New-York tribune., 1894-06-12

his friends with fear and dread their faces.
canvassed the situation They talked over the
possible results OF his examination by Mr.. Gon
as the hours passed. At length, at o'clock on
Friday morning. the decision was reached that
only by flight could the ex-potentate escape the
danger of humiliation and disgrace. \ cold quart
4 the finest imported champagne was brought.
Mr.. Croker and three friends and counsellors
stood up and clnked their glasses. and as
they drank the words. we are saved! We
are savcdr were pronounced by all save the
departing chicftain. He smiled grimly az he
put down his almos. untas;ci portion. bade his
collca gucs a long gooG-by and began his prcpar-
a,l ms for an absence from the luxurious abode
which he has enjoyed only a icw short months.
ADVISED by EMINENT LAWYERS.
Mr CT ke- had known FOR weeks that the
,.cx1w Committee could no, subpoena him to
testify before thcm. Tho ex-boss of Tammany
hal employed lawyers as eminent as the bar Of
Now-York contains - look into that question.
They were mcn who could not be Induced 70 APP
pear flr Mir Croker before the investigating
bu. they had accepted liberal foes to SIT thor
ougny the powers and rrcrogatlves q the COM
mittec and they had reported - Mr.. Croker
that the resolution u the state Senate under
which Chairman Lcxow and his associates were
appointed dli no' empower them - call him as a
witness These able men of the law had also
carefully examined presidents established by the
courts as - committees ~ like powers. ana they
told Mr. Croker that he perfectly safe from
Mr. Gon's discriminating inquiries So long as he
remained gu. of the witness chair. The Fassett
Committee ~ 1890. they said. possessed the power
., compel his presence. But that was because
the resolution under which II was created was
differently drawn and was made - extend 10
all the city departments Of New-York
WHAT THEY SAID TO HIM
you. Mr.. Croker" they said. have never been
connected with the Police Department. or with
any department in this city which this Lexow
Committee Is authorized to investigate. There
fore rest perfectly easy. for they cannot sub
poena you or compel YOU 20 answer single
question unless you voluntarily max, yourself
a witness. But the moment you enter the wit
ness chair II you decide 10 do 50 voluntarily
YOU make yourself n witness tOr all the pur-
poses OF the committee. and will be obliged To
answer whatever questions may be put to you
The matter is in your own hands. however. and
there s no law that will compel you to appear
before that committed"
Mr.. Croker pleased and happy when he
ccIvcd this advice and II is said rewarded the
learned men with a lavish fee. He had not the
slightest Intention Of putting himself voluntarily
upon the stand. and he could lock on without un-
D. fqeinn
lice captains and other officials roasted" lie
even went SO far to proclaim his belief that
all guilty officials should be driven from the SER
vice and prosecuted TO the extent Of the law.
REALIZED HIS OWN POSITION.
It was not until Mr.. Roesch got his experience
Of going before the committee for vindication and
was iguratively nayed alive that Mr.. Croker
realized his own real position. He could not di-
vest himself Of It's alarming character He knew
that the chances were at least a thousand to one
that I'm the course Of the investigation his name
would be dragged into tn, testimony. Indeed. It
had been already. although not in an alarming
way by Morris Tekulsky. who had said that he
went 10 Mr.. Croker t. secure his nomination for
delegate 10 the Constitutional Convention be-
cause there was nobody else who could give It
10 him. But Mr. Croker did not care anything
about that.
When the committee began 10 inquire Into how
the poolrooms came 10 close and larger matters
Of n kindred sort his name might be mentioned
I'm n way that would make IT appear that there
was nothing left for him 10 do but to follow
Roc.ch into the "vindcnting" business. and
there might be such demand on the part OF the
press and the public for him to go upon the
stand and make his innocence apparent that II
would be Impossible to avoid doing IT, II he re-
malned In New-York there might be no way out
OF It.
The only means Of escape 1t was brought home