New-York tribune., 1890-05-21
BOTH SIDES LAID TRACkS.
THAT Is, THEY SAY so TO THE FASSEII
COMMITTEE.
ruv v,xsprcrops. HOWEVER, DO NOT COME
OFF THE STAND COVERED WITH GLORY
CORRUPTION CHARGED AGAINST
OFFICIALS OF THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT.

CORRUPTION CHARGED AGAINST
OFFICIALS OF THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT.
Two vmng physicians Of this city, Dr' LeVinse ""u
Dr osborne. employed by the Health Dcpar'hch. as
IL ,neo,ors and DR. Martin, the chief chemist OF
., D.narrent felt exceedingly uncomfoNaoie last
evening at the close Of long days WORK by 'ie e'c
Senate Committee Cities. Inc committee ~ "
rnexpected incursiOn into the Health department, III
conseouence Of having learned Of serious o'
milk INSPECTORS which demanded an lmmeolaIe anu
" ,,yos,ira,ion The investigation OF the EXCISE DC
nartment was postponed, and witnesses were caIeu
who ,wore that DR.. Levings and DR.. OSBORNE nan
offered protection to the Lake MIX company ior
three months in consideration Of receiving 800 apiece
from the company. Protection ihedD' iei''i HUM
tnspectOn during the time specihcd'
eo,ator Fassct presded and Part ii OF the superior
cour. in which the committee sat. was ci""oco
The committee and the audience listened 10 sU"rS'
which as IL was told BY accusers ana accuseu' a'o
ing 10 each Of them equal cretence' was hehis
comical. Henry II. Intemann. OF the Lake gum
(.onpany said that Levngs and Osborne had 'ricn
IN extort money from him for protection ana ui'''
an consultation with Mr.. Houston, his superior WHO
ha6 called in the aid of his counsel, he had oech
advised to lay trap for the inspectors. lie "oeou
lnglv made arrangements with them 10 pay V"ol'
Tho money they demanded but took into MS conn
scncc a man who marked the bills and was 20 oe
,ho money was handed over. The plan was not
f,,ly carried ont because the witness who had Oeen
bespoken missed the wOuld-be bribe-tGef anu 'to
willy brbc gver the critical time, Win oie ioS''
that Mr.. Intemann broke of negouauons anu ~
turned the money to the company. Ihe inspectors
met this evidence by the astonishing stuchie"' "u'O
they had all along imagined that It was lniemam VINO
was falling into trap prepared by them Ihoy
alleged that Intcmann had approached them anu
offered them 800 apiece If they would let up ON
his company, promising TO get the caSl iroilI IiS
SUPERIOR and to him not for $500 but for S'oo'
third Of which would be the share OF ln'emanh' "'
fellow conspirator and gobetween. They told Dr'
Martin the Health Boards chemist, II whom they
laid they were directly responsible. Of lniemann's
proposal and they said that he advised them TO 80
ahead take the booty and hand II over t. the Board
50 that Intemann might be indicted for bribery.
Unfortunately equal credence cannot be gwen 10
both chapters of the story. The tale of double plot
and schemng and counter sCheming by two par
ties each utterly ignorant of the designs
of the other. is rich one, and possesses
the elements Of a successful "laughahe farce. but
there is corroboratve testimony on the SIDE ot lne
MANN and none on the side of the inspectors except
their mutual support. for DR.. Martin. while ne ad-
rr,tted that the Young men had told him that there
WAS proposal afoot 10 bribe them disclained inc
responsibility Of being their adviser in the concocuoh
Of plot for the confusion of Mr.. lntemann' ana
Charles G.. Wilson. the president Of the lieath pe-
said that he han Decn ol "'"'
until the afhdavits Of the milk dealer and his sup
porers containing the charges against the two IN
snectors TO which they testified before tho COM
mttee had the Health Board a few days ago
He declared emphatically that he would have viewed
with extreme displeasnre and disapprovE any con
spiracy to catch lntemann in bribe-gvlng had any
such scheme been suggested 10 MN vi ia" ~ '''0
10 his knowledge.
