecting
This brought him up to Captain Gibson. He
to him that his game" was "all TO the good,'
and he should see Captain Gibson. Instead Of
his seeing Captain Gibson, he said Captain Glib
son called at his Office, but he. Cowles, refused
20 see him,
Q-Why did you refuse to see him? Al would
not do business with him.
Q-Why? Did you not trust him? A.-Well. I
wanted 70, do business with the Commissioner.
Q.-Is II. not fact that the snow removal in
tPefGF t0a you at the time the test was made
see the captain? Ayes; he said had better see
Odd you see him? A-No. refused to see
him. and when he called at my Office sent him
word did not want 70 see him.
COwles. on being recalled, testified that he
made charges against Gibson to the Mayor that
his company was Disseminated against. The
bill Of this company was reduced about 20 per
cent.
William NJ. Spier followed Cowles He testi-
fed that an inspector told him that he should
see Captain Gibson. He could not recall the
Inspectors name.
why did he want to see your"
Il don't know" was the answer He said too,
that he did not know what caused the shrink
had tried to keep out Of the affair, and that his
knowledge was second hand. anyway"
William Bradley, the present snow contrac-
tor, was the first witness Of the day. Bradley
calmly admitted that he depended on the win
ter's sun for his prohts-in other words that
streets We're not cleaned, and citizens were made
to believe that the Street Cleaning Department
was working overtime Bradley complained
about his employees rObbing him. He said he
lost 100000 last winter in tickets. He said that
it had cost him 40 cents q yard to haul snow
besides the cost of loading He bid II cents a
yard for removal and counted on the Shrink
age" Cmelting) to make up the difference He
defied Mr.. WINS to get any information OF his
profits under the contract and said il was no.
body's business. Once he bid cents yard he
admitted just 20 kill off competition. Bradley
wore diamonds almost as gorgeous as those OF
Marrone' the italian dump trimmer.