New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-05
Chairman's Law Work Barred.

you went direct from the Supreme
Court bench to the commission
eyes"
Therefore you had no law practice
at that time
THAT is true
when YOU went on the commission
there was much extra work there
"Ycs."
"Do you remember having taken up
the trial Of the defendants case in the
matter OF Henry Conklin VS.. the United
Construction Company, which began on
February 10, 1872"
yes"
"How long was that after you went
on the commission?
1.-TWO days"
"Yes; and that was just at the time
you were testifyinG you were in the
midst Of subway work, the conclusion
of which we were all waiting breath
lessly?"
By this time Mccall had Gained down
a good deal and did not make any
audible reply to this question. Asked
how long he was on the Conklin case
ne said he could not remember.
Used r. s. Office as Sanctum.
Then for the rest of the afternoon
Mccall was obliged TO listen TO a re-
cital Of his private law practice, with
now and then q sarcastic comment by
HAYWARD as to just how rushed with
work the Public Service Commission
was at this time. He went over IN
detail the number OF meetings OF the
commission Mccall had missed and had
read into the record the minutes OF
what was done az each 10 show tine
Importance Of the work being neglected
by the chairman.
After bringing out the record 10 show
that the witness was taking testimony
as referee at these times, Hayward
asked:
You took this private testimony IN
your Office in the Public Service Com
mission"
Yes"
you had no other Office
NO, sir"
Apparently Mccall made no attempt
10 attend the meetings Of the commits
sion for even a few minutes at these
times. He acknowledged readily enough
that he would have been marked pres
en-: if he had attended for a short
time and that the minutes were righ'
in making him an absentee.
I'VE follow the same procedure IN
the matter as that which you have IN
the Legislature" said the chairman
going back at Senator Thompson. VINO
Piled him with questions on that point.
One of his private legal jobs 10
which the commissioner has devoted
considerable attention is that IN when
he acted as guardian OF Ida A. FlaGlei;
an incompetent and former wite o.
John II. Flagler, the Standard Oh man.
In that capacity he has charge OF nei
estate. Il is matter of record ina.
Andrew Freedman. who is director OF
the Interborough Rapid Transit com
pany. has been, guardian OF the person
of Mrs. Flagler since April, 1910. w
J. A. McKim was guardian OF the eS-
tate until McCall's appointment ~
Justice Blanchard on April ID. 1914.
The last case brought out yesterday
was that of the People against the Park
Row Realty Company, in which Judge
Mccall argued the case for the defend
ant in Albany on Saturday, October TO-
1914. He took occasion to point out
that this was done on Saturday. II
remained, however, for Mr.. Hayward TO
show that the chairman was absent
from the stated meeting Of the COM
mission the day before. II was AZ this
meeting that some $4,000, 900 worth OF
vouchers were passed upon.
Mr.. Hayward did not put into the
record that August Belmont, of the In
terborough, Is large stakeholder OF
the Park Row Realty Company
One of the first things asked Mccall
IN the morning was as 10 whether he
thought five commissioners was too