Tammany on Trial.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1424, 15 June 1899, Page 14

Tammany on Trial.

COLOSSAL CORRUPTION ALLEGED AND INVESTIGATION BEGINS.

(Daily Mail Correspondent.) NEW YORK, April 8. New York is greatly excited over the proceedings of the committee recently appointed by the State Legislature to investigate the charges as to the corruption alleged to exist in most of the city departments 1 . The charges are to the effect that bribery and blackmail are openly winked at, and many city officials are making huge fortunes by unlawful means. The police are said to permit disorderly houses, gambling rooms, and other evil

resorts to flourish unmolested. Liberal fees arc said to be paid by proprietors for this disgraceful condition of affairs. Tarnmany Hall government is held solely responsible. The committee will investgate these charges, and summon a large number of witnesses. Many sensational disclosures are expected. . . A committee of seven, headed' by Assemblyman Mazet, held the first meeting in one of the rooms of the New York Supreme Court this morning. I- rank Moss and John Proctor Clarke, two leading lawyers prominently connected with the reform movement, acted as counsel, and Dr O’Sullivan, the criminal lawyer, and a member of Tammany Hall, appeared for the city officials. Frank Croker, son of “Boss’ Croker, was called as the first witness, but failed to appear. The officials said they could not find him to serve the summons. Mrs Croker, his mother, appeared, and informed the chair marl that she did not know where her son was. William Archer, a member of the building firm, was then called and testified that bis firm built the new syndicate building of twenty-six stories. The specifications called for the Roebling system of fireproofing, but the building department would not pass it. Abraham Limmehvright. manager of the Rootling Company, who was next witness, testified that it was true that he building department of the last city administration in 1896 refused to approve the Roebling fireproofing, but eventually did so. The Roebling Company was reorganised last January. Young Croker and James Hinckley, chairman of the democratic committee, became stockholders, and Charles McCain, Crocker’s nephew, was appointed solicitor through McCann’s influence. The company was recently awarded the exclusive contract for supplying fireproofing for all new public schools erected in New York, representing an enormous amount. McCann, the next witness, admitted that he had been called in consultation by several fireproofing companies who wanted to know if the law could be amended in favour of their fireproofing materials, and offered a big fee for service. He could not remember whether it was oGOOdols or lO.OOOdois. William Tostifer, civil engineer and member of a fireproofing company, spoke to John Donner, superintendent of the department of buildings, sending him to see Con Dalv, a saloon-keeper, about having his company’s material approved by the department. Donner cm. net negotiate direct. Daly proposed that Tost iter’s company should give him 2000 dollars’ worth of stock and make him director in return for his influence.

Merrill Watson, the manager of the New York Expanded metal company, testified that he had been advised to employ McCann to get his fireproofing system approved. McCann demanded a lee of lO.OOOdois.

Other evidence was given to prove the taking of bribes by the police with a view to saloon-keepers escaping prosecution. Boss Croker and a large number of city officials, and also Mrs Croker. are expected to be examined in the course of the inquiry.