Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-14
MIR. Moss and the Mayor Have a
Lively Session.
QUESTION OF RhMAP0 CONTRACT
The Lawyer is Told That He is
impairment.
CROKE \ O CA LII E ID

onenfnr of today's session NIT. Hoffman
r,mr;ucd away to observe Yom Kippur and
Mir Roland was unable to attend.
Mayor Van Wyck was the first witness
today.
The mayor said he could not give the
date when the Ranapo company first made
proposals to furnish the city with water
The agitation as to the necessity for an in
creased water supply began fourteen or
fifteen years ago, the mayor said.
The condition of the water supply in
Brooklyn had alarmed him at the time he
wrote his first annual message. He was
still alarmed over the affair, he said.
Il have never seen this Ramdpo con-
tract continued the mayor and have not
talked about il to Commissioner Dalton or
to any other commissioner.
1t has been my idea as mayor to insist
that the heads of the different departments
their own judgment, and net to get an
opinion from me before they recommend
the adoption of any measure"
The mayor considered, from the Informal
tirD in his possession, that the So-Callcd
contract was simply an option held by the
city In his opinion. the city need not take
or pay for a gallCn of water from the
Ramapo company, unless the city officials
fit to do so.
In answer to q question of Mr. Moss, the
mayor said that when he wrote his mes
sage i'll which he referred to the poor wa
ter supply of Brooklyn he did not know
whether Reconnaissance Willis of Brook
Ign was q Scoundrel or a thief
He Would Remove Willis.
las chief magistrate of the city, do you
call Mr. Willis by those terms now?" asked
Mr. Moss.
We'll. l don't call him so; the grand
jury did 50, and if ne commissioner
of mine, l would remove him in short
order"
DO you, as chief Magistrate of the city.
und rstand that these commissioners
began Mr. Moss
Don't talk 80 much. but frame a ques-
item" broke in the mayor.
Wait a moment Do you Understand
that these commissioners appointed by you
ought not to be advised by you even when
they come to you for advice?'
q act those questions when they
cCme before me officially
These commissioners are not elected by
the people,
oh don't ask such a silly question as
that"
DO you think when you ignore such
matter as this Ramapo contract you are
doing your whole duty?''
I'm not going to look into every project
that comes up for paving or for seweiing.
Ills is 81 huliabalOo abort nothing. That
agreement could do no harm to the city,
How do you know if you have not read
the contract?'
The mayor answered that he had seen
what purported to be copy of it. In an
swer to the question of what he would do
should the injunction be vacated the may
or replied that when the matter should
come properly before him he would look
into it thoroughly.
Upon what was this injunction granted?'
he asked.
Il suppose on allegations of fraud. If
YOU were a lawyer you would know that"
If you look the roll of the supreme
co hiNlr GrNd hot n
lawyer
Thrust at Wr. Moss.
The supreme court, all! That's what
you're looking for. and l hope to God you
get the nomination and get the people
after YOU
''Ah. I have the honor of being nomi
mated by the mayor. Now Mr.. Mayor,
have you done anything to find out whether
this alleged fraud existse''
Il have read al you brought out here and
/ can see no evidence of fraud. Why don't
you call Mr.. Coier and Mr.. Shea before you,
the only men who made these charges, and
let them shCw their proof?'
Why don't you do it?''
You're here for that purpose
1t is for you to do it and not to leave it
to a committee from Albany to take care of
the interests of the city"
I'm rot advised by Frank Moss
You're advised by Mr.. Whaien."
I'm advised by myself"
What have you Mr. Whalen for, them"
TO advise me on the points of law I
don't know myself, and l assure you they
are very few.
Commissioner Dalton at this point de-
nanded the right to ask a question to
show that he had never signed the RAM
apo contract, but he was prevented.
The mayor said again that he would
not act on the Ramapo case until it came
before him officially.
How can it come before you?" asked
Mr.. Moss.
Il can send for it and the commissioners
when ! want to-"
Why don't you?'
None of your business
DO you know that if these commission
trs mad been guilty of incompetence not 10
say fraud
have been taking of legisiating me out.
Why don't you go ahead and do it and not
be taking such imper,ineuce? And why
don you receive that list of stockholders
though Silas Il. butcher, Levi P Morton
and Gen Tracy. having stock in this COM
pany, are pack of thieves"
Mr. Moss tried 10 get the witness to tell
Whethe- he knew that Mr.. Morton was a
stocSholder in the Ramapo company, and
the answer was that he had been told So
Asked whether Mr.. Holahan spoke truth
II Re said that the mayor advised him TO
make the contract, the mayor replied that
he did not. but that ne did not believe that
Mr. Hoialian ever said il. Mr.. Holahan
tAtn arose and shouted Never in nv
life" "
The mayor said that he did not believe
that the city of New York could be prop
crly run if the action of the MAYOR were
known beforehand.
The witness said he had not spoken to
Mr. Croker about the Ramapo matter
MIR. Croker Called.
Richard Croker followed the mayor on
the stand. Mr.. Moss asked if Messrs Dali
ton. Holahan and Heating OF the board of
public improvements were district leaders
In Tammany Hall. Mr.. Croker nodded af-
frmatively. He said he had not advised
any of the commissioners upon the subject
or the RamapD contract. He had not read
the contract, but had heard it talked
about
Prior to his last trip to Europe and lust
after the Windsor Hotel fire, he had been
visited by a committee of business men
who suggested the necessity for an in
creased water supply. The Ramapo COM
pany was mentioned by some of these gem
uemen as Il company iii position to sup
ply the necessary increase of water
Mr.. Croker said that he could not re-
member the names of any OF these gentle
men. 1t was not infreQuent for commit
tees to call upon him. seeking his aid or
Influence in different matters
lie did not remember G. NJ Stanton as
being one OF the committee nor did he
know of any one named Stanton being q
stockholder I'm the Ramapo company