Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-15
THEY TALK BACK.
Continued from page ~

|
| 1T is for you to do it and not leave
1t to n committee from Albany to take
care OF the interests of the CITY,"
| 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 1t and the commits
| sioners when / want to-"
why don't you?"
None of your business"
DO you know that if these commits
sioners had been guilty of incompetent
| cy. not To say fraud"
TN, you are talking of removals
and you have been talking Of legislat-
ing me out Why don't you go ahead
| and do it and not be talking such i'm
pertinence? Why don't you receive
that list of stockholders you were Of
fered, yesterday? You talk as though
Silas b. butcher. Levi p. Morton and
Gen Tracey. having stock in this COM
pany. are pack of thieves"
Richard Croker followed the mayor
on the stand. Mr.. Moss asked II
Messrs. Dalton, Holahan and Heating
OF the board of public improvements
were district leaders in Tammany
Hall. Mr.. Croker nodded afiirmatively
He said he had not been been advised
lie SAID ne mad not advised any of the
commissioners upon the subject of the
Ramapo contract. He had read the
contract but had heard it talked about.
Prior to his last trip to Europe he
had been visited by Il committee of
business men who suggested the neCis-
sity for an Increased water supply.
The Ramapo company was mentioned
by some of these gentlemen as a com
pany in position TO supply the neces-
sary increase of water.
Mr.. Croker said he could not re-
member the names OF any of these
gentlemen. he was IN the habit OF hav-
ing committees can upon him. seeking
his aid OF influence in the different
matters.
Have you talked with Mr.. Dalton"
Yes. | met Mr. Dalton and told him
that | had heard talk about the Rama
po matter and asked him what he was
doing about it. He told me that he
was doing his duty as he saw il and
that was all there was TO it
"You told Mr. Dalton To do his duty"
Mr.. Dalton arose To say something
but Mr.. MaZet ordered him To sit down.
What are you going To do In the
way Of advising these gentlemen after
you have made your investigation"
II am not going to tell you. Your"
not here for a fair investigation.
will give what know to the press. to-
day. | have here a decision from the
supreme court
So saying Mr.. Croker handed n writ
ten statement To the reporters desk,
The statement was an extract from
an opinion of the justice OF the general
term of the supreme court in a case in
which there was Introduction as evil
dcncc a deposition attested before Nh.
moss as notary public.
Mr. Moss was examined in court as
to the authorization Of the signatures
Of the deposition and the witness. but
he admitted the document had not
been signed in his presence and hat he
knew the witness only through intro
duCtion by the principal
Mr. Justice Nanbrunt expressed the
opinion that the notary should be
criminally prosecuted for re-attesting
instruments without having seen the
signing of them and without the
knowledge of the signer's identity,
which the law requires.
Mr. Moss piled Mr.. Croker with
questions as to what he knew of the
Ramapo water matter. but he did not
get any information.
Mr. Moss turned 70 Mr.. Clarke ana
asked DO you know anything about
this matter?'
Mr.. Croker-"Oh, you and Mr.. Clarke
understand each other" Laughter).
Mr.. Croker joined in the laughter and
remarked to Mr.. Moss: You can't
fool the people of this city any longer.
Mr.. Moss.
Mr.. Moss-"This Ramapo matter is
not a laughing matter, Mr.. Croker. and
YOU will not find il 50. before the mat
ter is concluded"
John Proctor Clarke then stepped up
beside Mr. Croker and Mr.. Moss ques-
toned him and in answer to the first
question Mr.. Clarke said: Il am un-
der oath, Mr. Chairman. ! never heard
of the Ramapo water scheme by name.
association or reference until August
of this year on my vacation in the
Adirondacks. | read of it in a chance
copy of a New York newspaper"
May / ask him a question" asked
Mr.. Croker. and the request was grant
ed Mr.. Croker then asked Mr.. Clarke
about his work in Albany as assistant
corporation counsel and on being an
swered in the same way as given in
testimony by Mr.. Clarke. yesterday
asked:
How many references have you got
since the first of last year,"
Il don't know was the reply.
"Fifteen?'
Yes. I have had 49,"
Mr.. Croker laughed. Did you get
them from Democratic Judges
Yes. there is no Republican on the
bench now / believe who can give ref
erences."
Get any from Judge Scott"
Yes"
How is that? Did you ASK him for
them"
NO, he sent them to me-
Mr.. Croker laughed again and adj
DIRE ssing Mr.. Moss, said: You tried to
show that the Democrats We're getting
all these. Now here is your own asso-
ciate gets more than any of them"
And he laughed till he grew red in the
face.
After Mr.. Moss had asked the witness
n bOllt a number of COMBINATIONS Mr.