New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-19
WISSIG STAYS AWAY.
HIS NAME CALLED IN VAIN.
SULLIvAN's BOSOM FRIEND NOT ON HAND
TO LISTEN TO HIS ACCUsER.

THE TAMMANY HELLER AND HIS SON PHIL" A
PRECIOUS PAIR-THEY THREATEN TO KILL A
HARMLESS MAMIE TELLS HOW HE WAS
SET UPON AND BEATEN UNCONSCIOUS
BY THE SON AND TWO POLICEMEN
CAPTAIN CoPELAND's CALM ADJ
MISSION THAT HE HAS LET
VIOLATION OF LAW GO
UNCHECKED.
Philip Wissig, the Tammany politician who dis.
grnced himself when he was an Assemblyman
by using foul language in the Assembly chamber
at Albany, ard who has been nominated by
Tammany again, after being exposed by wit
nesses before the Leyow Committee as the land
lord of a disorderly house who arranged for the
protection Of the house by the police In Captain
Deverys time was wanted a witness before
the committee yesterday. He failed to respond
but his name was mentioned in connesion with
threat to Kill an apparently harmless man. and h.s
son was pictured murderous thug" Anthony
Biermann who lives in Wissigs district, testified
that he had received letter from young Wissg
only few nights ago. declaring that the father
and son would kill him at sight. Biermann had
appealed to the counsel of the committee for
protection. and he appeared to be in mortal ter
ror. He declared that he had been attacked and
dubbed in the street at night by young Wssg
and that two policemen had helped to beat him
instead Of defending him. Members Of the COM
mttee declared that the witness should be pro-
tected and that the policemen who aided young
Wissig ought TO be punished
There testimony TO the money
collected in the district east OF the Bowery to
prevent the police fror- interfering with the
keepers Of street stands for the sale OF soda
water. and most Of the testimony was to the
effect that the money went into the pocket OF
John T.. Brodsky, who formerly represented
the district Assemblyman Mr.. Brodsky
wanted witness also, and he was in
the courtroom for short time. but he managed
TO sip out and disappear before his name was
called. Both Wiss!g and Brodsky may be placed
on the rack soon.
Police Captain Copeland who has been in COM
mand Of the patrol for two years confessed to
the committee yesterday afternoon that he had
utterly failed 10 get evidence Of the sale OF
liquor on the excursion boats in the harbor on
Sundays. In fact ne confessed that he had not
tried to get evidence of such violation Of the
law. even after there had been entered on his
own botter report that money was being col.
lected in his from the excursion boats.
Mr.. Goff suggested that the captain was aseep
most OF the time. but he destroyed that impress
SION Dy getting the captain u tel dDpul tHc
houses in the city which he had bought and
paid for. Captain Copeland denied that he knew
his men were blackmailing EXCURSION parties in
the hartSor. and ne tried excuse his failure to
make arrests for violations of the Excise law on
the river by saying that tn, excursion boats
went beyond his jurisdiction. Copeland has
been a police captain for thirty years.
The committee spent some time trying to find
out the exact nature Of the stock gambling busi-
ness carried on by the stearns Commission Com
pany at No. 3S New-st.. with the apparent in
tention to find out later why the police had not
interfered with the business w. D. Valentine.
tho president Of the company. gave unwilling
testimony about peculiar stock indicator used
at his office. confessng that he had dictated on
Wednesd sday the quotations which appeared on
the tape yesterday. and admitting that his
customers won or lost money as they were able
To guess at the fuctua tions in the quotations. He
also produced some OF the stocks dealt in at the
Office and the committee thought the stocks
were bogus and worthless. The inquiry into the
business not finished yesterday.
The committee will continue the investigation
to-day.