The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-12-28
COMSTOCK IS IN THE NET.
HE Is CHARGED BY LOUIs STEERS
 WITH TAXING MONEY.

A1hANo AVNGls
 The Witness Before the Lexow Committee
 Testified That lie Paid Ine Thousand
 Dollars to Have the Case Against Him
 Dismissed in tho Courts.
 New York. Dec. 27.-Inspector Will Hams was again on the stand before the Lexow committee to-day and was subjected to . severe set of questions. During the early session the inspector was accused of theft from e prostitute. which he excitedly denied. He also acknowledged that he had been negii- gent in not suppressing eighty-three disorderiy houses in Wooster street.
 In reply to Mir. Con, the inspector said that he did not think that houses of i'll fame in the vicinity of schools had bad effect on the morals of children and that he took that stand. He remembered having been charged with being in league with panel houses and later admitted that he answered falsely when he testified that he had not heard of a panel house in the Eighth precinct.
 The examination of the inspector was then suspended to allow Louis S. Street to be sworn. He said he was indicted on June 20, 1889, for a felony in con- nection with green goods. Witness said that two indictments were found against him. He was not in the busi- ness and had no connection with the case The witness explained that a man named Edward Beckthold rented an office from hhm at No 76 Beekman street. Anthony Comstock." said he, '"came to my office a month after and asked me to tell the name of the man. I refused to tell. was brought to the Tombs and held in 5000 bail for mak. ing green goods."
 Witness further said Beckthold gave his wife 5000 as bail for me. The bail was finally reduced to 5000 and Street was released.
 "Beckthold told me-" said the wit ness, The gave $1,500 to Anthony Coni- stock to square an indictment in the United States court"
 Witness also said he went to Europe and when he returned the state courts indictments were still hanging over dnam. "I went to see ComstocN," said he, land he said he was the only man who could get the indictments dis missed. called to see MT. Coms,ock again in August, 1890, and l paid him $1 GOO in cash to get tn. state court indictments dismissed. lie said when he was taking the money: Remember you are not giving me this $1,0OO as a bribe, but as 8 donation to the so- Cjeiy. -ss9
 This testimony created a sensation in the court room.
 "Now, are you sure you paid this money to Anthony Comstock?" q swear before God and man paid him $1 ,0OO to have the indictments dis missed and to secure my liberty"
 MT. Golf then produced the indict- ments, which were dismissed in Sep tember, 1890. and were signed "C. S."
 "Who was district attorney then?" Colonel Fellowee," replied MT. Golf.
 Anything else?" asked MT. Golf.
 "Yes sir" replied witness. Am thony Comstock had me arrested and tried by the United States court. was convicted and the case is now on appeal"
 The witness then said that Anthony Comstock made him sign an affidavit which was partly perjury He also said that Beckthold told him he had paid Anthony Comstock $1000 and United States Attorney Mott $1,O0O to dismiss indictments against him Beckthold)
 MT. Golf asked that all that Beck thold had said to Street about MT. Comstock and MT. Mott should be stricken from the record. This was done.
 Have you anything else to say?" "Edward Beckthold," replied the wit ness lis still conducting the green goods business and 11e told me he paid MT. Comstock $1,O0O for protection. I have only Beckthold's word for this."
 Robert Street, a hotel keeper, and a brother of the previous witness was called. Did you visit Anthony Com stocks office with your brother in August, 1S90?" asked MT. Golf.
 "Yes sir. saw my brother pay $1,000 to Anthony Comstock There WSa<' e.HA os6ASSAAiS1ll pCCWSeI them to get the indictments dismissed. I gave nv brother $3OO."
 Street went on to tell about his sec ond indictment, but MT. Golf stopped this, too.
 Then the witness said he had writ ten to President Cleveland, confessine ell about his relations with Comstocl1 and had received a letter in reply. He was stopped again when he produc- ed the letter, which. he said, was only from the presidents private secretary And was nsesely an acknowledgment of the one he hhd sent. Street started to tell what Judge Benedict of the United ! States court had done when he heard l that Street had written to President | Cleveland, but he was shut off here, | too, although Senator Bradley wanted | to see the letter < Mr. Golf said they had evidence that the police had protected green goods men long ago. We have now evil dence," said he, If the testimony is true, that Anthony Comstock, the presi- dent Of a private society, has accepted money for substantially the same thing IS the police accepted it."
 \ That's pretty heavy indictment |