The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-12
MOSS MET HIS MATCH
INQUISIFOR OF MAZEF COMMITTEE
BR0WBEATEN BY A WITNESS
HE ANNOYED
WOULD NOT BE SILENCED

Witness Stated That the Republicans
Administration of Affairs Was
Far Worse Than That Of the Tam
nanyites-ReIated Difficulties Ex-
perienced in Getting Contracts
as IL Lowest Bidder.
NEW YORK, Aug. 1.-THE NIazet in
vestigation committee today adjourned
until Sept T. Attorney Frank Moss will
spend the next four weeks preparing a
statement Of the work of the committee
and framing reports of the improve
ments, or supposed improvements, in
matters pertaining to municipal legisla-
ton, which win be presented to the next
Legislature.
Assemblyman Hoffman, the Democratic
member of the committee in attendance,
objected to the adjournment, but he was
outvoted I to l by the Republican mem
bers of the committee
The session today was not productive
of sensational results. Supt. William A.
Butler, who is in charge of the city rec
ords, was called for the purpose of show
ing if possible, if contracts for city
printing were let through favoritism, but
the witness was firm and convincing in
his assertions that all contracts were let
out to bids
r. T. Rokeby, president of the Uvalde
Asphalt Paving company, which is doing
large amount of work for the city de-
partment was the first witness of the
afternoon.
was used on the Troy contract in this
city at present." the witness was asked
THAT 1 can't say"
who was the contractor who had
charge of the Troy job?"
''Kavanaugh."
isn't it a fact that 1900 yards of as
phalt laid in the city of Troy was taken
UP and relaid there?"
Il do not know. There has been some
trouble with the asphalt there. 1t was
because they had no machinery to mix
the stuff properly. 1t was a political job.
Politicians got hold of the contract and
did not know what they were doing"
Who were the politicians?"
Zone was named Wilson, another
named kavanaugh and another the city
engineer OF Troy. They were all inter
ested in the job. 1t was unfortunate that
they had anything TO do with MY asphalt
of those who were doing the jobs
HAD HIS SAY.
Witness said he could never get an op-
portunity of laying pavements here while
Mr.. Brookfield Or Mr.. Coils was commits
siOner of public works
I would like to compare their atti-
tude with that of the present commits
sioner, Keating,'' began the witness,
when Mr.. Moss stopped him
Il am going to talk" shouted the wit
ness. You cannot put words into my
mouth. You would put me in a wrong
position in five minutes"
Hold on shouted Mr. Moss
No, 1 won't. You have the reputation
Of browbeating Witnesses, but you can't
brOWbeat me worth a cent
Mr.. ROkeby said as the purpose of the
committee seemed to be to hound Tam
many hall" he wished to contrast the
manner in which independent concerns
were treated by the Tammany admins
uatiOn as compared with the Republican
administration. He said that Mr.. Brook
field and Gen. Coils refused to permit
him to lay section of his pavement free
in this city in order that his company
could get a reputation for asphalt here
Mr.. Rokeby said he had obtained con-
tracts in Troy with the assistance of Mr..
Wilson, bool1keeper for Senator Murphy
The witness defended the asphalt laid by
his company.
S. z. Woodhill an insurance broker
of Brooklyn, told how ne had been held
up by two men on Front street at mid
day and robbed of watch and chain.
He complained to the police, but they
took no interest in the matter
At the conclusion of this testimony the
committee adjourned until Sept. -.