New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-27
TILE CONVERSATION KI

Laurence RYAN was the next witness. am re-
plying 10 Mr Root said he was fireman In En-
cine a. Of the Thirteenth Blt'al n. He h1d
been IN the department nearly twenty years.
His evidence I'm chief was the relation OF con-
versatlon between Captain Lander. OF Engine
40 and Captain Clark 81 Engin" 90. wh.ch ne
construed az referring to the raising ~ i"nas ~
ala the massage Of the officers Increased salary
amendment He said:
was standing just inside our quarters .t,le
time ago when Iandor ana Clark came Hp am pI-
Ran a Conversation outside the door. hcirH hin
Say that the bin would 20 throufn pu' u VIZ hn
be necessary to put ny tOp' money iI'"'"i ~ ~,
expressed h!s Willingness 10 PIT up MONEY pus
wanted to know hrf wners me none T's ssa,I rel
it back again They were standing Then Just Gmi
side the door while was on tn" inside CinlkE
shortly after came in. and imnGli2te,y aGrIt o,i
him Of talking about the Salaries bilI' ana , tolI
him also that the officers wrrc donG mean rn NM
in trying jump in on our h and Hrhaps sw Sah
T. c only sad IN reply TINT II would be i all rs re
member al! that passed hciw.sn u. G wmcn ~
challenged him again afterward he denied that ne
had been talking about the Salaries Dl', 10, -, &C.,,
BY Mr. Root-But when YOU accused nm OF ny
Ing 70 swamp your bill he d!d not deny II? A-No'
then sworn Mr.. Root was proc ceding 10 exam
Inc him upon a statement made by another hrc-
man. named COnboy, with reference to the hhd-
ing by the latter ~ a book In the engine-housc
containing the names Of forty-ilve officers VINO
had put up money. when Mr.. Rain"s enrreet'hS
objected to the evidence. There had' ne shl9
hand evidence brought forward. What was
wanted was direct evidence. and not statement
from n witness OF what somebody had told him, or
OF something that had happened to somebody
else.
O'CONNOR WANTS DIRECT EVIDENCE.
Chairman O'Connortagrced that direct evidence
would be more acceptable to the committee ana
sugg sted that Conboy, II possible. should be
1laced upon the stand and tell his own story
Mr. Root believe Conboy is In court but he ~
Chairman diconnor-I don't think we should al
low rhe admission Of this Witness evidence ] am
aware that in the Lexow Committee we adop'o'
% very Wide latitude, but -
. Mr. Root 0nterposng)-And Ii was in mat way
Won 90, vour facts There Is "A strong band OF men
orgaSizc3 here 10 conceal this kind OF transactions.
which would be Injurious to them II they were
confessed TO- Therefore You have 10 act tudclous,y
and use discretion in order TO get at the truth'
rather than insist upon the Htri'i rule 81 "fin""'
II the conviction OF criminal was Inc point NJ
! Issue.
Mr. Raincs yeheinently deprecated Mr. Roots
suggestion REGARDING the c0nccalmeni Of facts.
lie went on: "Mr Roo, practically asserts that
! 1913 officers Of the Fire Department are not To
be trusted on the stand and. therefore, he has
/ got TO tramne down all existing rules Of de-
fence I'm order to get evidence to support his
case am perfectly amazed that the iiremcn or
this city who devote their lives 10 the saving
/ and protection OF property. and who risk their
| lives In the defence Of the community, should
not be considered trustworthy enough to give
| evidence"
At this point Chairman o'ConnOr announced