Year: 1872

REMARKABLE TESTIMONY OF MAYOR HALL-A


CLAUSE FRAUDULENTLY ADDED TO REso-


LUTON. rI


Commissioners Sutherland, Van Worst, and
Jaques their session at the St. James Hotel last
evening Col. Sheppard said he understood that Mayor
Hall present and if he would like to have him
put on the witness stand in order that ne might testify
as to what be knew about the alleged frauds In certain
paving contracts under consideration. The Mayor
being sworn. testified: ...... a..


Twas Mayor of New York in March, 1862 when numer-
GUS awards for pavements made about this time
a resolution was brought TO me- which read and found


that asked the award OF certain paving contracts
to the stow Pavement Company put my name to that


The original resolution here handed to the Mayor,
who read IL carefully, and when lie had finished, said
that il referred to other paving companies and that he
found that at the end there had been suepttously
serted after he had signed 1t, the following words


And that said ordinances, and each and all OF them,
are hereby adopted" These words, the Mayor said,
gave the paving companies chance to execute the
tracts question and to collect their pay from the
property owners he should never have put his
the document had he known that such passage
contained in it. and he satisfied that it had been
frau dulently inserted.


Ex-Judge Sutherland said .he glad TO know that
their labors had been rewarded for here indeed was
fraud of no small magnitude.


Mayor Hall then continued: vetoed this resolution,


then wrote on the back OF it that my reason for veone
itIwas that thought it did injustice 70 the Taxpayers
science should be allowed TO become law TO
this day with all respect TO the judgment of honor
unjust short time after made this vetO some legal
proceedings were commenced, Judge Fullerton repre-
poe the defendants in which 1t argued that since
the amendment had been made TO the charter,
tract had previously been vetoed by the Mayor
eond be considered lawful


Col sheppard-I think we have been shown conclu-
svely tonight that both the Mayor and the taxpayers
have been defrauded. This addition to the resolution
signed by the Mayor has been proven by him 70 be
fraud from beginning TO end.


Here the Mayor pleaded "previous engagementsP
and withdrew, stating that his counsel, Mr.. Devlin,
would decide upon any question that might arise con-
cernng his Official duty, and that he should abide by his
decision.


Mr.. DevlinAs the rights of property holders that
s matter for the law 20 decide upon and not for this
Commission. The question for these Commissioners
here TO decide TO whether there has been any fraud
in the awarding OF the eOntracts Every property
holder may think about the ordinances he may
choose but makes no especial difference with You or
your deliberations; what you here for 20 detect
fraud If there be any, either the part Of the city


Judge sutherland-I wish to be understood. aid not
think OF course that we were ere for other put
pose than that which the gentleman has Just stated
But while am willing to admit that the gentleman is
in the right ia this respect, am not willing To debar
piOpertyholders from having a voice in our meetings
ahd relating their grievances Justice must be done to


Mr.. Devln-The difieuty was that there we're nuner-
GUS contracts unpaid aud for the time
the Court OF Appeals repealed tine law which paid for
contracts and the CONTRACTORS are now compelled


George EWeTtOu-I have a document with me, signed
by 900 prOpertyhOlders IN my lOcaltyTw6ntyseven
ST vent TO see mayor Hall not long ago, and as
sured ~ him that he snOpd do all in his power
that ~ more wOOSieHP laid king be-
number aSSs Of fSs pTss1il testified rat
they were entirely unwilling TO submit % the tyranny Of
t'e pavement contractors and should their whole
nhuehee 70 Illustrate any plans that might be offered TO
procure The laying Of the stone pavement Adjourned