The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-28

did no. know whether other contractors
were given this privilege or whether or
not he was tn. lowest bidder on the jobs
10 received. Van Writ insisted that he did
not get the contracts through the Influence
of eX-Chairman Huppuch
! Van Writ testified that his contributions
in 1919 were made as follows: June,
$500 september. $1,000 October, $1,000
| The June contribution. he said, was made
with corporation check and the other by
himself for which the company reimbursed
him afterward.
| When Mr.. Osborne resumed his investi-
CATION to-day IL was with the object OF
satisfying District Attorney Harold D.
! Alexander of Albany county that the APP
prevail OF the 3lS highway repair con-
tracts constituted wilful neglect or duty
on the part of the members of the old
highway commission. Before consenting
20 turn the evidence over 10 the Albany
county Grand Jury, Mr.. Alexander wanted
several points cleared UP as to how much
work was completed and how much money
was paid by the state. when the Cominis-
| sion at its meeting an October e. 1879.
approved these repair contracts. This m
| formation will be turned over TO the
| District Attorney tomorrow when the
auditor OF the ii Rhways Department will
have checked up these items
| II. L. Carpenter ex-assistant secretary
of the Highways Commission. testined to-
not approve the minutes OF the October 22
meeting was because they were not true
reproduction OF the proceedings. He said
| the minutes as first prepared In the
secre,ary's office had been turned over
to c. Gordon Reel. then Superintendent OF
Highways. who changed them to read mat
the contracts were approved upon the
| recommendation OF the first Deputy.
Charles + Foley. and not upon his
! (Reel's) suggestion.
Foley First to Award Contracts.
| Another question upon which the Dis
trict Attorney OF Albany county wanted
more light was whether II had been Gus
tomary in the Highway Commissions that
preceded the Reel regime TO permit the
first deputy to award repair contracts.
z. +. Weeks, an employee OF the repair
department, testified mat the system
originated with the appointment OF Dep
uty Foley.
John Il. Wright. Commissioner OF Pub
lie Works OF Amsterdam, who had been a
resident engineer In the Highways De-
partment until January 3. 1914. testified
that he had been transferred to Ale
gany county from Montgomery after
threats by John T.. Consalus. n road con-
tractor with whose work he found fault.
Mr.. Wright also was threatened with pun
ishment of removal by Peter V. Baird OF
Amsterdam, who sold some stone to Con-
tractor Burns on MONTGOMERY county
road.
Wright told OF one contract for a
macadam road near Amsterdam held by
Consalus for $4,000. which was changed
to a brick road In spots so that the con-
tractor got $4,000 for the work. This
was on the recommendation Of the
division engineer. willis, he said:
Hollington a. Co. had contract for a
macadam road between Fonda and Am.
sterdarn. Wright said and there was q
supplemental agreement on this road
What sort Of work was done by this
company asked Mr.. Osborne.
Most OF IL was pretty poor" was the
answer. 1.-The specifications were changed
so that instead Of receiving $3.50 per
yard for cyanite. "a hard stone. the COM
pany received 500 for limestone, q
softer and cheaper grade of stone"
Wright agreed with Commissioner Os
borne that although the engineers In
charge OF the actual construction of the
road were appointed from the competi'
tive civil service lists. they were power.
less because the State Highways Commits
sioner and his deputies were chosen fol-
| political reasons and could be Influenced
by the contractors making large cam
paign contributions.
John j. Riley of Amsterdam was q con-
tractor In New York city in 1911. John
Mccarthy. "a dealer In building materials
gave Riley letter at that time to Thomas
Hassett, who up TO January l last was
| confidential secretary to State Engineer
: John a. Bensel. Riley came to Albany
and saw Hassett and asked him TO get
him some good roads repair contracts.
Baird Got the Contracts.
Riley said that Hassett lost interest In
him when he found he hadn't much money
and when he saw Superintendent Reel he
was told he would have to get the indorse-
ment OF Chairman Wemple of the Mont
gomery county Democratic committee and
ex-senator Gardner before he could &c,
any contracts.
1t developed that Contractor Baird re.
ceived the repair contracts that Riley was
looking for and that he had contributed
So, 500 to the campaign funds
Ex-Representative Theron Aiken OF
, Montgomery said Reel told him that Gard.
ner was responsible for Wrlght's transfer
Aiken and two other Montgomery county
Democrats opposed to the organization
, and who were following tho fortunes OF
Gov. William Sulzer called upon State
, Commissioner Carlisle and protested tina,
, they should get more patronage in Mont
. gomery. AZ Gardner and Wemple were
II getting II all.
Commissioner Carlisle pulled out a lit.
r tie book" said Aiken, land after looking II
. over declared that we had Just ~ much