The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-12

'"hsacton, Ike borrowing from bank or any inu'-
vidualn
he subsequently In his pamphlet tpage 22) referred
again TO the parallel between Htzel and bank, which
tue Special Commission had Jailed to recognize.
i'zci had been objected by Mayer and stiasny as
an improper person to 80 to Vienna. lie was once
waiter In Mayors camp New York, IAN industrious,
Woodworking man, but very rough"
But the objections to Hitzel vanished when he was
looked upon "a bank, and on the advice thus
given, $500 obtained from him by General Mayer,
who handed It over TO his chief and subsequently Hit
eel paid in three checks $500 more. Htze, in his ies
timony all reference TO which is omitted in the
called abstract Of evidence" prepared IN the State
Department and prehxed 10 the Autographed volume OF
the evidence and report denied that he had offered 10
make any loan that 1t had been asked for loan.
lie said, The only thing Mayer said that he was
short Of money; never said a loan or would be
returned.n
From tho remark OF Hitzcl to another witness, 'pve
paid those suckers 81, 900 ond they wanted another
$1,000 out OF me" il that he derived but small
satisfaction from the argument that IL was es-
mate business operation. Mayer clearly approved the
rule, and Mr. Jcwctt, who asked by General Van
Buren, to become the partner Of Hiizcl testified that
General Mayer had suggested shat should pay
something on the ground that going to make
money, and that anything chose do Tor General
Van Buren, and himself would be accepted
Messrs. Boehm Wichl, who had secured concessions
for three bars contributed in larger measure and their
last loan according General Van Buren,, obtained
by Mayer without his knowledge quietly pocketed by
Mayer alone THIS General Mayer Denied insisting that
his chief had been OF the whole affair and had
taken away stiasny, the third acting Commissioner,
while It was being arranged and that General Van
| Buren, had had part OF this very money pay his
expenses at Washington. General Van Buren, admitted
having received while at Washington, from Mayer
moneys for which he had written but OF the amount
had recollection, and while he in debt Mayer
for moneys advanced by him he said. ~ do not know
whore General Mayer got his money; had hard work
get my own;' and The only thing that seemed clear
that # Htzc and the rest served involuntary
'banks" 10 Mayer, Mayer was, in turn, bank TO the
chief Of the commission. Into the question OF
veracty between the chief and his first assistant
the Special Commission declined to enter, rest
ing their report upon undisputed facts and ad-
mi,tcd theories. II is difficult to understand the
.tion which led tho government pity and en-
brace the 1t had condemned; for II could
believe with Burke, that "vice itself loses half its evil
by losing all It's grossness the corruption in our CON-
mission to Vienna had grossncss peculiarly It's own.
and made rcpusive by contrast with the re-
spectabinty and culture by which It surrounded
Mr. Stiasny, the youngest Of the three acting Com.
missioners New York. to whom was allotted So 900
!
having volunteered TO oct without pay said don't
know why they gave the same salary with General
Van Buren," gives in another part OF his testimony
glimpse OF the Commissioners in council which, Gu
riously enough, recalls, although with difference
Dickens sketch OF the den of Fagin, with his sharp
boys, giving lessons TO the perpexed Oliver. He said
General Mayer day had quarrel with HitzeL |
don't know what 1t all about all the matter
| with tho restaurant men kept in the dark It
was always done with closed doors when was not
present That day, when Hitzcl had gone, General
Mayer told about It, He said Hitzcl had loaned or
paid 81 900 and wanted It back told him such things
would take the prestige of the commission and that If
had 81, 600 TO give away would pay the out OF
my own pocket General Mayer SAID to me that
had better be out Of the way when the restaurant
matters were up, as 1t might cost my head "
Tho policy oil concealmcnt exhibited by the govern
suppressing the record misreprescnting IL by
an inexact and imperfect abstract, with omissions of
evidence and pervcrsons OF the report and the pubca-
ton OF a truthlcss charge against members of the
Special and Temporary Commissions, have combined
with the sanction given to the management to
strengthen tho idea that the government dskcs the
exposure of official Irregularities and that ndscrect
knowledge and disclosure the part OF government
agents OF official extortion and corruption may in tho
language OF General Mayer, cost them their heads
AS exhibiting the grounds which the extortions at
Vienna were submitted 10 and the light in which they
were viewed by tho parties who paid the money tho
testimony OF Mr.. Bochm is suggestive, and ITS pho-
sophie and conempuous tone touching the integrity of
government officials is not without ITS lesson.
lie was asked, ''why, when you paid the last thou.
sand dollars and assured by General Mayer that It
would be repaid you think that never would be
repaidy"
Mr. Boehm said, "ln tho liquor business used TO
mako contributions government officials We never
got them back and that is the reason why did
expect to get this money back. There arbitrary
law by which any wholesale retail liquor dealer
could be closed up, the Of irrcguarty,
or twcnty days. whcn charge being made they were
released, but without redress We under pcrpet
ua threat OF having our business disturbed"
| O. What analogy was there between such q case and
| tins?
A. Simply that believe very little In tho integrity
OF government officials in New York-that is concern
| ing money.
Some light perhaps IS thrown upon the analogy be-
tween the two by remark OF General Van Buren,
when he said, 81 told him fii,zeil as had told
| Bochm, that intended their places to be under the
strces surveillance and that II any disorder irrcg
| ular,ty should there should hesitate to
recommend their being closed. repeated this TO them
several times. impressed it upon them'
Thus in Republic under such theories does
official corruption create set oil petty despos, who,
under the preence OF authority and trusting for i'm
punty to political influence, practise their cxtortons
upon American citizens tho agent OF the State De-
parimcnt likcncd To s'banks the conccssionaires
Vienna, aud the late head Of the War Department,
following that bad example levied tribute through his
post traders at the West the soldiers the IRON
tier and the Indians the Plains.
The Special Commission in their report declared sthe
inherent absolute impropre,y Of national oiccrs
representing the dignity and honor OF the country
either demanding or accepting money under the name
Of loan, for whatever purpose or prctcnce, from
the grantee of restaurant already indebted to them
for his permit and who, daring the term OF the Expo
son, would be more or less dependent their favor -
In tho principle and practice thus denounced BY the
report aud rewarded by the government lies the
the corruption which at Vienna dshonored the Depart