New-York tribune., 1911-04-04
SAYS BR|BES WERE PAID
Common to Paw Money 70 Build
ines Inspectors, Fosdjck Reports
BUILDERS so TESTIFIED
Investigation, Made at NC
Aneny's Request, Seems 10
Show Petty Graft.

Statements made by builders to Ray mono
II Fosdick. Commissioner OF ACCOUNTS,
would tend TO show that the payments u.
money to inspectors Of the Bureau Oh
buildings In Manhattan by builders was
moro or less common Commissioner fos'
dick In n report made to Mayor Gayhor
Yesterday on an investigation made AZ 'he
request OF Borough President McahehS,
who has supervision OF the Bureau o'
Buildings. said:
In submitting this report we appreciase
that we have not secured i'm every case
conclusive evidence. we are sat,o,., 80
however, OF the prevalence OF the porS pIaco,rs
among builders OF corrupting insPec'oh
The present system leaves much 10 tne
discretion OF the inspector. with litue ,dD ~
protect him from the temptation 10 WIZ
the law. We have offered to the Borough
President the services OF this once In'
the purpose OF studying the present conui-
tIons and providing a practical ana eiie'
tive remedy.
The report says that James f. Mulhh'
contractor OF Eighth avenue and loo'h
street, said he had paid building inspec-
tor in connection with the repair OF GER
tain loft building. lie did not remember
the name Of the inspector or the amount
paid He said 1t was common TO pay
money.
When Mortimer c. Rosenbaurl, president
Of the Keystone Construction Company
was asked if money payments had been
made by his concern he replied, according
to the report:
Not BY our concern particularly;
guess by everybody, more or Tess.
Our men would say they wanted 10
put UP this thing or that thins teHpora',y
tba inc
a holler and then he would stav away lor
haf a day, perhaps, and when ne came
back everything would be all right anu
our men would let ii go in as expenses on
the time sheets.
James Livingston, president Of the James
Livingston Construction Company. OF No. 10
West 9Th street. was quoted as saying:
give them an odd s5 just the same ss
giving a tip TO bank clerk or anyp0oy
else. II is simply an ordinary thing 10 gl's
a fellow S.. or soneAhing IKE tna'' IL -
common thing, any way.
In regard 10 the examination of Mr.. LiV-
ingston Commissioner Fosdick says
Upon examination be testified that ~
August or September, 1910. IN the course .,
constructing a building located al NO. ri
west 3sth street. he gave John T. Kennedy.
the iron inspector. S35 IN two sums, go anu
SO. respectively. the latter sum oelng 70
instruct mo how to get a violation re-
moved" He further admitted that IN con-
nectisn with this same job ne paid Martin
a. FulIam masonry inspector, the sum
Of So
FuIIam denied emphatically last nlght
that any money whatever had come TO
him in an Illegal way while in the en-
pioy OF the bureau
"sI have been in the bureau for six years,
hnfn
such charge been brought against me.
have been construction inspector III '"e
district west of Sixth avenue between
sist and 10th strests for three years. ana
when superintendent Miller made his gen
ersl shift last year | was not shifted. Ii
Is a. heavy district. but | defy any one 70
find anything the matter with the construc-
ton of the buildings in it which have been
put up within the last three years
Tie report says that Terry Hinkle vice
president and treasurer of the Hinkle IRON
Company. testified tia. john 7. kennedy
offered TO pass an alleged defect IN iron
work for $500 in September. 1895. The pay
nent was refused and complaint was
made to Edward F. Murphy. then Superln-
tcndent OF Buildings.
August Luca superintendent Of the Wells
Brothers Construction Company. testified,
according 10 the report that James j VII.
son offered 10 pass an Illegally constructed
elevator for $40 The money was refused,
II was testified.
BOROUGH President NcAnenv said lest
night that a gradual wedding out proc
ess had been in progress among rhe 10.
inspectors in the Bureau Of Buildings. ana
that some fifteen inspectors had been DIS
missed or had resigned since December. ont
that il was difficult To deal with cases or
alleged grating 1t was unnecessary for
for I.f h.r
titled to- and all complaints of alleged eS-
torfion would be promptly investigated.