Evening star., 1899-04-18
CROKER WOULDN'T ANSWER
Tammany Boss May Go to Jail for Con-
tempt
Mssst feDnittee Take. onicfaI Notice
OF His Refusal, win Report
to BeEislature.

Richard Croker was recalled to testify be-
fore the Mazet Investigating committee in
New York yesterday afternoon.
| Mr.. Moss asked him about the eontriou-
tons made by the municipal candidates
| last year. Mr. Croker could not tell the
| amount. The Tammany leader and Mr..
Moss had a little tilt as to whether Mr..
Croker had said that the city was not
| wide open" Mr.. Croker had never heard
| that the Metropolitan street railroad or
persons interested in 1t had contributed
s750.O00 to Tammany Hall during the last
| election.
| He did not pay Mr.. Carroll any salary.
| and as far as he knew he was not in re-
ceipt of a salary from Tammany Hall. Mr..
| Croker had received no money directly or
indirectly from Mr.. Carroll during the last
year. From Andrew Freedman he, or rath-
er his firm. Meyer & Croker, had received
| money. Mr.. Croker said he was interested
| with Mr.. Freedman in the United States
Fidelity Company, in which he owned some
| stock.
You know that all the bonded officers
| of the city government take out their bonds
| from your company" Queried Mr.. Moss.
Not all of them said the witness.
| Nearly all of them?"
| Some take them from your boss COM
| pany."
Answer Provoked Laughter.
This caused loud laughter.
| DO you mean Mr.. Platts company -
| asked Mr.. Moss.
| Yes" said Mr.. Croker. "You know what
| mean.'' And there was more laughter.
What woul you think of a good Tam
many man who would go to Mr.. Platt's con-
cern to take out his bonds?" asked the law
yer.
There are some that go there" said Mr..
| Croker. He has cut the rates" And there
was loud laughter.
| Mr. Croker presumed his own company
! had the majority of the business in the
| city. and Mr.. Platt's in the state.
Mr.. Croker said he did not want any pro-
| lection at ALL He only wanted fair play
| Mr. Croker referred to Mr.. Moss CORE
| spondence as anonymous letters from all
| his (Croker's) enemies all over New York.
| Mr.. Moss asked MIR. Croker how much he
| paid for his stock in the United States Bond
Company. and whether the stock was given
! to him upon the formation of the company
| Mr.. Croker refused to answer, and Mr.. Moss
ness to answer.
Mr.. Mazet 50 directed.
VIII you answer. Mr.. Croker%'
mo, sir" said the witness firmly.
please to record the gentleman's refusal
to answer all of these questions concerning
the getting of the stock, and whether he
had paid for ii or not, or whether he got it
at the organization of the company" said
| Mr. Moss.
His Refusal Recorded.
"And record also that he declines TO an
swer on the ground that it is a private, per-
sonal matter" said Assembly1nan Hoffman.
| Mr.. Croker said he was not interested in
| the Maryland Whisky Company. He had
never owned any stock in the Flushing Gas
| Company Mr.. Moss wanted TO know why
| he made definite answers to these personal
questions, and Mr.. Croker said:
Il don't know. L have got to answer
some, and must reserve some to my judg-
| ment. If L did not answer some l would sit
here without answering anything at all.
He had no stock in the New Amst terdam
| Company, though he once had long be-
| fore the introduction of the Astoria busi-
ness He parted with it 'at least ten days
| before the vote was taken on the Astoria
BILL" He had parted with 1t because he
| did not wish to be mixed up IN that busi-
| ness He had only held it on margin
You We're short 1000 shares on Manhat-
TAM said MIR. Moss, repeating question
| that Saturday Mr.. Croker had utterly
refused to answer.
Il was not" answ Ared Mr. Croker. That
| never happened at all. If you had acted
as a gentleman, you are now at this
present time, the other day, l would have
told YOU
Mr.. Croker refused to admit that the
| democratic opposition to the passage of the
Astoria gas bill was by reason of the fact
| that he and his friends and the members
| of the democratic organization held stock
| In the New Amsterdam Company, which
vas a rival company.
| Mr.. Moss asked Mr.. Croker again if he
had given his son Frank s17 900 with which
| to buy stock in the Roebling Construction
Company. Mr.. Croker declined to answer.
Defiance to Mazet.
Chairman Mazet instructed him to an
swer and he refused. The same thing oc-
| CURED when Mr.. Moss asked how much
stock of the Auto-Truck Company Mr.. Cro-
ker held, and how much he paid for his in
terest in that concern.
When Mr. Moss said that Mr.. Croker had
found that in business matters like that
| of Peter F. Meyer Co. members OF the
| organization could help each other, MIR.
Croker said. angrily:
You are trying to make us out a pack
OF thieves in one combination together, and
you can't do it
And you think that these questions in
dicate that persons who do these things are
| thieves?" querier Mr.. Moss
That is what you are trying to get at"
| said Mr.. Croker, thoroughly aroused. II
say that the people of the city of New
YORK, when they voted for our ticket, voted
| to put in the organization, and believed in
the organization and believed that the or
ganization should run the city. And when
you We're put out of the police board that
was what you were put out for, because
you were not an organization man."
After a further exchange of sharp words
MI Croker becoming greatly enraged, Mr..
Moss remarked that it was evident that
Mr. Croker realized the seriousness of the
occasion"
The Tammany leader rstorted: Not very
serious. l am not going away. 1 am going
| to stay here until the circus is over
European Trip Put or.
You are not going to Europe?" said Mr..
Moss.
Il am going to be here to see how long
you are going to stay. You can have me
any day you want" replied the witness.
Il am glad we shall not interfere with
your trip said MIR. Moss.
You have iRterfered with it pretty
much" was the retort.
Mr.. Croker declared he had never said
he would never resign from the leadership