The New York herald., 1921-10-11
CONNOLLY DEFENDS
!. HIGH SEWER PRICES
ODD DEALS EXPOSED
Queens Borough President
Explains $4,000 Fund
and Denies Phillips Was
Ever His 'Bagman.'
NEVER GOT ANY GRAFT
Brown Calls a Newspapers
Attacks on Meyer Quest
Junk Connolly Insist /
ing Inquiry Is Bunk +.
DOC MATTHEW'S ELUSIVE
$4,000 Unpaid Racing Debt
Figures in Quiz and $4,000
Profit on $4,000 Job Is
Seen as Pin Money. Il
DOC MATTHEW'S ELUSIVE

Maurice E. Connolly, Bcronsls
President Of Queens, denied indie
nantly yesterday before the Mevpg
committee that John M. Phillips, rci-s
tician and sewer pipe agent, was ever
his "bagman" when questioned m
great detail regarding his campalgr
funds and contracts handled under
his administration.
After half dozen witnesses had
given testimony regarding queer
transactions in handling contracts
and Mr.. Connolly had explained az
length that the $4,000 fund raised
for his campaign when he was Q
candidate for Supreme Court Justics
was given mostly by members Of
his family, Elon r. Brown. senior
counsel for the committee. inter-
rupted the Borough Presidentas
lengthy defence and explanation %
his administration with this quep
tion:
did you know that Jack Phillips
was reputed generally in Queens t.
be your bagman?"
II do not, and no such testimony
was ever given, and you make 3
misstatement when you say such q
thing has been testified" the BoEs
ough President shot back. II ash
you to withdraw that statement"
Brown and Connolly CLASH.
The question was not withdrawn
and Mr.. Brown said he was noe
making statement, but asked be-
cause he wanted to know. Mr.. Con.
molly had stated a moment befors
that he knew Phillips to be "a bad
man" and never had anything to do
with him.
In testimony given on a previous
date before a subcommittee and read
into the record yesterday, when 1t was
explained the witness could not BE-
found. Edward Fitzpatrick. contractor
related that he had been told not to
put In "a bid for grading Fifteenth
avenue. His testimony was:
Jack Phillips told me not to bfA
He said We want this job. it is lit-
tie picnic for Doc; this is Docs partyS
and said he wanted Doc to get a lite1a
pin money
The Doc to whom reference wu1
made, according to the testimony. waa
William f. (Doc) Matthews. Fitz-
patrick said the bid he had prepared
was for 4s cents cubic foot for filing
and grading the street. The contract
was awarded TO the Holding Realty
| Company. owned by Matthews, foe
s1.67 foot
I Other testimony submitted by ofIls
| cials disclosed that the amount paid
by that company for getting the worh
done under suitcase was Sc, 900. and
the bill to the city was $4,000. The
witnesses said that the "little party
must have netted the Matthews cons
pany about $4,000 pin money.
Falls to Cash on Turf winner. "a
George Frenz. another contracto0
!
to bet on step Lively in the Futurity
last year. After the race. the witness
said, Doc said he had not placed the
bet. The horse won and Trenz said
his profit should have been $500.
Frenz raised "such a holler" that Doc
arranged TO transfer city contract
from the original holder to another
man in payment OF the racing debt
The committee has not been able to
find Matthews. whose name has fig-
ured prominently in connection with
Queens contracts and who is a we'll
known figure at the race tracks.
The Borough President for two hours
made an impassioned defence OF his off,
ciai conduct He took up one after AM
other each transaction concerning which
testimony has been given and sought 70
show wherein he had protected the
public.
! J. was shown that pipe sold by the
Joint Pipe Company of Ampere, ". -
cost more than twice ms much In Quecna
as in Johnstown, Pa. and Baltimore, in>
Guiding freight. That was due to labW
costs and other conditions, Mr.. Connolly
insisted. and In no way to Jack Phiilipss
activities.
The committee reviewed In detail Nm
Connolly's campaign fund when he was
candidate for Supreme Court Justice lass
year. Witnesses had testified that In
settling up All account with a contractor
Phillips had stated that tho $4,000 de-
manded was to be turned over TO the
Connolly fund. No testimony had Been
given, however that .he money actually
was given into .he fund.
Mr. Connolly said IL was mere cofn-
cidence which he was unable to explain
that his campaign fund had actually