New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-27
CUMULATIVE ETIDEALE.
4 REGULAR SYSTEM FOR BLACKMAIL- i
ING BUSINESS MEN.
DIRECT. CONCLUSIVE AND OVERWHELMING TEs.
rIMoNY GIyEN-sEvERAL UNWILLING
WITNESSES -"CHEERFCL LYING"
FOsTERED BY 1AMMAf;Y

The cheerfulness OF some liars is remarkable
There is an excellent psychcal study in this line in
the courtroom where the Lexow Committee h hold
ing It's sessions Scarcely working day passes that
some buoyant individual does not take the witness
stand and. with smiles and smirks. with bragga-
docio and bravado with unconcern and nonchalance.
rattle OFF the most papabe fdlsehoods. An interest
ing circumstance is that the most absurd lies ara
frequently told about trivial and unlmportant facts
which have only remote bearing on the question
under inquiry.
or course the reason for this is perfectly plain
4 witness who goes the stand with the de-
uberate intention Of perjurng himself about the
main facts Is likely 10 be suspicious Of questions
which appear harmless. but which may contain pit
falls So he consistently avoids the truth, the
whole truth and nothing but the truth" and almost
Invariably gets neahI caught by Mr.. Con. The wit
ness may not be foiced 70 admit tnlt he has con-
tradicted himself or has deliberately lied, but the
fact is generally perfectly apparent 10 everybody
| IN the courtroom.
II is in this particularly trying time, when every
body in the courtroom including the witness. knows
that he is lying. and everybody. including the wit
ness knows that everybody eise knows II, ana yet
the witness is compelled to keep lying under the
mercllass questioning of Mr. Ciof or else admit that
he has perjurel himself- is then that the wonder
fll cheerfuness of the constitutional liar asserts
Itself There p.enty OF these cheerful liars'
about. The methods which have been adopted by
Tammany Hall and the Police Department have en-
couraged cheerful lying In fact made IL iRdis-
pensable to large classes OF people TO lie In act and
deed habitualy and constantly, In order - live ana
thrive. From ward man TO pantata. the police ON
cals who have been receiving bribes and protecting
vice in and posing as the finest police In the
world in public. have been living lies. And they
were all cheerful until the Lexow Committee went
10 work
ALI. CHEERFUL PEOPLE.
~
Tammany leaders have received brtbes for protect
ing dsordery houses, ami have been In partnership
with ''bunco" thieves and "green-goods" swinders.
Yet some Of these besmrched leaders have held
themselves 10 be good and pure and true and
honest enough sit judges over their fellow
men. And they have all Deen remarkapy cheeriui
people.
And now when the poor victims Of the greed and
rapacity OF these Janus-facel officials dragged
10 the wltness-sand against their VIII. knowing as
they do that effort will be spared by their old
time protectors TO break them II they "squeal."
and being well that the vengeance Of the po-
lice and their bosses is far reaching and unreient-
ing IL little wonder that many OF them choose
that which they believe 10 be the loss evil and COM
NIT perjury freely and unhesita;ingly aud with pro-
fessional cheerfuness. There excellent ex-
ample of this on the stand yesterday.
1t was l:2O a. m. a full hour after the time set
for opening the session. before first witness
called. Senator Lsxow. Mr.. CON and other leading
in the investigation were half-hour late In
arriving. and there good deal OF conferring
and whispering to be done before the court was
opened. Among the early arrivals was Fatner
Ducey OF St. Leo's Church. who has been one OF
the most constant attendants upon the sittings OF
the committee Captain Max Schmittberger was
there In response 10 a subpoena. Senators Lexow,
O'Connor. Robertson. Cantor and Bradley OF the
ccmmittee John w Gof. william Travers Jerome.
Frank Moss and William A. Sutherland. counsel
for the committee and ex-S Surrogate Rastus 3 RAN
som and ex- x-Dstrict-Attorney De Lancey Nicoll.
counsel for the Police Department were present.
Frederick B. House. OF the Jaw firm OF Friend q
House was also in the courtroom. He said 10
Tribune reporter: II have been retained by the uni
formed police force to their special counsel
as an assistant 10 Mr.. Nicoll / shall not appear
before the committee this spring. however. / SHAH
keep an eve on the proceedings and be ready TO ap-
pear in court TO represent my clients In the fail"
What DO you by the uniformed forcef
Everybody from Superintendent DOWN" was asked.
mo. Everybody from inspectors down.
The uniformed force have also employed Frank
s. Beard, the stenographer OF General Sessions 70
take a complete record Of the testimony for them.