The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-18


company"
This caused loud laughter.
''Do you mean Mr.. Platt's companyF'
asked Mr.. Moss.
Yea" said Mr. Croker.
"You know what 1 unean," and there
was more laughter.
"what would you think ola good Tam
many man who would go to MIR. Platt's
concern to take out his bonds, asked the
lawyer.
Mr.. Croker. "He has cut the rates." and
there was loud laughter.
Mr. Croker presumed his own company
had the majority of the business In the
oity and Mir. Platt's In the state.
Speaking of private business, Mr..
conduct this examination as gentleman
III you're
GOING TO BULLY PEOPLE
you won't get along, you can't bully
them
sit would be very strange thing II l
could Lully Mr.. Croker" said Mr. Moss
"You can try to do It," said the leader
"Then am a larger man than
thought, said Mr.. Moss.
If you were little larger, perhaps,
you could do it," retorted Mr.. Croker.
Mr.. Croker said he only wanted fair
play.
Mr.. Croker referred to Mr.. Moss's cor
dependence as anonymous letters from
bis (Croker's) enemies all over New
York
Mr.. Moss asked Mr.. Croker how much
he paid for his stock in the United States
Fidelity company, and whether the
stock was given to him upon the forma-
tion of the company. Mr. Croker refused
to answer and MIR Moss requested the
committee to direct the witness to answer.
MIR. Mazes SO directed.
"Will you answer, MIR. CrokerY
mo, sir, " said the witness, hrmiy.
..Please to record the gentleman re-
fusal to answer oil of these questions con-
Corning the getting of the stock and
whether he had paid for It or not, OF
whether he got it at the organization OF
the company" said MIR. Moss.
And record also that he declines to
answer on the ground that IL Is u private,
personal MATTER" said Assemblyman
Hoffman.
Mr.. Croker said he was not interested
In the Maryland whiskey company. He
had never owned any stock In the Flush
ing Gas company. Mr.. Moss wanted TO
know why he made definite answers to
these personal questions and Mr.. Croker
said:
al don't know. l have got to answer
some and must reserve some TO my Jud9.
ment. II / didn't answer some would
sit here without answering anything at
all"
He had no stock in the New Amsterdam
company, though he once had. Long
before the introduction of
flTuE ASTORIA BUSINESS. I'm
He parted with 1t at least ten days be-
fore the vots was taken on the Astoria
bill He had parted with 1t because he
.'did not wish to be mixed up in that
business"
He had held it on margin.
.You were 1000 shares short on Manhat-
tang' said Mr. Moss repeating question
that ON Saturday Mir. Croker refused to
answer.
well, now, | will answer you." said
the witness. II was not. That never
happened at all II you had acted as a
gentleman, as you are now, at this pres
emit time, the other day, would have told
you
"You never had any conversation with
Freedman about it?"
sNever." said Nr. Croker. NOW are
you satisfied
s"No, i am not satisfied" said Mr.. Moss.
MIR. Croker said he was short on no
shares of any stock.
Mir. Moss asked Mr.. Croker again If he
had given his son Frank $4,000 with
struction company. Mr.. Croker declined
to answer.
Chairman Mazet instructed him to
answer and he refused. The same thing
occurred when Mr.. Moss asked how muoh
stock of tho auto-truck company MIR.
Croker held and how much he paid for
his interest in that concern.
Mr. Croker said these questions had
nothing to do with city affairs. Mr..
Croker said he thought the city would be
much better without a civil service law.
Each commissioner should be his
OWN CIVIL SERVICE LAW.
When Mr. Moss said that Mr.. Croker
had found that in business matters like
that o. Peter Meyer 81 Co.. members of
the organization could help each other,
Mr.. Croker said angrily: You are try
ing to make us out pack of thieves
in one combination together, and you
can't do it..
"And you think these questions indi-
cate that persons who do these things are
thieves?" queried Mr.. Moss.
"Thau is what you are trying to get at,
said Croker. thoroughly aroused. Il say
that the people of the city of New York
when they voted for our ticket voted tic
put in an organization and they believe
z1tion should run this city. And, when
you were put out of the police board,
that is what you were put out for, be-
cause you were not an organization
man."
There was applause. A man In the
front row clapped his hands and Chair.
man Mazet had the sergeant at arms take
him from the room.
Mr. Moss told MIR. Croker that WAS
simply play. I'VE might rs well attend
to business" the Tammany leader re-
piled:
81 look you square in the face and
answer any questions in my judgment
that are put to me in geutlemanly and
honest light. If you are true and want to
get at the true facts without any bias,
am ready TO answer all questions"
Mr. Moss remarked that it was evident
that Mr.. Croker realized the seriousness
bf the OCCASION"
The 1ammany leader retorted; Not
very serious. l am not going away. /
am going to stay here