New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-12
MARKS FIREWORKS FREE
-Four Contracting Companies
Gave Fine Show for Alderman.
NOTHING CROOKED, HE SAYS
Fosdick on Trail of Men Who De-
handed $4,000 for Cele-
bration Graft.

There was a fine young row in the Boaro
Of Aldermen yesterday about the fireworks
scandal With coats and suspenders peeled
off the perspiring city fathers handed
more or less complimentary terms bacN
and forth until after o'clock
Alderman Bent. OF Brooklyn. who had
started all the trouble with resolutions call
ing on the Controller to hold UP the bills or
the United Fireworks Company until he
could make an investigation, and Alderman
Samuel Marx. chairman Of the fireworks
committee, were the principal speakers.
With his desk piled high with fireworks
Just to show how poor the quality OF the
displays furnished on the Fourth OF July
was Alderman Bent spoke of the sad
awakening of the Brooklyn aldermen on
that night. when their indignant consult
uents denounced them for the ragged spec
| tacles.
u have been told" he said. that the
displays for which 1920 were charged could
have been bought wholesale for about Si'.
Alderman Marx defended himself In
burst OF imprisoned orstory.
~ agreo with Alderman Bent" he said,
that there should be an investigation IL
anybody has perpetrated fraud. But 40
not think IL right TO come here with D.
pvrotechnic display for the boneht OF the
newspapers. Alderman Bent should be put
under bonds 10 prove his assertions attack
ing the reputa ton of other members OF the
board. NY name has been besmirched
and my business injured by assertions O.
Alderman Bent. I warn him that men
who live in glass houses should DC care
full"
Then Alderman Walsh took UP the warm
work and dashed out at Alderman beh'
good and hard for ten minutes.
II was long after o'clock and the alder
men were getting FESTIVE, so Alderman
Willard. leader of the minority, put an end
to II all by moving that the matter ne re-
ferred 10 the Committee on Rules 4 40
not believe that any member OF this conf
mite benefited by this fraud he said
They could not because the contracts
we're in the Controllers office. l suppose
the board wants this investigated, so
suggest that the matter be referred TO the
Committee on Rules
The latter committee Immediately ap-
pointed a special committee to investigate.
John Mccain, James J. Nugent Michael
Carberry and George \. Morrison.
Alderman Marx was the star witness yes
terday in the investigation that Raymond
Fosdick. Commissioner of Accounts, Is
making He was told 10 bring ali his con-
tracts and correspondence with him.
Asked how he had selected the firms that
were invited to send in bids for the fire.
works displays, Alderman Marx said he
had sent invitations to all the firms in the
business director issued by the telephone
company The Commissioner called his at
tention at once 10 the fact that the United
Fireworks Company does not appear in this
book
Then Alderman Marx remembered that
the United had come In later. He said
that Hugh Kelly, vice president Of the
company, had come to him with letter
OF introduction from William johnson, sec
rotary Of the committee.
William T. Wager, jr., was another man
who came In afterward lie vas middle
man. and Commissioner Fosdck has
learned that he had prepared to get his
fireworks at prices that would have yielded
him a good profit.
Nnen all tne dos h8u Deen SupHlltleu
Alderman Marx said he had no way Of
telling which was the best, and declared
that the choice was largely arbitrary. II
was at his suggestion that the contracts
for Brooklyn and The Bronx were given
to the United. those for Manhattan 10
Pains. for Richmond TO Lloyds and for
Queens to the Nordlinger- Charlton Com
panv
Alderman Marx acknowledged that not
only did he get a free display from tho
United, but also from the three other COM
panes. which displays were shown at Belle
Harbor, where he has a summer home.
As for his reason for accepting such
gratuity, he explained that a year ago the
companies had given free display in City
Hall Park. He denied that tnere any
thing irregular in his connection with the
contracts.
Commissioner Fosdick is trying to find
two men who are said To be links In a
story that a certain company, which did
not furnish any OF the displays. had been
approached by a middlsman who said that
5000 would have TO be split up out Of A
5000 contract