New-York tribune., 1910-05-24
SAYS He MADE PLUMBERS
n'cnnneII Testifies He Got Third
nf $4,000 Paid for Licenses.
us JOB WAS "0UTSIDE MAN"
Farmer Members Of Examining
Board, Moore and Donohue,
Deny Graft Story.

suit for 500 In the Sd District Municipal
- before Judge Murray. yesterday
1s appesr TO have back of IL a little
- that nay carry CONSERVATION among
- rf the now licensed master plumbers
=, bzve secured certificates during the
,hree wears The testimony Of one OF
sefendants was TO The effect that soo
,.rezed graft had been handled by what
.e-rned himself 1.-The outside man and
--,s5ctsl member Of the Board Of Exanai-
rers Of Plumbers
70 suit vas brought by Gardner & Quig-
-, IN behalf OF ]. Mehlhop. plumber, OF
:, 81 Richardson avenue. Wakefield.
-s.,,s- Bartholomew r. Donohue and John
Moore. who up to- February 19 last were
...rrhers Of the Plumbers Examining
1a,-s and William T. O'Connell, for $500
.nezed 10 have been paid by Mehlhop for
certificate as master plumber.
-..hrbon testified that he understood that
=. money was divided among the three
and he also testified that he got q
INV Of the questions TO be asked him on
examination. Later he was notified that
- had not passed the examination Mehl-
.,r said he called upon OConnell, and the
,s+ts- stated that he had divided with the
-,sunbers of the board. and that Mehlhop
,bauld have got the certificate. O'Connell
re-ed 10 return his share OF the money
--ozi5ed the others would do likewise. but
-ber. according 10 the complainant. would
rot DO so
rsCouneu. one Of the defendants, testified
.ns- be had been for eight years a sort OF
cezrisl go-between for the Board Of Exam
-t--- h< F,1 hear an
t-s--uofor in the National Trade School. at
s-th street and Tenth avenue. He said he
tss also been engaged several months ago
~. local No. zes OF the Plumbers and Gas
e--e-s Union TO look into the run1ors that
there had been undue influence in securing
<ar incompetent men certificates as master
numbers. on direct examination O'Con-
usll said:
I was an instructor In the National Trade
school and there came in contact with a
greet many men who desired TO become
master plumbers The ordinances Of the
city specifically provide that in order to be
come master plumber the applicant must
have been at least five years a helper and
Two years a journeyman plumber. Now. I
rut through men who could not wipe g
faint Or did not know the least thing about
TlumhinE. The charge was from $500 up.
81 far IS I was concerned. I would see
Moore and Donoflue and would notify them
r. the names OF my candidates. 7 put
through for1v-seven at a cost Of 500 or
more during their term of office. and that
money wss passed over by me. retaining
one-thir7. I used 10 meet the two men At
the rcoms Of the board and also outside Ny
usual place was hotel in Chambers street
tIt T always got the money from the can
6idsre before mixed I'd IN the matter. In
the case Of Tehlhop. he gave me six $50
ftlls ID July {. 1877 and gave four of them
r Moore. who said. 'Donohue viii get his 50
On Cross examination OrConnell stuck 70
his original testimony. and offered 10 pro
d--e list Of the persons whose money. he
Esid had been divided among the two de-
fendants and himself. but the last was
rules cut
Both Moore and DonchUe on the witness
TsnE denied taking money from o'Connell
G. fixing the examination
4 the conclusion Of the TESTIMONY Justice
Murray announced that he would take the
rzpe-s and render z decision later.