The morning call., 1894-10-19
SODA MEN PAID.
New York Police Not
Particular.
MONEY THE MAIN THING.
They Took That Wherever They
Found 1t.
NO MATTER ABOUT THE OBJECT.
Their Assessment Due From Con-
cOctorS of Harmless as Well
as Harmful Drinks.

NEW YORK, OCl. lO.-A DuUlDeE VI
clergymen were in attendance at the hear
ing of the Lexow investigating committee
to-day when Counsel Moss called Treas
urer Laight of the Soda-water Manufac-
turPrs' Association to the stand. MIR.
Laight when questioned concerning the
methods of the association to raise money
to influence legislation and make presents
to the police captains because many OF
the members kept their soda-water stands
in the street. He admitted that good
deal OF money was expended to protect
ssandkeepers from police interference, but
could not remember the details OF many OF
the transactions.
He positively asserted that the $500
paid to John Brodsky was TO have
an ordinance passed by the Board of
Aldermen.
''It was common thing" he said, "to
get up collections and presents for the CAP
tain. We charged the stand-owners S.
rent besides. and this money went for the
captains. The collections for Captain
Schultz did not surprise me-"
Here the witness communicativenes
ceased. He was asked what Johnny
Brodsky did with the $500 which the
Manufacturers Protective Association
turned over to him and finally said the
money was paid Brodsky for other serv-
ices
Come now, wasn't the money tax not
in the city's budget?" asked Senator
Lexow.
YES" admitted the witness.
How much did you raise the year pre-
vious?"
"a Thousand dollars"
''And that went to prevent police inter
ference with the stands that obStructed
the sidewalks?"
eyes"
who got the money!"
Il don't know. The money was COL
lected for all the downtown captains"
Wolf Walsen, one of the soda-water
com bine, was the next witness called
He had twenty-five customers from each
of whom last summer he collected S5 and
gave the money to Brodsky. "Those who
pay So" he added, "are not troubled If
they have to go TO court nothing comes of
it; BrOdsky fixes it. Last April all the
stop-line soda-fountains were closed for
two or three days by police orders The
order to open came from Brodsky, who
said things were all right" Witness per-
sonally contributed $3.50.
''Whst for?" he was asked.
For the permits"
ANY part of the Brodsky fund 60 to the
police?'
None that know Of"
Captain Copeland of the Harbor police
was called to the stand shortly after re-
cess. He denied that he had given orders
to SubordlDates to refuse to allow the
counsel for the committee to examine the
station-blotter. Moss finally succeeded in
procuring the blotter and called attention
to an entry made on June 13, which stated
that citizen had reported to the sergeant
that man named 81. r. Klein was going
around collecting money for excursion
parties. The man said he was acting
under instructions from Captain Copeland.
Copeland claimed that he had investi-
gated the matter, but that he could not
find any person by the name of Klein. He
was then questioned concerning the viola
tlons or the excise law in the harbor. He
admitted that violations were going on, but
said it was useless TO try to bring the
offenders to justice. The patrol operated
by tie Police Department lis a large
boat, and when the officers reached any of
these excursion boats they could not fnd
any traces of liquor selling.
Mrs. klttle Camech, poor Slav woman,
told story of banker getting her money
away from her. She had secured the ar
rest OF the banker, but the case had been
postponed again and again, and lawyers
and police officials were getting all her
money.
w. d. Van Tine. who does an alleged
commission business, testified that he was
the president of the Sterns Commission
Company. 1t was claimed he was dealing
In bogus mining stocks and he was given
until tomorrow to find out additional par
ticulars concerning some of the mines.