Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-12-10
STEPHAN WILL FIGHT.
The Indicted Police commission
 CT Not Afraid, He Says.
GOES BACK TO FAoE THE MUSIC.


 Declares That In Going to BunaIo He Did Not Intend to Run Away-He Alleges That He Could Show His Handbook. to the Lexow Committee Without Fear.
 NEW YORK. Dec. iO.-Police Commis- sioner John C. Shcchan has returned to this city. When he arrived in New York, he was driven to his house, 4e4 West Twcnty-third street, and remained care fully guarded from would be intcrviewers until late in the afternoon There was nothing secret about his home coming and therc was little to indicate c fear of arrest under the indictment found against him by the grand jury.
 It was evident early in the day that such an arrest was not contemplated by the dis trict attorney, and that the Indicted com- missioner would simply he notified of the grand jury's action and requcstcd to ap- pear with bondsmen. Hence it was that Commissioner Sheehan passed the night in his own house after an evening of close conference with political friends at the Pequod club in West Twenty fifth street Ex-Judgc Browne, the commits sioncr's partner, rcceived all callers at the club and acted the part of official mouth piece with agrecablc yolubility.
 He Is Not Alarmed.
 "No. you can't possibly scc the commis- sioncr, he said in reply to questions, but I can assure you in his name that he not at all alarmed at this rcported indictment. He stands upon q point of principle and will be glad to have the matter properly adjudicated. The commissioner most cm- phatically denies the alleged right of the Lexow committee to scc his private books and accounts. If thcrc had been a charge or even q suspicion raised against him, the case would have been vastly different Under such circumstances he would have cheerfully surrcndcrcd his books.
 "Thc commissioner will co to the dis trict attorneys office in the morning pro parcd to answer any indictment which may have been found against him. will probably accompany him. His re- fusal to bc interviewed today docs not arise from any disinclination to meet tho issue publicly. but from the fact that he is worn out by tho hard travelling of the last few days"
 . From other sources it was learned that the commissioner returns in bad humor to face his antagonists.
 Lies by wholesale have been printed about mo during the last four days, '' he complained to a friend yesterday. "Onc of the most monstrous Is that I left the city to avoid arrest. This Is ridiculously false. I neter heard of this alleged indict- mcnt until last Friday. My trip was the first vacation have taken in two years. and the roal motive behind 1t was to ap- peal to Governor Flower in behalf of a prisoner in whom I am intcp'stcd.
 Defends His Action.
 ''This howl about my rufusal To surrcn- der my personal books to the Lcxow com mittce k also misleading" said Mir. Shcc- han to his friend
 If you remember, had the accounts with me when on the stand bcforo the committee. l then said, as I now repeat, that if there was a charge or the insinua- tion of charge against me the books would be fp'cly surrCndcrCd for inSpcc- tion. From the start of the investigation noted the ugly dictatorial elements in the prOcedings and determined to stand upon my rights as n citizen.
 Let Inc tell you something about these private accounts nf mine which is not gen orally known. When De Ianc,,y Nicull was counsel for the police board. submit ted all my private books to his inspection. As n rcSllt he aSSurId mo that fhcrSs was nothing in them that might not bc made public. On the point of principle. howcv- CT, he sgrccd with me that to mcckly sur rcnder them upon the demand of any com mittcc and in the absence of any charges against me would bC the surrender nt a right of citizenship
 So far as my personal hank account is concerned, let me aSsurc you that during the last year it has never exceeded the sum of $500. The only property I own Is the house l live in. at I64 West Twenty third strect, and that Is heavily mort gagged. The purchase price was s2I, GOO. of which paid s6.OO0 in cash and gave a mortgage of Sia.ooO That mort gasc k still unpaid. '
 The commissioner p,fCrrCtl to the rcports of various hank accounts in which he was interested in connection with operations in Long Island City as borrowed money used in the operation of tho business" "
 CriticI-c> Mahoney.
 The commissioner was severn in his crit icisms of Timothy T. Mahoncy, cx-comp- trollcr "f Buffalo. who testified against him bcf"rc the IcNnw committee. "I prac- tically made this man Mnhoncy." Mir Shechan told his friend. and he now turns upon me. have also lost SI5. 0oO through him. and have in my possession q docu- ment bearing his own signature that proves this fact.
 Lawyer Louis T. Grant, the cummis- sioner's counsel, said last night that tho indictment against his client would bc de- clarcd illegal and settled for all time at tho first hearing of the case in general ses- sions
 ''Wc feel perfectly sure of the strength of our position" said he, but if in any way-now inconccivable-thc case should go against us in the lower courts we will appeal. This issue involves n vital princi- pie of right. in which my clients cause is tho cause of every good citizen. If an un- accused man must deliver up his private accounts upon the demand of q committee or even a court. then America n citizenship is a farce
 Lawyer Grant will confer with tho com missioner this morning, and together they