The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-24
CR0KER'S STRAIGHT STORY.
1T ENTITIES M'CANN OUT AND DIsCOM.
FITS MEPIIIS7O IVINS.

Sick Man. tho Tnmmany CHIEF Testines
with VIRor, Franhnes-, nnd Compoaura
-McCann Added 100000 to nm $40 900
Rumor. and Snddled IL on tho Wrong
Horse-No doodle In a satCheI, No Ten-
cent Commission on Cement FIoasta
Crokor's $4,000 Invested in Real Es-
| tate-Croker Owes McCnnn Nothing, ana
McCnnn Did Not Fay Mrs. Croker's RmIs
Mr.. wins Gnaw- n File on Cro-s.ozamIs
| nation-E1.SherIn O'Rricn'- Hand An.
| penrs-Discovery that Tammnny II n Po-
iiticai orEnnization-Mr. WINS shakea
tho Chestnut Troe-Irritnted by Refer.
ences to Mr. Grace.
Richard Croker his wife. and Brother in law
| Mccain were n family trio that occu pied the
attention OF the Fassett Committee. and OF an
audience considerably larger than the Superior
| Court room would hold comfortably all day
| yesterday Mr.. Croker and his wife sat in tho
witness chair and testified. Brother-in-law
! Mccain sat in a conspicuous scat in front Of
| them and listened. 1t must have boon rather
unpleasant listening for him, for all that they
| both said was in absolute contradiction Of
| what he had said when he had been a witness
| himself. He manifested no emotion, however
but glared stolidly at whichever one was testi-
| flying all day long. Mr. Croker himself was not
more SlOIu. MIS-. croker was tho only one OF
the trio who manifested any emotion. and she
| only during tho brief time that she was In the
chair, when she betrayed DISPOSITION to ex-
press forcibly her opinion OF tho committee,
and of its pryinE into her private affairs.
Mr.. Croker made n general and specific de-
NAL OF every material point in McCanns testi.
mony. and Mrs. Croker corroborated him and
contradicted Mccain in all matters of which,
according to Mccain. she had any knowledge,
Al, l..I
tradicted Mccain, Mr.. Croker and his wife
made 1t appear that Mccain. taking a small
basis Of admitted incident. had built on It o
structure OF absolute fiction OF O boldness and
originality OF architecture striking enough to
suggest genius or nightmare.
There was great crush about the doors OF
tho court room for an hour before II o'clock.
Whom the doors were finally opened the spec
ta,ors poured in and tumbled over and into the
chairs and benches. Entrance was refused to
all late corners, except politicians and others
with pull who managed to squeeze through
and form a fringe in the little standing room
around tho walls OF tho place. Mccain came
early, accompanied by his wife. but they sat in
an anteroom until the committee was in ses-
sion. Mr.. Croker and his wife came in together
a few minutes after IL o'clock and took the
seats at the lawyers table beside Mr.. Choate
and Mr.. Cochran. DR.. Beekman sat Oh ono
side OF the couple. Mccain, when he csmo in.
took seat at tho extreme opposite end Of the
table, Mrs. Mccain sat behind her husband.
MR. CROKER TAKES THE OATH.
Lawyer WINS wore new suit Of almost white
clothes. All the members OF the committee
were present except Mr.. Fassett. Senator
Hendricks presided. The Chairmans gavel
had not fallen twice on the desk before Mr.,
Croker had slipped through the narrow space
between the lawyers and seated himself In the
witness chair. His complexion was poor and
his eve lacked its usual brightness but he
seemed perfec tly calm and self-contained. He
wore gray suit OF a shade exactly matching
the gray OF his hair. His beard has only begun
to show It's grizzle. He was sworn while the
audience was quoting down. and MIR. Choate
started the examination promptly by askings
How long have you lived in New York;"
Mr. Croker thought moment and then said,
Il guess it's about 40 years"
Mr.. Choate then proceeded to question him
as TO the offices he had held.
Q.-You succeeded Mr. WINS as Chamberlain A.
Yes, sir.
Q.-TIow you to resign the oflco of Chamber
LAIN Al was broken in heath and had TO resign.
Q.-when was this'
Mr.. Croker stroked his beard for while and
then said he couldn't remember; it was the
first Of a long series OF failures 10 recollect
dates: the only evidence OF weak memory
which he gave during all tho long and tedious
examination. He finally fixed the date OF
resignation as about Feb. OF this year. and
testified that he then went away.
Q.-You in wiesbAden when this committee
began Its workt A-Yes SIR
Q-whAt was tho object OF your leaving there and
returning to New York; Al came here to rotuto the
charges that had been made against mo.
Odd yon como with the consent OF your physi
ciausf A.-No; they advised mo 10 remain.
o,-Now. to come directly to tho charges made BY
Mr.. Mccain; he isyour brotherinlaw' A.-Yes. sir.
II will read Mr.. McCanns testimony and
then SEQ what you have 10 say OF it,"
McASN SIMPLY INVENTED, CROKER SAYS.
Mr. Choate then read from McCann's testi-
mony tho story OF Mr.. Cookers having brought
$3.50. 900 10 McCann's store in satche of his
showing 1t there to McCann and OF his telling
Mccain that the money was to buy votes for
Grant for Commissioner OF Public Works In the
Board Of Aldermen.
What do you say to that" asked Mr..
Choatc,
1T is absolutely untrue" said Mr.. Croker In
O very casual and matter-ot-fact way.
In all Its phases"
Yes. sir"
You did 20 to the store at that timeT
Yes. Sir"
"DiG you carry q satchel"
NO sir"
"or any receptacle of any sort with money
In IT."
NO. sir"
Had You any money with your"
mo, sir. except what l might have had In
my pockets"
Had YOU raised or had tho organization Of
Tamnlany Hall raised. $4,000, or any sum
directly or indirectly in any way to your knoUl.
edge to influence votes in the Board OF Alder
men for Mayor Grant or for any one else. or
for any similar purposes"
mo, sir"
Had Mr.. Grant contributed $4,000 or any
sum to any fund Of that sort"
mo. SIR"
Did you mako any such statement to Mr..
Nc. Cam, or any statement that could be con-
Strued TO mean such Il tA.ug:'
mo. sir"