New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-12
CROKER AND THE INQUIRY.
u1s REPUTATION OF MR.. O'SULLIvAN'S
OFFER TO MIR. MOSS.
THAT HE WILL NOT APPEAR
UNLESS sUBPGNAED-MR. MOSS DE-
CI,INEs TO TELL WHETHER OR
NOT HE WILL CALL HIM.

Unless SUBPGNAED-MR. MOSS DE-
CLrNEs TO TELL WHETHER OR
NOT HE WILL CALL HIM.
p,ohard Croker yesterday repeated the declar-
..,or which he made at the Democratic Club on
s,ondsv evening that he would not appear as
N,,rsss before the Mazet Investigating Commit
-. On Friday unless he was served regularly
,., subpoena. His declaration after his sup
-ossd representative had offered to have him
...,,fv at the committees convenience without
= subpnna has surprised many of the Tam
-arv leaders Mr.. Croker has exhibited strong
a,arsion TO appearing before investigating COM
..,,,aes as a witness When the Lexow com
-.,,,ea was bringing out the frightful disclos-
.,nos ~ police backmail and extortion under a
,ormer Tammany administration. Mr.. Croker
Ton, safely away from the city. Recently. when
- have been reports that he might not be
shs 10 escape a subpoena from the Mazet COM
.,,tee he has put front Of defiance and has
declared 10 newspaper men and others that the
,,oittee might hear something they would
-. care 10 hear If he appeared as witness In
the investigation.
.Orarentlv with the intention of letting the
.o,,rittee know that Mr.. Croker was not afraid
=. testify but was somewhat eager to be heard
,fors the time he had fixed for leaving the
or,,rv again Mr. OSullivan. the lawyer Sc
,.c,sa 10 look after the interests of the Tam
rsnv administration in the investigation, made
e, ofer for Mr.. Crokers voluntary appearance
rhs conversation before the committee on Mon
day was as follows:
vr Osullivan-l would like to announce to the
.ssirran that Frank Croker is now in court He
comes mere would also like TO make the an
nouncemtat TO Mr.. Moss and TO the chairman mat
q, he disposal of this investigating committee at
an time up TO April is. when he is TO san tor
Europe ,o.,. .,..,s .ho d,te isitq
Mr.. OSullivan-Yes. sir. and ne VIII t Soine WIN
out subpoena any request from the c@hai @ n1a, ILL.,
Mr. Moss-He is requested TO be here next Ihu's-
oeE iEbe Charman-Not Thursday. ,..-
MI Moss-Next Friday. ! was a little ANXIOUS
that is all.
Later Mr. Croker's son was put upon the Wit
ness-stand and the whole drift of the young
mans testimony Of character 10 holca'e
that he was dummy for his father in his reia-
tions with the Roebng and United companies
The sons testimony may have had something 10
do with the apparent sudden change IN MT
Croker's attitude. for at the Democratic Clup
the same evening he declared that he would
not testify voluntarily but only under
subpoena from the committee.
o'sULLIvAN HAD NO AUTHORITY.
Yesterday Mr.. Croker repeated his assertion
that only subpoena could induce him to testify
When he was asked about the voluntary offer
made by Mr. O'Sullivan he replied
He had no authority to say that for me. |
do not intend TO go before the committee unless
am regularly subpenaed according to law
Asked what he thought of the Mazet investiga-
tlon so far as it had proceeded, Mr.. Croker said.
Everybody can see for himself what the in
ct,x
Why? Because they couldn't get through legis-
lation at Albany that they wanted What legis-
laton? Why, the Amsterdam-ave. grab and the
Astoria gas grab bills Mr.. Mazet, the chair
man of the committee, was the father of the
Astoria gas grab He can't get away from that
but because he couldn't get his grab through
they come down here and investigate us I'll
testify IL I'm subpoenaed. but 1 am too busy
man 10 be running around after the committee.
Some Of the Tammany leaders were eXhlDitng
much alarm yesterday at the prospect OF having
Mr. Croker testify before the committee They
said his testimony might be as damaging TO the
organization as to himself. He might, they salu
be forced 10 tell where he got the thousands of
dollars in bills which he gave to his son to pay
over 10 companies in which the son became
stOckhOder Most business men, when they pass
thousands OF dollars in that way, draw their
checks for the amounts.
Adhering TO his policy Of not giving out his
plans in advance. Frank Moss would not state
his Office in the Bennett Building, what course
he would pursue in view of Mr. Crokers ex-
pressed determination not to appear before the
committee without being regularly subpenaed.
II is known that Mr. Moss was not anxious to
get the Tammany leader on the stand so early
IN the inquiry. II was his desire first to build
UP a foundation the evidence ELECTED from
witnesses who Will be called upon to testify for
an examination that would have much more i'm
portant results than could be obtained next Fri
day. Mr.. Moss, however, intimated yesterday
II ~ ic diva rhaQ bn hoN-a
era interesting questions TO put to Mr. Croker.
Mr.. MOSS AsTONIsHED.
Mr. Moss is undoubtedly astonished at the at
titude which Mr.. Croker has taken after Mr..
O'Sullivan, evidently with authority promised
that the Tammany leader would appear before
the committee on Friday and 1t was plain from
his manner yesterday that he had not quite
made up his mind yet as to what action he will
take in the matter.
Now that Mr.. Croker has stated that he will
not appear before the committee unless he is le-
galy summoned. will you subpoena him?" Mr..
Moss was asked
Il cannot say what will do" Mr.. Moss re-
piled. Il have not announced beforehand the
name Of single witness, and l do not intend 70
90 so now. | see no reason however, why Mr..
croker should be subpenaed. l have doubt
mat Mr.. OSulvan spoke in good faith when he
tod the committee that Mr.. Croker would be on
nahd on Friday. l cannot assume other than
tna' t ar. " sullivan was speaking with author
ton"
But II Mr.. Croker does not present himself on
frloaY VIII you not subpoena him for the next
oay or ior Mondays sitting, seeing that he sails
Tor Europe on the following Tuesday,"
Il cannot say what will do" was the onlv
answer Mr. Moss would make '
PRAISES THE MAZFT COuNrr,rrr