New-York tribune., 1909-07-14
ON THE FIRE JOB
Contractors Tell What Happened
When Kings Courthouse Burned.

At yesterdays session of the investigation Of the
office of the Borough President of Brooklyn Johh
Purroy Mitchell, Commissioner of Accounts con-
his inquiry into the circumstances surround
ing the repairs made TO the Kings County Court
house after the fire in 1905 Witnesses testified on
Monday that Coler had given the contract verbally
Douglas & Co. before the fire was under con-
troll, Before James Doner. caretaker Of the build
Ing, took the stand, John Ham. member OF the
contracting firm and a former alderman from
Brooklyn. was asked to leave the room
Ham. who The first witness at the afternoon
session. got into difficulty at the start Commis-
sioner Mitchell asked him to explain an affidavit IN
which he said that he had received S,50o for team
ing. at the same time showing him bill for $500
Ham could not explain the discrepancy. II was
brought out that Ham submitted a bill for -
day for the services of himself and Douglas. and
in addition this received about 5000 per cent
of the cost of the entire work-as his commission
for hurrying II up.
He contradcted emphatically the testimony Of
Daniel j Ryan. contracting carpenter. on several
points, and said that his firm had assisting
Ryan in hauling timber, carting away the rubbish
and in many other ways. The examination OF
Ham will be continued later in the hearing.
Ryan had testified that he summoned to the
building and told to go to work at once. Coler was
in the courthouse at the time. In spite OF the rain.
Ryan said he had forty men at work in short
time. They hauled up the timbers and carted away
whatever rubbish they made Douglas & Co did
not have any helping him. he said. nor did the
company take away any Of the burned rubbish
from the attics.
The contractor said that he accepted S2,4 about
two weeks ago in settlement OF his bill. which
S4.7G0 This bill included scaffoId building done by
another contractor. Ryan said that he lost $40
the job. but had found that Douglas & Co, 10
whom he rendered his BILL financially re
sponsible, and his lawyer advised him settle
The witness testified that he understood that Doug
las and Ham put in bill for than $1,000,
including item OF 5000 for carting away the rub
bish which he himself had disposed OF.
Commissioner Mitchell explained that the contract
ing company had put in bills for carting furniture,
although Alexander Pearson had testified on Mon
day that he had done that work The Commissioner
also said that he thought Douglas and Ham had
done work which A. Henry Brown asserted had
been done by him. Brown said that he accepted
a reduction rather than 20 to the expense of
suit
Z l. Sexton. trustee in bankruptcy of Kessler
& Co. who were joint underwriters with " n.
Coler & Co. Of the securities Of the Medina Sand
stone Company and the Orleans County Quarry
Company, reported TO Commissioner Mitchell that
he had been unable find a letter written in
July. 1896. which was supposed TO be among the
papers of the bankrupt firm and which the Corais-
sioner wished 10 use in evidence The latter said
that he was greatly disappointed at the loss of the
letter.