New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-21
THE MAYOR PUT ON TIE STAND.

HE LOCKS HORNS WITH OEN E"HN ~
TIE AMUSEMENT OF MANY LISTENERS
General Tracy opcncd the engagement about II
o'clock. Mr. Hewitt admitted that he was inc
Mavor Of New-York City. lie said he mad Cd
served the facts brought out by the Oommi1'ec 40
n private individual and not as Mayor "eher"i
TRACY ci,nc down to business without many ihoio
preliminary questions, and asked the Mayo. IL ne
addressed the Governor or Legislature, ASKING lor
the restoration OF tho Mayor and Controhef ~ .iio
membership of the AQneduct COMMISSION. Inc
Mayor said he didn't remember that he oiu'
O-D!d you takc any action on that subject az all !
ADO ron mean 70 the legislature
Q-Ycs A.-Ccr;ainly not.
Q-snco tho adouinemns of tho LEGISLATURE have you
had any correspondence with Governor ll touchmR u
maticri A.--No: II You mean letters
o-wcll, did you mako any communication A'-ic@
1 da. ,..,,..
Q-Did vou receive any to that communication
vefbsl or written? AThgs is difficult question iof me
10 answer hut think within the terms Oh your que"V
1 ala no; receive an answer
orIBnL1YC OVER A PHRASE
o-Dn YOU receive communication from him. verbal
or written since the receipt of your letter. Al GER
,anly had no with the Governor have en-
changed no words With him OH the subject
o-Do you know M. Eicci Ayes
o-po you Know what Office he holds? Yes know
Of common report and by his signature that nc Is ue
Governors private secretary.
n Dl5 vou 500 Mr. Rice after you wrote Al did
saw him q, RlnswoOo N. j., within three days Of the
Governors receipt Of my letter
o.-whcn your letter sent to the Governors A.
Prior 10 ;be special meeting OF the Legislature
O-IIoy Icing prior7 A.-Ccrtainly not more than hvo
days AMI think not more than three
O Was your letter tho Governor upon the subject
n, the reorganization OF the Aqueduc Comnsslon' A.
Strictly speaking IL not upon the reorganization OF the
Aqueduct Commission. IL had reference to repeal OF
tho law by which AQueduct Commission had been re-
orsonze1
o-lIavc You a copy Of tho letter. Al think there
Is copy letter book. have not looked TO see
c.-Win you produce that letteri A.--No
SARCASM FOR GENERAL TRACY
Then the battle waxed hot The Mayor said
he wouldn't produce the letter Mt General Tracy's
rno,icst Arc you the comnittce?" he asked
krcastically.
"No,'' said the counsellor
"Oh. I beg pardon" quoth His Honor. Mr.
Fassctt came to the Generals relief, suggesting
that the committee wond like to have the letter.
rho MAYOR Qcst,ly)-I have written good many
letters in nv time. The committee can order them all
,bcy Ike You nav lead horse to water but you can't
make him drink tIaughor)
General Tfacy-And wo can take him down ana see
whether he viii or not tLaueh;er)
The Mayor, somewhat more meekly, said he
was open 10 conviction as TO the proprcty CT
producing the letter lie there as witness
20 answer all lawful questions, however, and
with that he put on his spectacles and looked
Ncrcc again, while General Tracy rallied from his
first repuise thus:
to-pd that letter reoues. the repeal Of the law Of
1886! Ayes.
Q.-Was !. signed By youl Al thihK 10 was slRno1
o-was IL written for the public INTEREST," A.-well
,ry to do many things for the public intefss. don't
always succeed
General Trscy-Ihst youn nave 70 SUBMIT 70 Ne
people this fall
TIE Msyof--I don't know Perhaps the people will
have TO submit this year. uAsushter)
Senator Fssso,t-Thsrs what we're all trying to hna
CASE OF CAUSE AND EFFECT
Q-was the letter followed By any Recommendation
AYES. and the tho next day also
Q.-And dd tho Legislature take action on the recon-
ucnaaton Of the GoverI,orf A-wcl they passed law
OH that letter did discuss the subject OF lcgs
afion touching tho public service OF the city! Al
think not think / simply discussed the question as
already stated requested the Governor to recommend tho
repeal OF tho Law which the Aoucduct Commission had
been organized
Odd you set out sny in that letter for that
recommendation Al think it is probable because
rarely write letters without rcssons
Q.-what were those reasonsi
De Lancey Nicoll here interfercd with the. sug-
ctstion thai the point Of the production OF the
letter should be settled before this line CT eX,
animation was continued Inc Mayor , again sala
H. After another short sharp wranglc General
Tracy went on beating about the bush
D.
ernor Hi? A-well. had tho interview with Rice as
1 have already testified but no other communication
Was this interview tho subject OF what the Gov
ernor should or should not recommends A.-No. Mr.
Rice and this Suoect was oiseusse' win
a great many other subjects.
o-Jn ,hst talk with Rice. did you recommend any
particular legfsstioni Al did not In my letter
asked the recommend the repeal Of that law
and TO have the Mayor and Controller restored 10 the
Commission.
Q-You gave reasons in that iettcri Al did.
Q.-Thcse public reasons OF courscf h-No
they we're not Now Mr.. Chairman. 1 am using those
terms in an gave reasons In an onicia
communication, and such reasons in communication from
one Official to another may DO private
o-wcrc any threats intmldatlons in case the
Governor did not make the recommendation rcouesndf
A-No sir Nothing OF the sort
ODD you Withdraw the letter from the Governor or
get IL back from hint Ave have been discussing ono
letter and only letter did not withdraw that letter
o.-wss there any other letteri Ayes There were
two letters
o-what was the date OF the second icttefi Al
cannot give you tho date 1t after the passage Of
tho Law.
Q-You have objections 10 produce that lettetf
RUNNING AGAINST ANOTHER sNAG.
The Mayor had objections lots OF them. lie
had no personal reasons for refusing. be explained
but he had public ones.
There's nothing that would embarrass you or
Governor Hill ?" said General Tracy tentatively
mo. Sir not the slightest" snapped the wit
ness with electric energy.
Then" said Mr.. Fassett soothingly. may
asl, YOU, MAYOR Hewitt. where is the improperly
of the committees asking for the production Of
a letter passing from the Mayor Of the city Of
Ncw-York to the Governor OF the State OF New
York end bearing on an important public cues
ton affecting legislation p'
Oh. I'm here. Why don't you ask me what
questions you want? p said the citys Chief Maeis-
fratc, with every limb fdgcting. Then be told
ut what Inconvenience he was present lie was
varricuIarly agsrieycd because he had come on a
s,lnmons, instead of being allowed TO attend
meetings. at his own time, and he complained
iitfcrly that they lad sent their sergeantatarms
after HIM Then General Tracy took courage
ard went at him again.
q Prior 70 re repeal Of the law. aid you write any
s.l ybish you did lst ssn q Mtyi Al never xiess