The New York herald., 1921-10-04
f. t. Corcoran, Favorite OF
James A. Foley, Worked
Deal for Brooks Steam
ship Company.
CRAIG HUBERT LINK
Quick Action Also Achieved
for Oriental Navigation
Go. i'm Rental Of North
River Pier 3.
STANDARD OIL HAND SEEN
After City Spends $4,000
Concern Liquidates and Other
Has Lease Cancelled-Samo
Interests Control Each.

Charles l.. Craig. Comptroller of the
city Of New York and now candidate
for reelection on the Hylan ticket, oc-
cupied In 1917 suite known as 1903
in the building at 66 Broadway on the
sixteenth floor.
James A. Foley, who married the
stepdaughter of Charles +. Murphy
and who had since been elected Sur.
rogate In this county, occupied tho
same suite of offices.
Murray Hubert, who managed the
compaign of Mr.. Craig in 1917, became
Dock Commissioner and is now can.
didate on the Tammany ticket with
Mr.. Craig for President Of the Board
CT Aldermen, appears to-day as an ocs
cupant of suite 1909. at 66 Broadway.
William T. Collins, Democratic leader
in the Board of Aldermen. makes that
suite also his headquarters.
Prior to the entrance of the United
States into the war another young
man occupied these Offices, studying
law there as a protege of James A.
Foley. then Democratic leader in the
Senate at Albany. when AL Smith was
Governor.
He Was Charley's own Boy.
"Jim". Foley was recognized as far
more than the mere Democratic leader
In the Senate. He was "Charley's"
| own boy and his subsequent nomina-
ton for Surrogate convinced anybody
who doubted the fact, even though
they knew he had married into the
Murphy family
The young man who was his protees
at 6s Broadway. studying law, was
Edward r. Corcoran. Mr.. Corcoran
enlisted shortly before the proclama-
ton and went overseas. He accredited
himself well in the struggle. But when
Mr.. Corccran returned TO New York
city. about the spring of 1919, having
been released from his military duties
and eager to return to his rather new
professional tasks. he found strange
situation confronting him.
People whom he had never known.
whom he says now. he does not know.
asked him II he would not act as their
legal adviser in very important mat
ter. Mr.. Corcoran was told that hc could
make himself quite nice piece or
change II he would exert himself In the
matter of procuring for the Brooks
Steamship Company a pier in New York
city.
AS the story goes Mr.. Corcoran was
amazed. and wondered why he had been
selected for such an important job when
he was just fledgling from the army.
But his previous connections with room
1909. 66 Broadway, were known and
those who wished to engage him would
not brook either refusal or delay.
studies Method of Approach.
SO young Mr. Corcoran sat down TO
his desk and studied all the ways in
which he could properly approach Dock
Commissioners Hubert about this very
important matter OF obtaining a pier for
the Brooks Steamship Company. OF
whose existence he seems to have been
entirely ignorant up 10 that time.
Curiously enough the Oriental Navt-
CATION, Company had decided just about
tnat time 10 get tne tease OF pier anu
did SO, through the operation of r
Hyian Sinking Fund Commission Jr
July II. 1919. The proposition was thst
n the city would build pier at Plf- :.
North River. the Oriental Navig tion
Company would take II over on the tatis
OF IN per cent. of the cost of rev
pier
The Oriental Navigation Comcsry
and the Brooks Steamship Company
bear little resemblance TO each ether.
but to-day both arc In the hands OF blalr
& Co, - Broad street. In which Sand-'
ard oil interests are paramount.
The matter of getting a pier TO 'nr
Brooks Steamship Company. which \
just been orgs' ,zed In Delaware. sc ed
TO be simplicity itself. Comrniss ~
Hubert wrote to Mayor Hylsn AM go
sinking Fund Commission on Augus, 3,
1919. that there had been several Hp
plications for the renting OF The riey
the foot OF East Twentieth street. but
that he recommended the application OF
the Brooks Steamship Company. At the
same tim. no pointed out tnat he hai
asked the Sinking Fund Commission to
approve the appropriation of moneys for
the reconstruction OF this pier 50 that
n would be suitable for tho uses of
tine Brooks Steamship Company.
SO far as Mr.. Hubert. knew or any
o,.e else then or since, the Brooks,
Steamship Company did not have a ship
60 its name and was merely dummy
In fact. IN his recommendations to the
sinking Fund Commission Mr.. Hubert
advised the Mayor that this company
was corporation organized under tho
laws OF the state Of New York. lie
had bccn nisicd Il was organized under
the laws of Delaware.
But with an extraordinary sense of
tho dramatic. the sinking Fund Com
mission had approved request by Mr..
Hubert on July ~. 1si9---the day the
Oriental had taken over Pier S--for
the expenditure OF $4,000 on the pier
al the foot of Fast Twentieth street
And the very next day more dramatic
still IN the minds OF men who have
,,a chod the dllntor, t1rticr OF ltAy