Los Angeles herald., 1890-04-27
ROUGH ON TAMMANY.
A SENSATION IN NEW YORK POLIT-
1CAL CIRCLES.
A Witness Before the Legislative Investi-
cation Committee Charges Mayor Grant
and Others with Gross Jobbery.

New YORK, April 26.-The Legislative
investigation committee held most SEN
sational session today. Richard Croker
and Mayor Grant, Tammany leaders,
were scorched numerically by Lawyer
Ivans, counsel to the committee.
The witness who created the sensation
was Patrick McCann, brother-in-law
of Richard Croker, leader of Tammany
Hall. Mccain was most reluctant
witness. In substance he testified that
while Grant was mem Der of the Board
of Aldermen, Tammany Hall made des-
perate efforts to have him appointed
Commissio ner of Public Works. For
this purpose $1S0,000 was raised, Grant
giving $4,000 and the Tammany organ
ization the other 100000. This money
was to have been paid to the aldermen
for Grants confirmation by that body.
Mayor Edison appointed Rollin M. Squire,
however, and so the money was not
used.
The next question and answer was a
startler.
"While Grant was Sheriff did he give
any money to Croker, or any member Of
his family, to your knowledge ?'
McCann tried to aXoid answering, but
was finally forced to reply, in substance,
that Mrs. Croker told him that, while
Sheriff, Grant, on five different occa-
sions. handed Flossie, the siX-year-old
daughter OF Croker, an envelope contain
ing $1,000, making $25, 900 in all. This
money went to pay for the house the
Crokers are living in.
Witness also testified that Leicester
Holmes, Mayor Grants private secre-
tary, visited Mrs. Croker as a represent
ative of Mayor Grant several times
since Croker went to Europe. Holmes
offered Mrs. Croker her expenses and
something more if she would go to Ger
many She refused.
1t was also elected from the witness
that DR.. Beekman, the family physician
of the Crokers, had been approached by
Holmes and asked to 90 abroad.
Political circles are agitated to an un-
usual extent by the testimony regarding
Grant and Croker.
/ Mayor Grant was not in his office to-
day, and no person there seemed tc
know where he was, though it was said
he was probably out of town. The
Mayors private secretary, Leicester
Holmes, denied that he ever visited
Mrs. Croker ON any such mission as
testified to by Mccain.
McCann's Story Ridiculed,
Mayor Grant tonight made general
denial of the charges made against him
by McCann before the Senate committee
today. He was never a candidate fol
Commissioner of Public Works, and be-
fore was not eligible. The talk about
his having $4,000 was too frivolous to
talk about. He had given Croker's
daughter (his godchild) presents, but nc
such fabulous sums as had been men
toned.
Mrs. Croker says McCann's state
ment is false, and the relations between
herself and husband are pleasant.
According to McCann's story" said
the Mayor, "an amount said to be
$780, 900 of corruption fund was contrib
uted by myself. Now, as a matter OF
fact, never had $4,000, or any sum
like it in lump sum in my life. At the
same time the witness speaks OF, l had
just completed the close Of an unsuc-
cessful mayoralty campaign in which
both sides had bitter contest. That
alleged Commissioner of Public Works
is located by Ivins's witness just at the
period when l was bitterly fighting the
majority of the board in the Broadway
railroad matter. Because l refused to
join in their combine they hated me
like poison, and to think that l would
go before them for office and propose to
them that they should do service for me,
by the very means which was fighting
isn't it nonsense?"
'What about the statement that you
gave Mr.. Croker, through his daughter
Flossie, $25, 900 to pay for his house ?''
''Mr. McCann deals in large figures,
and guess four or five thousand, more
or less, don't bother him. am Flossie's
godfather, and have frequently given
her presents, certainly on every one Of
her birthdays; fairly valuable presents,
too, but never anything approaching
such fabulous sum as $4,000. What
ever have given the child has been
within reason, and consisted of such
presents as any godfather in my place
would have given. A suggestion of any
thing else is simply malicious lie, as
all the gifts made We're applied tor the
| ,,oroopn1 banafit of tha tiftlo .yirl -