New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-15
Park Deal Inquiry
Shifts to Dinner
Given to Reynolds
Witness Tells Swami of
Feast at Sherry's That
Cost $14O a Plate
By BRIGGS

District Attorney Swann's inquiry
into the city's purchase Of Seaside
Park, Dreamland Park and Marginal
Railway properties shifted yesterday
to the investigation of dinner given
to William II. Reynolds at Sherry's on
May "a last, at which were present, it
is said, Mayor Mitchell and Charles
O'Malley, the real estate appraiser for
Controller Prendergast.
The dinner cost $l40 plate, accord
ing to the District Attorney. The SOU
venirs were Tiffany studio lamps, and
the guests presented a suit case to Mr..
Reynolds which cost 5000. The menu
was engraved on solid copper plates.
Details of the affair were given TO
the District Attorney by c. Palmer
Woodbury., a stock and bond dealer, of
Al Pine Street, who recently promoted
the Arizona Bnghamton Copper Com
pany Cor Mr.. Reynolds, and William VI.
Greve, vice-president of the Neponsit
Realty Company, which sold Seaside
Park to the city. The affair came as
the conclusion of visit to the COM
pany mines in Stoddard, Ariz., by Mr..
Reynolds, Mr.. O'Malley and a dozen
other interested friends of Reynolds.
They made the trip on Harry Payne
Whitney's private car, the Vagabondia.
Mr.. Woodbury. said those present at
the dinner were Mr.. Reynolds, Mayor
Mitchell. Frank Bailey, vice president of
the Title Guarantee and Trust Com
pany; James Smith, an associate Of
Reynolds; William NJ. Greve, Charles
OMalley, John Kuhn and Henry Roth,
of the Realty Associates; William A.
Morschauser, son-in-law of Peter Doel-
ger; Edward J. McCrossen, of Brook
lyn. and himself.
Mr.. Grcve told reporters that AS
sistant District Attorneys Black and
ki.roe asked him in the grand jury
room what happened at the dinner.
Il told them that | wasn't a squeal-
err he said. "and if they wanted to
find out they'd have to look Elsewhere
for their information
The District Attorney said last night
that he had received reports of other
dinners given by Mr.. Reynolds, and
that he was investigating them.
Mr.. Woodbury. told Mr.. Black and
Mr.. Kilroe that Mr.. Reynolds had as
sured him that the copper m ne COM
pany was to be a gilt-edge proposition
because Mayor Mitchell was TO go in
for $4,000 shares at 50 q share.
He told me last April" Woodbury.
said. that the Mayor was goirg to an
nounce his declination OF renomina-
ton from Fusion and would accept the
presidency of the company"
The list of stockholders OF the Ari-
IONA Binghamton Copper Company,
furnished by Woodbury., contains more
than a hundred names and shows the
heaviest holders were Frank Bailey,
George B. Mix, Of 185 Madison Avenue;
Marie ID. Bustanoby, of 80 West For-
tieth Street, and John II. White, of SIT
West End Avenue. The name of the
Mayor does not appear. The District
Attorney is investigating the list to
determine whether any OF the holders
are "dummys."
Bird S. Coler. former Controller, who
went before the grand jury yesterday
to attack the Seaside Park purchase,
nearly came to blows in the ante-room
with William NJ. Greve. Mr.. Coler ex-
planned that Mr. Greve threatened to
Smash his face" il he made any more
insinuating remarks about the validity
of the Neponsit company's title 20 the
land. Mr.. Colcr reported the incident
10 the grand jury.