New-York tribune., 1921-10-07


work for one.
g. In other words, it was the duty
of Jack Philips to sec you got your
payments quickly? A.-Exactlv
%. What was his business? Al
do not know. never knew the man
before he WAS in business with me in
this particular.'
Q.~-Is that correct? A--Yes.
Sigretto then said he broke with
Phillips because he couldn't facilitate
his payments from the city lattcrly.
Real Reason for Break
The examination continued in this
Q. Isn't that the real reason you
separated from Phillips? A.-Yes. sir.
Q.--You wanted to get rid of Jack
Phillips? Ayes, sir.
Q.-And YOU were tired of working
through him? A.Yes, sir.
Q. He got his per cent, whether
you made profit or not, didn't he :?
A.-That was the agreement, per cent
on the payments.
Sigretto said his agreement with
Phillips on the s per cent matter was
in writing, and that he would send it to
the committee if he could find it. He
said the agreement WAS written by Al
bert Decker, his bookkeeper, whom the
committee was unable to find yestcr-
day.
The contractor said that at the pres
ent time he has man named Thomas
Mccarthy doing the duties performed
by Phillips in helping him get his
money from the city on a contract he is
now working upon in the Bronx. He
testified that Mccarthy was an engineer
and doing something else for the firm,
and was receiving only SIS a week.
Mr. O'Rourke began his testimony
with the statement that his firm built
the Pennsylvania tunnels under the
Hudson and the six East River tunnels
and did much railroad work for the
New York Central. He then went on to
say he received q contract to build the
Linden Street sewer in Flushing, Bor-
ougn of Queens, in January, 1920, for
S876,00o, Of which $291,00 was for
work recurring and specifying the use
OF concrete blocks which he had been
advocating, he said, for the last eight
years.
1t was at this point that Mr.. Connolly
broke in obiectng to the committees
alleged giving out secret information
ito our political opponents in the pri-
maries this year. When Mr.. Connolly
made his speech Mr.. Brown broke in
with the remark that "now he under
stood why all Queens rings with your
noise. Mr.. O'Rourke then went on
with his testimony, as follows:
Q--You are particularly interested
in this concrete block type of construc-
ton that is designed to make the mono
llth. type of sewer? Ayes, that is n
kud of tunnel have been advocating
for eight or ten years, to take the
place of the old-fashoned and very
poor method Of work.
Construction Work Discussed
Q-You believe that is a superior
type of construction to cast iron do
you not? A-Yes, it is superior, but
that is not the reason Of it's desir-
ability. 1t costs much less.
Q-Who is Frederick Seeley. Ale
is one of the engineers of the Depart
ment of Sewers or Bureau of Sewers
IN the Borough Of Queens.
Ole has charge Of the designing of
sewers Al would not say he has
charge, but he is designing engineer
an imagine he does the principal
designing there.
Mr.. O. Rourke then told, in great de-
tail of trip he took with Seeley and
Albert Decker, MIR. sigrctto's book N
keeper, to Detroit, some time in Oc-
..ober Of 1919, about three months be-
fore C'Rourke got his contract and
where he said Seeley "enlarged his
vision" as to the value Of concrete
blocks for tunnels, having seen it being
employed for such a purpose in De-
troit. He said Sceley then and there
expressed approval of its use for tun-
mel purposes in Queens. but Seeley
press approval until some time later.
He ssd he invited Seeley to the trip
personally and did not see Mr.. Con-
molly the Borough President, about it
at ell. Seeicy said on the stand that
he was directed to make the trip by
Mr. Connolly himself. and that his i'm
m ediate superior, Chief Engineer James
Rice, knew nothing about it. Mr..
O'Rourke was further questioned as
Q.-Do you know a Mr. Matthews,
Mr.. William F. Matthews, in Queens?
Ayes.
Popularly known as doc" Mat
thews? A.-Yes.
Q.-Is he doctor or a physician?
Al imagine he is; don't think he is
a doctor Of divinity.
Dickers With Doctor
Q.-You had a little business deal
ing with Doc Matthew'S? Al had.
Q.-Did you pay Mr.. Matthews any
money? A.-Yes.
How much money? A.-Eightv-
FIVE hundred dollars.
Q.-ln what form did you pay him,
in cash or checks? Al sent hin,
two checks.
Q. What were the amounts? A.
One for $4,000 and the other for $4,000.
Some time in October and December.
1920.
Q.-Why did you employ Doc Mat
the"s in this particular matter? A.
Decause he looked a very likely person
to help me. He was intelligent, stands
we'll, seemed to know everybody that
was interested in getting these blocks
Introduced.
O. What did you say his business
Was, if you know it? A. Himself and
his brother, ] believe, are IN biz
building construction company and
owning company; they advertise $4,000
tenants in their model apartments, and
have been engaged in building.
Q. Who suggested to you the ad-
visibility Of retaining Doc Matthew'S?
A. Myself
@. Just what did you pay Matthews
$500 for? A.-For his services.
Q-What services? A.-The work
that he did in preaching the gospel of
concrete blocks.
Q.-To whom did he preach that COS
pei, and where? Alike d good mis-
sionary, to everybody he could button
hole.
Q.-Why did you hire Matthews? A.
because he had the time to give to
1t and the acquaintance, and hadn't.
Owe may be simple minded but