New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-01
Thompson Hears Dock Co.
Deal Got Stuck in Sink
ing Fund Commission.
SOMEBODY" OFFERED
TO HELP GET 1T OUT
p 6. Realty Expert Declares
"Some One" Tried to Push
Proposition Through.

The Thompson Committee dropped
81, overlapping investigation yester-
3,v and took up one phase Of the dual
subway contract which led them on a
-,v trail Of graft This trail was
,,,,ed Tor them by Sigfried Ceder-
..ronl. a real estate expert in the Pub
d, Service Commission.
He testified that last October c. f.
uo,cskiss. counsel TO the New York
no,k Company, told him that while
,'srs for the requirement of the com
,s,v's property az Clark Street, Brook
Ten were before the Sinking Fund
commission. where it met with opposi-
ZION. the company was informed that
..o imposition could be removed for
$4,000.
The name OF the person who gave
,.is information 20 the company was
N, brought out Fairfax Lsndstreet,
chairman Of the Board Of Directors of
~, dock company. said he understood
hat ex-senator William H. Reynolds
Rad suggested that he be retained as
special counsel.
Senator's Name Mentioned.
aHe vss mentioned as the man who
,ogd carry or hurry the proposition
..roprb.7 said Mr.. Landstreet. l un-
is-s.and the name Of Senator Reynolds
,.ss suggested by somebody else in the
,,rnsnv. 7 understand, but not deh-
-telv. that Reynolds said he could be
a, use. I do not remember any men
zion Of $4,000. But I did hear the
name OF Senator Reynolds mentioned
and The statement that he could be OF
nee IN burrving through the plans.
rrsrt Mos, asked the witness II he
J5r'+ know that Senator Reynolds was
close friend of the Mayor. the chair
ma, If tbe Sinking Fund Commission
The witness said he understood so.
After considerable questioning py
NJ Moss the witness SAID:
"The information came 20 me thal
Senator Reynolds had suggested thS'
r. could be Of use carrying through
or hurryinC through, this proposition
which was somewhere ~
(Which was stuck fast IN the Slnk-
irc Fund Commission, interJected MT
Moss.
street.
Trail $4,000 Subway Graft.
Two others connected with the dock
ro~-anv. G.. l.. Hotchkiss. counsel, and
William =. Hahn. president of the COM
rsrv. were called. They could throw
mo- more light on the situation than Mr.
Iardetreet. Mr. Hahn told Of with
drawing the dock company's PROPOSE
ION 20 sell its property after the IN
cidcrt involving the $4,000. While
N- Hotchkiss was on the stand hi
aid IL was possible that his partner
N-. Auerbach. might know more. Mr.
Auerbacb is out of town. He viii b'
called as q witness on his return.
Nr. Cederstrom testified that HI
learned Of the matter the middle Of DC
-ober last when he and Leroy 7. Hark
ness. assistant counsel TO the Public
Service Commission. were invited (
ta'l al the Office Of Mr.. Hotchkiss. Ar
irving there Mr. Hotchkiss informed
them Of the $4,000 proposition. The
Public Service Commission employee
suggested laying q trap for the person
OF persons involved in the affair, bu
Nr HotchEss demurred. saying the
dock company did not want TO appear
publicly I'm IL.
Henry 3. Seaman, who resigned as
chief engineer of the Public Service
Commission I'm 1910 after differences
with most Of the commissioners, was
also a witness. He testified about al
eyed favoritism shown TO the Bradley
Constructing Company by the commits
sion while he was chief engineer. Hi:
testimony was along the lines OF his
letters and interviews TO the news
rsner5 AZ the time Of his resignation