The snspcion Of being extortioners, under which
DR. Levings and Dr. Osborne must rest until they
find better proof of its uniairne>s than the!r own
assertions, was strengthened by the testimony "l
Richard W. Macomber. of the Metropolitan MIX ana
Cream Company, who swore that the accused IN
sncctors had thrown out 10 him broad hints that
dsacreeable inspections and all risks Of nasty proecu-
tons might be obvated if he took the necessary steps
Granting that Levings and Osborne did plan 10 ehuap
Intemann they are not overertiie IN resources lof
their own protection, because they met Macombers
evidence with similar tactics TO those which they
employed against Intemann. alleging that Macom0er
ATTEMPTED TO bribe them with ndoar bills, and
that they Indignantly refused TO s0op to conquer the
profered wealth.
n. A. Intemann told MI. Boardman that he was
clerk with the Lake Milk Company, which did an eA-
tensive business. Inspectors Osborne and Levlngs
"approached" him first about the l0i or llth m
January Of this year They were having drink at
the liouor store known the Golden swan,' at
Fourthst. and sixthave. With varied gesture and
expression and in vigorous and untamcd English Mr.
Tntemann proceeded 10 give the following account OF
what took place in :" The Golden swan" and in other
barrooms:
Mr. Ievnrs asked me- s'why doesn't Nh Houston do
The right thingl Mr.. Houston is the manager Of Tie
company said "Hc +, doing the right thing "hat nor
ran he dor' Well" said he, ''he don't DO the Heh'
thing" said What do you mean - He sad Il am
not going to talk palmer 70 you" He 'opped a
moment and says gold mines in California and
there are gold mines in New-York" says an !
understand Let's have another drink" daughter
IeNfu uOxe
N be heard all over the Then he KIND Of took up
his glass moment and ''I'll tell you what III no
with you 800 and guarantee YOU protection Tor
threo months" stopped a moment, thinking, before /
could say anything. Mr. Osborne SAID Where c" come
- frauehterl Levings says. 'Wel, well have to
make it $500" / thought might a. well go into the
rare myser and asked Where the deNl do come IN
Won want me to do all the work. He seys, Weii Wen
- - roaLo {, s3oon They didn't want Mr.. Houston
n know They didn't TO have any dealings with
Nh Houston They did not like him. because hey sad
.He went down 10 Chambersst" meaning tst they ha'
arrested Mr. Houston for having skim milk Tor sale ana
Mr. Houston demanded trial in the court OF "eherai
kessions and the jury acquitted him. They sad they
would leave the selection Of the person In t' com
Iany u whom should apply. They sac ueV ""uIu ike
TO result pretty and s'l1 heV "onu nave
In give me time when they came again Inspect The
milk probably later. had another interview 1T
took place in Earc's Clinton Place Hotel. Wheh teY
inspected the milk they left couple Of samples which
meant that they satisfied and hal taken two sam
pe cofresIo ding they rad left for the Board
0. Health. had communicated the fact about my hF'i
Interview TO M Houston. who shook his head and saw
thought so We down counsel Alber,
Ecynaud. lie went 70 see inspector ByrneS' ana He'
one O. the detective streesnts at his Office. Nv in
rct,ons attempt 10 trap the inspectors and hc
would directly arrest At Failes Hotel. where
re, the inspectors can remember they had
.o,. drinks One of them bought bottle o. whiskey
besides and they asked me about the $500 Levngs wa
generally the spokesman. He claimed that Osborne would
a. ms, a. he told him Osborne said he would Ike
have the money he wanted to 20 70 the French
Rail and some sucker would have 70 pay for H. ! tod
t,,n that had seen Mr. Holbcrt Of company. but
the comnany was rather slow. and thought the price rather
tigb Ih,y sad We'll cannot help that. That Il
our price" / tod them would communicate with Mr.
,Ioi,.,. and let them know. Mr. Dlworh Choate
., Tho World about the matter. arranged with hin
n he present and passed when paid L
tho i,spectors made appointment with Mr. Osborn,