The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-23
LIABLE FOR C0NTEMPT
MaZet Committee to Prosecute Con-
tumaciouS Witnesses.

New York, April 22.-Beyond the
enunciation of a stringent line of ac-
ton against contumacious witnesses,
the preparation to make a speedy ex-
ample of one individual, today's ses
sion of the Mazet investigation COM
mittee was comparatively uninteresting
and unimportant.
Neither Mr.. Croker, nor any of the
better known persons associated with
him was examined and the affairs of
the Tammany leader did not come into
prominence.
After one more session, on Monday,
it is announced the committee Will ad-
juurn until May 8, and in the interval
it is presumed they viii submit a pre-
liminary report to the legislature and
possibly to proceed against several wit
nesses for contempt.
At today's proceedings there was an
investigation of the proceedings in TINS
city of the Maryland Whisky company.
Mr. Moss had several times intimated
that this brand was being sold through
the influence of city officials. Samuel
Meters, a Broadway tailor who, Mr.
Moss seemed to think had furthered the
sale of the Maryland whisky, refused
point blank to answer a number OF
questions and Chairman Mazet direct
ed that counsel should bring Meters be-
fore the court for contempt as soon as
possible.
The other witnesses called confined
their testimony almost entirely to the
building department and the various
systems of re-proofing.
Opens With Sensation.
The days proceedings opened in a
somewhat sensational manner Attor-
ney Clark assistant counsel to the
al n
he desired to call the attention of the
committee and of witnesses to the
penal code sections, which provide for a
years Imprisonment or fine OF 5000,
or both for refusal to attend or to an
sWer questions propounded by the COM
mittee of the legislators.
You will observe said Mr.. Clark,
for contumacious refusal to answer
proper and material qestions witness
commits misdemeanor 1t is the pur-
pose of the counsel of this committee
with the approval Of the committee at
the proper time to he determined by
the Judgment of the counsel to the
| committee to cite such contumaclous
witnesses who have refused to answer
such proper questions as the committee
shall determine TO the constituted Grim
inaI authorities of this county for pre-
sentiment, Indictment and punishment,
not for a moment doubling that the
constitutional officer of this county, the
district attorney, will land his aid to
the proper observance of the laws Of
the state"
Will Force Prosecution.
Mr. Clark went on to state that if it
! We're impossible for the grand jury of
this county to spare the time to deal
with cases of contempt, the counsel for
| the committee would request the COVER
nor to appoint a judge to hold an eX-
| traordinary term of the supreme court
and to impanel an extraordinary grand
! jury before which the matters could be
| brought according to the existing laws
! governing such cases.
| DIR. O'Sullivan, representing the city
! departments, referred to Mr.. Clark s
announcement as intimidation" Mr..
/ Clark protested against the use of that
word and Mr.. Mazet ruled that DR..
| O'Sullivan had no right, to use it. The
| Tammany counsel, however, continued
and said:
Il contend that this committee is not
| the Judge as to questions, as to their
materiality or propriety and also that
! you are not the judge as to whether a
witness is contumacious or not"