New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-20

Former Chiefs of Sewers and OF
Public Works in Borough AC-
cused by Grand Jury.
FOR LARCENY AND FORGERY
Gossip Hints That the End OF
Gresser's Control as Pres
ident May Be
Near.

Matthew ]. Goldner. former Sherln
of old Queens County; Cornelius D.
Burke. who resigned as superintendent
of Sewers of the Borough of Queens
about month ago, and Robert
,Kreuscher. a hotel keeper of Rockaway
Beach. were arrested and arraigned be-
fore Justice GarTetson, in Long Island
CITY, yesterday afternoon on indictments
charging them with grand larceny,
forgery and attempting 10 collect false
claims.
Two indictments were returned against
ioldner, one charging him with grand
larceny, in having appropriated to ms
own use q. check for $3.50 given for per
mission 20 connect certain houses with
the sewers BIZ the Mathews Realty Com
MANY on September 2S 1906. when Gold
nor was Superintendent of Sewers under
Joseph Cassidy. A second indictment
for forgery charges him with having
Failed TO mention the $3.50 in his sworn
report Of the receipts Of his Office filed
with the City Chamberlain weekly, as
required by the charter
Burke is indicted for forgery in the
third degree, in that, 1t is alleged, he
forged the name of Thomas Brown to
four alleged reports made Of sewer in
spection work which the indictment
AYERS was never performed Another
indictment charges him with trying to
audit and collect from the city an al
legged false claim made IN the name Of
Thomas Brown.
Three indictments against kreuscher
grew out of the inspection Of private
sewer in Channel avenue. Rockaway
Beach. According to the indictment
Kreuscher was appointed a sewer in
spector on this sewer, but never did any
Hork.
Following in the wake Of the charges
Of grating in postage stamps made by
Commissioner Fosdick against unknown
employees in the Borough Hall in Long
Island City, the arrest Of the three men
named created a stir in Queens. News
that the grand jury would hand up in
dictmeuts drew crowd to the Supreme
Court yesterday morning.
Just before court opened District At
torney De Witt and Henry T. Weeks.
foreman Of the grand jury, held short
conference with Justice Garretson. after
which court was opened and the indict-
rnents were presented The grand jury
then took q recess until Monday and
bench warrants were Immediately issued
FOR the indicted men. 1t was not until
the afternoon, however, that the pris-
oners began to arrive.
For more than twenty years Goldner
ras been prominent in Democratic pol
tics AND business affairs Of Queens. He
is reported TO be worth several hundred
thousand dollars and when in court
yesterday appeared TO feel the situation
keenly He showed the effects OF a
years illness. and his anxiety added to
his wasted appearance. He was accom-
panied by Edward Veimeister, his coun-
sci. and on being arraigned was held in
$500 bail on each indictment Former
Borough President Joseph BermeI gave
The bail
Burke Was the next to be arraigned.
His counsel. John Gehring, was with
him. he also gave bail Of $500 on each
Indictment. Peter Bauck becoming his
surety.
Kreuscher. the last of the trio TO be
arraigned. was held in S1,5o0 bail on
each of the three indictments, and John
hreuscher. OF Rockaway Beach. was his
bcndsmau. All three pleaded not guilty,
and the counsel for each got ten days in
" hich TO make motions
I'D 10 the present nothing has so I'M
nerved the Gresser administration and
its friends rs the disclosures made
yesterday morning by Commissioner
Fosdick in regard to the graft in post
age stamps that has been carried on at
the Borough Hall in the last two years
It seemed to be the general impression
that Mr. Gresser might have to go.
Efforts were made yesterday to see
Mr. Gresser, but he got away. Mag
istrate John NJ. Cragen, who was secre-
tary 20 Gresser at the time the alleged
frauds in stamps were being committed
in the Borough Hall, could not be seen
yesterday His friends, however, came
out stoutly in his defence, saying that
Cragen, although secretary TO the presi-
dent, was not in a. position to know any,
thing about the forged orders for post
age stamps.