Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-27
ON THE RACK.
Inspector Williams Before the
lexOW Committee.
Makes a General Denial of the Charges
Made Against Him.
Says Schmittberger Lied When He Said He
Paid Him Money.

New York, Dec. 26.-Before the LeXow
committee today, Inspector Williams was
called. He joined the police force, Au-
gust 2, 1866 He was ship carpenter
by trade and was "a years old at the time.
He was worth SIS, 600 or $50, 600 when he
joined the force. He owned his own house
in Brooklyn, and six or eight building lots
in Japan. He had not said
that he would defy the committee
if they asked him questions about
his property. This was the fifth
committee he had been before. The in
spector said he did not engage in outside
business when he joined the police force.
"Was there any truth in the rumor that
you We're interested in the sale of Holly
wood whiskey?"
"No, sir -
Inspector Williams knew George Nor
ton since he was a child. He was not a
thief and bunco steerer. Norton gave him
the information by which he (Williams)
was enabled to send the river thieves up
for 10 years. He admitted that for 10
years he received information occasionally
about thieves from George Norton, who
was not paid by the police He would
swear that he did not know George Nor
4th ward
Witness said that neither he nor any
member of his family had any connection
with Hollywood whiskey within the last
year or two. He had never heard that a
liquor dealer who displayed a Hollywood
whiskey sign was safe from arrest.
Witness admitted that he had been Is
times before the commissioners on com
paints.
''Do you know of another police official
who was charged so often"
Eyes, sir, saw by the papers that one
officer was charged 81 times"
did yon ever have an interest in tn,
Hartmann hotel in Whitehall street,"
"No, sir."
Witness denied the testimony of Witness
| Perkins, who testified that when lnspec
| tor Williams was in the street cleaning dc
partment he received bribe of 5000 fol
endorsing the department bills.
1.-The memorialists to the Legislature
lied about you?"
"They were mistaken; perhaps they LIED
unwittingly.
did Perkins lie unwittingly?"
81 think he lied deliberately"
| The inspector said that he supposed the
| charges were made against him because
he had been police officer for % years.
Did you ever hear that other charges OF
corrution had been brought against you?
''No, sir. -
"Captain Schmittberger sworc that he
paid you money!
''He swore to what was untrue"
"Had he a reason for committing per
jury"
a''To keep out of the state prison"
Are you prepared to swear that Schmitt-
berger swore falselyy'
"Yes sir !"
"Did he swear falsely when he testified
that pool rooms flourished in his pre-
cinct?''
"Hc reported them closed"
at was your duty to find out If the re-
ports We're true?'
'It takes nearly all my day to do Office
duty
"Did you ever take the trouble to verify
Schmittberger's rcport:'
81 supposed them correct.
''Then you rest on your captains re
port?''
"To a great extent, yes. y
Don't you know you yourself often
made false reports when you were in the
Tenderloin?'
"No, sir, did not.
"Did you ever report disordcrly houses?
eyes, sir, closed them, too.
''Can you give me the name of one dis
orderly house suppressed
The inspector paused n moment ano
said he could not remember.
Mr. Golf here suddenly asked for an
adjournment until tomorrow morning.