New-York tribune., 1908-02-11
ADAMS WILL RESIGN.
NO EEaR OF CHARGES.
Building Committee Chairman May
Leoue Board of Education, Too.

e,,..-,,an Of the committee on buildings OF the
Board Of Education at the meeting OF 'he ooaro
on Thursday. ar. Adams probably VIII oner ms
resignation as a commissioner of education at the
same time. 49,
II have long intended 70 take this action. SAID
Mr. Adams yesterday afternoon. and now am de-
,er-nined 20 wait longer ] have been chairman
Of the committee buildings for the last nine
years and my record is such that feel assured
no one v.I, accuse me of resigning because / have
any fear OF outcome OF the investigation OF the
purchase 90 pianos. the contract Tor whch
awarded. which is now being conducted. or OF the
charges which ex-Conmss.oner Wilbur laid pefore
the Governor My official conduct is open 10 the
fullest investigation, and 1 am not resignng be-
Of the present investigation but simply pc
cause ] getting to be an old mani am now
seyentyt1Fo years OLD and getting oider every oas
and want get out
AT TIE next meeting OF the board, which is on
next Thursday i will tender my resignation as
chairman of the committee buildings. and al
though I have not fully determined as yet shall
probably tender my resignation as commissioner
Of the Board of Education.
Members of the board have been much stirred up
over the action taken by John A Wilbur, who Tor
two years member. in preferring charges OF
graft, ineficiency and gross extravaganza
against this committee and by inference, the Whole
board. These charges Mr.. Wilbur has set before
Governor with the request that the Legislature
appoint a committee to investigate MI Nliour
has much 10 say about the awarding OF piano con
tracts by the building committee Dut ne oocs ho'
charge Mr Adams with anything except being
duped by his subordinates-
Mr. Adams said yesterday that no damaging
testimony had been found so far in the 1nVeStlsa-
sson OF the piano purchases by the committee on
buildings. and said that he did not believe any
would be found. II have perfect confidence, sald
he. in the three that j appointed to pass. on
the pianos which were bought for the schools
These had the power TO accept them If they
considered them up TO the standard, ana 10 oecIie
accept them if they were not of the requisite
quality. To Go this work 1 appointed G w. Cam
eron for Manhattan and The Bronx, Mr.. Riggs for
Queens and Richmond and Mr. Caswen for Brook-
1yn. i have perfect confidence in their honesty
and believe they have done their duty efficiently
and capably."
The investigation was practically finished yester-
day and the result of 1t Will be reported to the
board on Thursday. -'Of ell the charges That were
preferred said Mr. Adams. every one has been
dismissed except that IN regard TO some of the
pianos bought from Freeborn G. Smith. The in
vesigaors hold that three Of these were not up to
the standard. whereas I hold that two of them
were not. after looking into the matter myself
Now, IL seems TO me that If only three pianos
Of the hundreds that purchase fail TO come up
TO the required standard we ought TO be counted
eficieet IN piano purchasing. No second hand
pianos were bought There may have been Few
that had old fra mes, but these all had new works
1n them, and do not see that the fact that they
Gid have old frames should be any great drawback
to them.
Il awarded the contracts for the pianos that were
purchased for our schools. Now. love music. but
am no musician myself and before awarding
contracts / consulted freely with musicians and
with the musical critics of several of the New York
daily newspapers-men OF great reputation in the
musical world and men who had unquestioned
knowledge OF the kind i wanted.
Il believe that Mr. vilbur's charges were prompt
ed by pure malice and rindictiveness- He is
Democrat and am a Republican. but despite his
as-f2e MH(IC ICl
rearpoint him commissioner. Hence he prefers
these charges to the Governor.
While ne was a commissioner he advocated the
purchase Of pianos from certain company. 1t had
been manufacturing cheaper pianos for the retail
trade than purchased. but agreed to give II
the opportunity 10 IL could not manufacture
better Instruments ones that would suit us, OF
course paying more FOR them. told Mr.. Wilbur
would order three from the company. and
then went abroad. While in Europe Mr.. vii
buT's motion, the company was awarded the con
tract for seventeen new pianos. unprecedented
number TO give TO a firm that had never before
supplied US with single
The Board Of Estimate and Apportionment re
fused confirm this award. Controller Metz. il
fact had the manufacturers send down TO his oftic
samples of their pianos and after having then
tried concluded that they not UP to the stand
ard. and that end it
when / got back / astounded find tha
the committee had awarded. Mr.. Wilbur's owl
motion. such a large number TO that company.
have served the public faithfully a commissions
Of education and as chairman of the committee OF
buildings for long time now, and although an
not a musician / am business man, and the state
nent that my subordinates have completely dupet
and fooled me and that there has been as a re
suit inefaciency and graft is unfounded. 1 Ger
tainlv shall not believe my inspectors dishones
until proof has been adduced and so IA
there has been none
The investigation that the committee building
has been conducting was the specific charg
that second hand square pianos had been sold 4
/ the board pianos. The committee examines
many Witnesses and the testimony taken before
probably viii be made public after the committee
las reported 10 the board Thursday