The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-04
EACH CHARGE ANSWERED
IN DETAIL BY MCCALL
S. C. Chairman Accuses Thompson Committee OF
Conducting Campaign of Insinuation and 1nnuendo
Based on Distorted Statements of Facts.

commissions orders and voting against
a resolution TO enforce the order against
the Third Avenue Railway Company ana
ana .ne SO S,cSoIIsss Avenus RatIroSi Com.
pany to repair It's tracks
The chairman denies this charge.
The assumption underlying II In that
because he voted with two of his coll
leagues to grant the company's appli-
cation for an extension OF time In which
to comply with a part OF the commits
eion's order he therefore used his In
fiuence against bringing a penalty &C.
ton. He says IL has always been the
policy Of the commission where there
has been a substantial compliance with
the order and the company has been
acting in good faith to grant reason
able extensions Of time.
FAILURE TO ATTEND MEETINGS OF
THE COMMISSION. &C.
This charge alleges misconduct In Office.
neglect Of duty and inesnciency. for hts
m ".srs 70 im p.epa osseiaf actions using
his time in pursuing private law practice
and falling to give sufficient service in the
tions; failure 10 maintain a proper. Of
hci.nt and economical organisation OF the
Puohc service Anu ueIayihs
proper action by the commission.
As TO the charge that he failed to
dItenu UleeliIlkS ana HedTLlkS JuuB0
Mccall enters a denial and says that
the minutes Of the commission how his
at formal meetings: that
often when he was recorded as not
being present he would be upstairs in
his room engaged in "A conference, and
that before the meeting he had gone
over the matters on the calendar with
his fellow Commissioners that usually
when he did not attend a formal meet
I've thnra yYnNa No V,ntsAr, M ano~fol
Importance on the calendar and no Diff
ference of opinion among the other
Commissioners.
As to the specification that he ac-
copied a retainer and rendered legal
services TO a corporation seeking TO
evade payment OF taxes. the chief owner
Of such corporation being a controlling
factor in the management OF the Inter-
borough Rapid Transit Company. the
chairman SAYS tina this charge had
been previously made and dismissed by
the Governor. and yet the committee
reiterates Il without the slightest ad-
ditional evidence.
As to the specification that he had
appropriated to his own use ar auto
mobile belonging 10 the city. had re-
moved the Public Service Commission
plate therefrom and had neglected to
make a record OF the use OF the ma
chine. the chairman denies the charge,
which. he says, was preferred by the
committee last spring. and at that time
denied by him. He admits that the
car was kept in a garage near his
residence because OF the possibility of
subway accidents occurring at n time
and the necessity for him to have the
means OF quickly reaching the scenes
u the accidents. He denies that he
ordered the commission plate taken from
! the machine. and saws he does not
m who did.
INTERFERING WITH HEARINGS BE
FORE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
This Is a specification under the previous
charge and alleges mat he permitted an
missioner Maitbie to a date subsequent
20 the expiration OF Commissioned Malt
, 5ie's term OF office.
The chairman denies this charge,
which involves the rate case OF the
Edison Electric Illuminating Company
Of Brooklyn. He says the only reason
that such an adjournment was taken
was because A point had been reached
where the presentation OF further tes-
,imony necessitated study and prepar-
Alton which would consume the length
OF time for which the adjournment vas
taken.
ORDER To II MANHATTAN AND
QUEENS TRACTION CORPORATION,
This specification. which Is Included IN
the above charge, alleges that the chair
man issued an order 10 this company Civ.
ing 1t forty-sieht hours in which to com
ply and that a failure to comply would
have aunu'led Its franchise.
The chairman denies this charge.
which, he says. amounts 10 charging
him with ~favoring one corporation and
e~ndeavoring TO Cypress one OF It's con
petitors and drive Il out o. business
To snow its baseiessness he quotes from
the commission dated September 10
Traction Conpauy. the predecessor OF
the Manhattan and Queens Traction
{ Corporation. began operation over the
purchased from the Third Avenu com
Iauy. These cars were eighteen years
old. Subsequently nine additional cars
Of somewhat similar construction were
obtained. but probably as old as thu
others. During the period since the
South Shore Traction Company began
successor had facilities for the proper
maintenance of their equipment thai
the original equipment has greatly de.
Perforated and that present conditions
cannot be allowed TO continue. The
engineer therefore recommended that
the operation OF that equipment be pro.
hlhited IN view OF its unsafe condition
and improper design for the service.
THE GILLESPIE CONTRACT.
! This specification alleges that the chair.
man approved the contract for construct.