New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-05
PRICE THREE CENTS.
HEAVY BLOWS FOR ANDREWS
THEY FAIRLY STAGGER HIM
A TAMMANY COMRADE SwEARS HIS
TESTIMONY is FALSE.

HUMILIATION AND DIsMAY THE RESULT OF rHD
COMMISSIONERS EFFORT TO "vINDIcATE~
HIMSELF HIS FLMsY EXPLANATIONS
KNOCKED ALL TO PIEcEs-ExcITIN0
SCENES IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM
SEARCHING QUESTIONS CAUSE THE
WITNESS TO CHANGE COLOR
AND REFUSE TO ANSWER
HIS CONTRACTS AND HIS
LOANs-A DAY OF SEN
. sATIoNAL TESTIMONY.
The Lexow Committee had an interesting sit.
ting with William s. Andrews, Tammany Com
missioner Of Street Cleaning, yesterday Mr..
Andrews appeared as a voluntary witness. eager
to deny the recent charge that he had received Z
bribe of $500 for giving license for a notorious
disorderly house at Lexington-ave. and Thirtieth-
ST.. in 1887. when he was Excise Commissioner.
After he had made his denial, he was obliged to
submit to a cross-examnaton by John w. Gon,
placed in most unenvable position before the
public.
In his attempt to Justify his action in granting
license for the sale Of liquor in disorderly
place. the witness declared that August L. Lewis,
the man in whose name the license had been given,
had appeared before the Board Of Excise and
had declared his intentions to make the place
respectable. Lewis, the man who on Monday
confessed that he had committed perjury In
swearing to the proprietorship of the place, de-
ciared that he had made no such statements and
had never seen Mr.. Andrews before. Mr. An
drews swore that Lewis had been vouched for by
Andrew J. White, now Commissioner of Docks,
and formerly Police Justice. Mr.. White went on
the witness stand and made oath that he never
had vouched for Lewis and never had interested
himself in the license which given to Lewis.
After receiving such kick, when he was down,
by another Tammany officeholder Mr.. Andrews
could only say that one OF them lying. He
continued to deny that ne had used Mr.. Whites
name in an attempt to cover a corrupt trans
action.
Mr.. Andrews was questioned about a small 40
count which he has kept in the Lincoln Bank.
and about his method of indorsing the account
over to friend. and he admitted that he was
obliged to that method because there were
judgments against him and his creditors would
be after his money IL he did not keep II beyond
their reach. He admitted that he had borrowed
$1,000 in cash from George ". Punkitt. without
giving note for the money. and that Plunkitt's
stable buildings have been leased to the city for
the use Of the street-Cleaning Department.
Mr. Con- intimated that Mr.. Andrews had been
an agent for some OF the big breweries when he
was an Excise Commissioner. and. while the wit
ness would not admit that he had prostituted Q
public office In that manner he did admit that
he had borrowed 900 from Jacob Rupert the
brewer He was led to admit also that he owed
some thousands Of dollars to Postmaster Dayton
and that Mr.. Dayton had aided in his appoint
ment to the Office Of Commissioner Of Street
Cleaning. The questions of Mr.. Goff in that con-
nection indicated belief that Mr. Dayton had
wanted to get Mr.. Andrews in place where he
would be able to pay some Of his debts.
The conduct OF Mr.. Andrews tn receiver for
furniture company In Brooklyn was inquired
into and the witness admitted that he had been
a prisoner in the Ludlow Street Jail for three
weeks for contempt of court. in failing TO follow
orders in the method of performing his duties as
receiver He denied that he had been put in jail
for falling to account for money which he had
held as receiver.
At length Mr.. Andrews compelled to ad-
nit that he had been sued by the daughter OF an
old Union soldier. for pension money which no
had collected as a pension attorney His excuse
for failing to pay over large part or the pension
money which he had collected was that he had
a claim for expenses in the support OF the old
soldier Con- called attention to the 1act
that Mr. Andrews wearing the button OF
the Loyal Legion in the lapel OF his coat at the
time he made the admission.
There were other witnesses before the COM
mttee Yesterday but their testimony was not
important The investigation OF the Police DO
ma rtment will be continued by the COMMITTEES
to-day
For details OF the days proceedings see page IL