Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-09
TO SAVE TOM PLtTT.
secret of sudden Adjournment sine
Die of MaIct Investigation.
CNew York Herald)

! Die Of MaJct buNesiiSh'i""'
CNew York Herald)
| Because OF the determination OF Frank
| Moss TO call Senator Platt as witness
the Mazet Committee has ceased It's III
vestigations. and between its majority
members and its counsel ieellhs OF
ANYTHING but amity exists MoleoNei' III
| interviews granted yesterday, Mt. Ma~ct
and Mr. Moss drew rein upon 'HtH
speech Just at the line Of recrimlhauoh.
| So much IS OF certainty Kumor' wen
| founded. has il that Mr.. Mazet oeciucu
ia curb Air. MOss's curiosity regarding
! the secr,fs possessed by Senator Plat
! only after he had held earnest converse
| xcith Iemuel l. Quigg over the lOng-cls-
| lance telephone. Ii Is the same fumOr
! which is authority for the assertion that
Mr.. Ouigg owes his retention as utuiar
head of the Republican County Commit
tee TO the control which he Is able 10 eA-
ert over Mr.. Mazet. 1t would nave peeh
far from pleasing 10 the senior senator
from this state TO have been summoned
as d witness before the conlili"oe ""'0h
is OF his own creation.
1T is to be regretted said Mr.. Mazet
Yesterday, that there has been any mis-
understanding about the final adjourn
ment OF the committee. The RepuoIicdn
members understood at the session last
week that the work was completed anu
no more witnesses would be called. Mt.
Moss II seems failed 10 understand the
situation. but there is no reason lor any
wrong inference 10 be drawn
40 INTENTION OF CALLING PLAlI.
I'VE had no intention Of calling senator
Plat as witness There was nothing Tor
him to tell us. Mr.. Moss had no intention
so far as / know, Of issuing a subpoena
tor Senator Platt Had ii been his inien-
ton TO do 50 ! certainly would nave
known Of II. 50 you may stamp that story
as untrue ,,.,en
Mr.. Mazet may speak for himself
said Mr. Moss, when told Of the asSotuoh
made by the chairman OF the committee
Of which he g the counsel. lie me-
speak for himself. He mas no nght 10
speak for me. 1t So not for him 20 say
that IL was not my intohtion TO can upon
Senator Plat fer testimony. You may
draw your own conclusion. At the same
time 30 no. wish TO be put In
uosition Of one criticsing the committee.
NOW. / am told that Mr.. Na2et says
We arranged a week ago not 10 continue
the public sessions Of the committee. Inc
best answer to that is, that l was GONG
ahead with my work rs counsel pursnah1
fo which / had ordered $50 suDpoenas'
The members Of the committee Knew
that we had nearly a week Work hile"o
Of us. bur / hoUed to conclude il 10 Iou'
DAYS. / was instructed 10 proceed Win
arrangements, and was aiioWed 10 eHsA50
rooms at tie Astor House h WHl.H
the committee was TO SIT. one or the !
members OF the committee teisgraphed /
the .sergeart-at-arms, who was up the |
State. TO be on hand Wednesday J nave !
I'm nv possession a letter written 10y Mr. /
Nlazet. IN which he speaks or the sessions |
to be held on Wednesday ard Thutshhy, |
and asks IL Fridays session might not |
he cut out without curtainng the remain /
ing work. .,
IT'S MOST CRITICAL STAGE.
This investigation had Just reached
its most critical stage. Men OF small un-
derstandings had said that our work had |
hen sunerficial because We had not con-
tinued one line Of investigation through
one department. II was our purpose 10
investigate all the departments, ana az
the end show the mistakes OF the CITY
charter. Our work had been more com
rIeto than the public knew. and 1t re-
mained only 10 gather the ends togethef
and bind them. l had issued tho SUI
poenas with that idea in view. Much rs
hem accomplished. but the structure mas
been left incomplete. it,,
without doubt. the greatest clea,io'
~ the century is the present city OF New
york. If was created by the Legislature
and II was the duty of the Legislature 10
see how the charter operated Not III
generation will there be another oppoi-
unity like the present 10 ieiheo1 ~
faults which are many ana serious ~"
that charter. Now the stare HoNel ' iittt
rests within the control OF Que pV'i..~ -.
party 1t is not olteh ~ =. ,,1i ha
,bo charter exists the harder IL Will DC
TO change IT, .,.. ,,,.,,,obt ont he
- Tho committee was OF a hlgh class
W. we're expected to resolve ourselves
~. " uolice investigation. We took
hroader view of our mission Hho IL lot
heon so it would have been easy TO nave
.aetonished the world. TO nave SHOWN d
condition of corruption deeper man '"''
unearthed by the Lexow Com rl!l,, Tee
WORK NOT COMPLETED.
.rt wac for the purpose OF pointing out
tbe charter defects that NO brought out
testimony. That work has not been COM
uleted. and the fault IS not mine. our
most important witness was YET 10 ~
heard IL was a great mistake 10 palA
the inquiry Al.
~ am not to be turned from my duty
bv the conduct of the committee. gene
raj report on the charter deIects VIII DC
sent TO the Legislature. In addition
a. :
shall be my duty 70 point out defects ana
suggest remedies.
Referring again TO the report that he
had ordered that a subpoena be served
upon Senator Platt. Mr.. Moss said:
II will not give you direct answer.
will neither affirm nor deny VIII say
that / had ordered 40 subpoenas, and
had the sessions of the committee not
been Unexpectedly abridged our star wit
nesses would have been heard this week.
Again. Mr. Mazet had no right 10 say
that Senator Platt was not TO be called.
and again YOU may draw your own con-
clusion from my remarks"
At the Bar Association yesterday after
noon. Edward H. Fallows told several
personal friends that had Mr.. Moss been
given his way Senator Plat would have
been subpoenaed before the last election,
and that it finally became impossible 20
control the committees counsel II was
necessary 10 adjourn without date. or
there would have been n sensational turn
TO affairs which would have been distaste-
ful TO Senator Plat and his friends.
CRtZFD ny GRIEF