Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-18
Mayor Van Wyck's Exhibition of His
"Amiable Temper"
SHARKS Who PREY ON SOLDIERS
Proposed Industrial Colony Of Co..
ored People on Long Island.
DIR. BRIGGS NEW WORK
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

the absence of its star wItness-Croker-
by calling his man the mayor. The public
expected that the mayor would show some
Of the arniable and gentle traits for which
he is noted. and it was not disappointed.
The mayor left none Of his delightful tenn
per and engaging manners behind in his
eager haste to appear before the commit
tee. He brought them all with him. He
could not have been in finer fettle If he
had been listening to courteous appeals
from the rapid transit commission or re-
form members Of the old school board. In
nearly every Leading question that Mr..
Moss put to him he detected personal in
suit, and he broke out in wrath accord
ingly. He shook his fist and pounded what
ever was within reach to emphasize his
righteous indignation. 1t was an interest
ing exhibition. When it was all over the
mayor retired with the apparent feeling
that New York city ought to be proud of
its present mayor.
1t is to be said to his credit, however,
that the mayor did not refuse to answer
Mr. Moss on the ground of private af-
fairs" He seems to have had an idea that
this excuse had been worked threadhare.
OF course there Were many things about
city affairs that he did not know. How
could it be expected that he, the chief
magistrate of the city, sworn to see that
all laws and ordinances are faithfully exc
cuted should bother himself about gam
bling dens and dsOrderly houses How
should he be expected to concern himself
as to whether the city was wide open
when Tammany schemes for q tunnel road
and East River bridge Were on foot? The
suggestion was absurd. Persons that en-
tertained il We're ignorant OF the duties of
a mayor. at least of Tammany mayor.
He did not know about such things. and il
was not his business TO know about them.
This also was interesting exhibition.
All in all the appearance of the mayor on
the witness stand was highly profitable. 1t
furnished the public with fresh idea of
Tammany officers and Tammany methods.
Sharks Who Prey on Soldiers.
For several weeks a number Of men, well
dressed and Of good appearance have made
the corridors and Railways of the Army
building lounging place. 1t was thought
that they were friends of soldiers who were
being paid off or who We're expected to
return from Cuba or Porto Rico on the
government transports. At times they Were
seen 10 approach repatriated soldiers, the
majority Of whom were volunteers, and
with smiles lead them away, as if they
were rejOiCed over the fact that an old
friend or relative had returned. When the
soldiers are paid off they receive from $50
TO 500 pay and the balance of clothing
allowance due them and also ration and
travelling money.
Most Of the discharged soldiers are west
erners. and all the money they have is
tIlttL gwen 20 tAein ny the government Nneu
they are paid off. Many of them arrive
from the transports without a cent and
trUsungly put confidence III men whom they
meet in the Army building, and from whom
they accept small loans, TO b. repaid after
they have received their money from the
payrnaSter- When the soldiers get their
pay their new-fOund friends imma liately
Insist upon the return Of their loan with
heavy interest. Recently a clerk in the
transport department noticed some Of these
alleged friends and relatives lowering about
some pr.vajss who had just been dis
charged. and who were much the worse for
drink Tie attention Of the police was
called TO the matter and they discovered
that tn men We're confidence men. and
that they mad been inVe5gliuE soldiers to
enter certain dives. and VII n they became
drunk. robbed them Of al the money they
had Another daring scheme was practiceI
On the weSterners, chiefly farm boys. \
stranger would approach and ask th-m
where they lived. and upon being informed
h" would tell them that for ST. he would
take III m home They agreed and paid the
nc u-y- Thy Were put in a carriage. in
which they Were driven around town and
hi.aiIy dropped ON some pier. where they
wcr" told with Iacpuic hrcvity 20 wait
for tn next boat
Industrial scheme for Colorcd People
An industrial colony Of c,lored people. I,
start with "a population Of 1o0 is to be-
established Immediately on the Peconic
river In suffolk county about twenty miles
from the eastern end Of Long Island The
-. -. =. "-'r,' 'sSu'l oi
viii a rg,.,r-.tT .iSri ne tol'.Es
may b. anxious 10 Ieaya nat sc,-fa,
Frou-au l,t New York capitalists are inter
CSC I'D me SgHem". and %"" acres Of
iaii h.-'- air -tdN hetn practically secured.
NA''+ az. "i't-t "h "'eN more. ON TINS land
grams VIII To-" made free to certain manu-
IA. .1reFS- Wa" have agreed 10 put up fac
t"I-r>- All Jhr labor they need has been
-.''.i diit't-t al d certain rate, which *
~ -. cent increase on the wages that the
tF,i1N, g"'',i.lS' al present earns. The ex
- - OF tAr r'ionlsts viii be less than
~ ''i' nj present According 10 Rufus
/ r. "a ''l'r"i lawyer. " ho represents
lHI dgiiN' iii.-.,tIeiIis1t- the colony will be
li!.'-'- one us agents in the south are
- itd theE VIII only select people
81 -"'t character and industrious. The
town Will D. governed by its code. by
which all must agree to abide The, s,1rn nf
$'''''s' - 10 Ire expended at once in laying
out ine place The town viii lee built I'm
SQUARES. with tW"-~tCry frame houses The
t'i'i'S Will nave Its own bank INSURANCE
company and fire department. \ town
mouse Ct good club house "a hotel for col
''vI people only and a wharf on the river
UP "AIca iares vessels can come are 70 be