The evening world., 1894-06-07
ROESCH ON
HOT GOALS.
The Ex-senator WritheS
Under Lawyer Goffs
Pointed Questions.
DENIES MRS. THUROW'S STORY
He Admits Having Used Politi-
cal Influence to Get Sergt.
Shine Transferred
POWERS OF A DISTRICT LEADER.
Mrs. Cohen Freed from Prison In
Reward for Her Valuable
Testimony.
POWERS OF A DISTRICT LEADER.

When the doors Of Part I. of the su-
preme Court were opened this morning
there was promise of lively session be-
fore the Lexow Police Investigating
Committee to-day.
Capt. Jacob Siebert and his ward
men. Patrick Brennan and Patrick Far
rell. of the Union Market station. were
already on hand, anxious to go upon
the witness-stand and deny the state
ments made yesterday by Mrs. Lena
Cohen. who says she paid the detectives
$500 as an initiation fee and $50 a month
to keep house of ill-fame in East
Houston street, and that the Captain
gave her permission to reopen after her
first arrest II she would run the place
quietly and look out for Parkhurst de-
tectives
Capt. siebert was in full uniform. Be-
yond his denial that the statements Of
Mrs. Cohen were false as regarded him
self. he said he had nothing to say till
he was allowed to go on the stand. He
is one Of the Oldest members Of the
force. having been appointed in 1861 and
promoted to a captaincy In 1878.
Civil Justice George b. Roesch was
also present. He had arranged with the
Committee to go on the stand this
morning to contradict the testimony of
Mrs. Augusta Thurow. who alleged that
she paid Senator Roesch $3.50 in 1899 to
secure immunity from police interfer-
ence while she was running a disorderly
house at % Second avenue.
Has a Captain weakened7
There were also rumors floating about
that a Gel tain Captain had weakened
and was going to voluntarily appear be,
lore the Committee and testify as tc
what he knew Of the blackmailing sys
tenn established by the police authorities
and that his testimony would be the
most sensational In Its character thai
had ever been given in any investigation
Report connected this rumor with the
name of Capt. James X. Price. OF the
West Thirty-seventh street station, wht
Is said to have been at odds with thu
authorities at Police Headquarters fol
some time past. and that now he is OF
the point of resigning his position anc
retiring from the force. This. however
could not be confirmed this morning. ant
the counsel for the Committee say tina
they have no knowledge Of any Polio,
Sdptdln WIN 10 "iiihB VI iihCAy W sCoti
fy against the Department, even to Sc
cure immunity for himself.
In the witnesses corner was anothe
stout, middle-aged, red-faced woman thi
morning, who, II was said. was ready t
tell the Committee another sensationa
story Of blackmail and persecution b!
the police.
The courtroom was densely packed. Al
usual, when Chairman Lexow called hi
colleagues together to resume thel
work at IL A. NJ. Senators Bradley
Cantor and Robertson were the onl!
other members OF the Committee pres
ent It the opening. De Lancey Nicol
I was absent, but ex-Judge Ransom wa
there In his place.
Mr.. Con- presented Senator Bradle!
with a pink rosebud, which the latte
smilingly accepted and placed In hi
buttonhole. Jimmy" oliver. Johnnie
Brodsky and Fatty" Walsh were in tn
Ex-Judge Ransom began the proceed
ings by presenting a letter from Capt
stephenson. stating that he was not tn
| Captain of the precinct In which Witnes
kept hs saGSn TssoM ss .sa ssed ss
not understand that the Captain was a
all implicated In any biackmail by tn
testimony OF the witness In question
and that a denial from the Captain wa
| not necessary.
Roesch Takes the stand.
| Ex-senator George +. Roesch the
| took the witness-stand and was sworn
| He wore a daisy in his buttonhole
Chairman Lexow instructed the witnes
that in testifying at the present tim
he was making himself a witness 70
"I very we'll understand that, Mr
| Chairman" said Mr.. Roesch, "and
want to state that am here to answe
all statements which have been mad
affecting me by witnesses before thi
questions that the Committee may Sc
! Mt TO ask me.
"I am a voluntary witness and I ar
that I have read the testimony OF NJ
newspapers, and that that testimony =
far as II relates TO the payment OF an
money. 10 me or for my use for the pul
pose OF securing police protection or 10
the use OF the Tammany Club OF m
district, Is false and untrue.
what did occur was Just this: TIL
transaction was between Mrs. Thuro'
and myself as lawyer and client, l re
member that one night at the Club Nj
Thurow came u me and said his wifi
was In trouble and wanted to see me.
I II told him 10 send her to my ONCE |
the Stewart Building. She may hav
gone down next day and not found mi