The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-01-02
SENSATIONAL TESTIMONY
Before the Lexow Committee Of
investigation.
Anthony Comstoclt, Agent for the Society
for the Prevention of Vice, Accused
of Accepting Bribes From Green
Goods Men to Have Indict-
ments Dismissed.

superior court. Inspector Williams re-
sumed his place on the stand.
81 suppose, Inspector Williams" said
Mr.. Cot, that there is not a man ON
the force who has been charged with so
many crimes as you?' Il never heard
/ was charged?'
You nevcrheard you we're accused OF
stealing stockings from prostitute|
1T is lie, sir, (excitedly) no man ever
accused me OF stealing these things"
Mr.. Golf then read an extract from
the police department records dated
March 30, 1874, in which, he said, "Su-
perintendent Walling made charges
against Inspector Williams OF stealing
pocket handkerchiefs. pistol, velvet
vest, a gold headed cane and a dozen
and half of stockings"
do you still say no man ever accused
you of stealing stoclings?" "Superin-
tendent Walling did not charge me-"
''Who charged you, then?' 1T must
have been the woman"
"That makes the thing worse to be
charged by woman Of stealing from
house of ill-fame." 81 don't remember
such charges"
"Will you dare deny that these
charges were not preferred and that
you thought they would not be referred
to because you succeeded in getting
them off the record?" 1T is lie tosay
got them off the record"
Mr.. Golf pressed the inspector hard
at this point and the latter interrupted
frequently
"Will you deny that those charges
were preferred against you by Superin-
tendent Walling" II have no recol-
lection of them"
81 ask you again, will you deny on
oath that those charges were pre-
ferred?" 81 will not deny on oath; but
have no recollection of them"
The witness in reply to Mr.. Golf said
he remained in the Eighth precinct un-
til September, 1874, when he was trans
ferred to the Fourth precinct. The in
spector denied that man named Con-
nelly acted as his ward man and col
lected in the Eighth precinct. II found
houses of ill-fame," said the inspector,
"in the Eighth precinct and left them
there because it was fashionable.
do you mean to say that yous an in
spector of police, left disorderly houses
existing because it was fashionable?"
"If you put it that way"
In reply to Mr.. Golf, the inspector
said that he did not think houses of i'll
fame in the vicinity of schools had a
bad effect on them or the children.
Sand you, Inspector Williams, have
the audacity to say that. Do you still
take that stand?" Yes, sir; l do"
The examination of the inspector
was then suspended to allow Louis s.
Street to be sworn. lie said he was in
dicSed on June 20, 1889, for felony in
connection with greengoods.
"There were two indictments found
against you?" asked Mr.. Golf. "Yes,
SIR" replied the witness.
Nov were you in the greengoods
business?" mo, sir"
The witness then explained that a
man by the name of Edward Breck'
thold rented an office from him at No.
Sc Beckman street.
Anthony Comstock," said he, came
to my office month after and asked
me to tell the name of the man who
rented the office. refused to tell; was
brought to the Tombs and held in S.,
900 bail for making greengoods" The
witness further said Breckthold gave
his wife S., 900 as bail for him. The bail
was finally reduced to $1,000 and Street
was released from the Tombs.
"Breckthold told me-" said the wit
ness, "he gave 81, 500 to Anthony Com
stock to square an indictment in the
United States court"
81 went to see Anthony Comstock,
said he, 'and he said he was the only
man who could get the indictments
dismissed. paid him 1000 in cash t.
get the state court indictments dis
missed. He said when he was taking
the money Remember, yGu are no
giving me the 81, 900 as a bribe, but n
a donation to the ociety'" This tes
!, timony created sensation in the court
''Now are you sure you paid thi
money to Anthony Comstock?" "Iswea
before God and man / paid him 81, 90
to have the indictments dismissed an
to secure my liberty"
"How does this relate to our in
!, quiry?" asked Chairman Lexow. ut !
very material" replied Mr.. Gof, ''as
shall proceed to show"
He showed that the indictments ha
: been dismissed on September 20, 1896
9 by Recorder Smythe, whose initial
: were signed on the recommendation G
G the district attorney.
4 "Who was the district attorneys
s asked the chairman. "Col. Fellows,
t replied Mr.. Goff. cat least HIS nam
l. appears on the paper"
" Mr.. Golf then said that they had ev
J. dence that the police had protecte
l. greengoods men long ago. "We hay
G now evidence" said he, 'if the test
mony is true, that Anthony Comstocl
e the president of private society, hS
& accepted money for substantially I'll
same thing as the police officials"
Walled in by Snow.
chn ,,rnN, Do non 90 G;...o