Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-16
New York's Mayor Before Mazet
Investigating Committee.
BE is NOT SURE OF ANYTHING
Memory Particularly Poor About
Relations With Croker.
PERJURY AMONG POLICE

NEW YORK. May 16.-The Mazet investi-
eating committee resumed its sessions here
today, after a prolonged recess A fair
sized crowd was on hand early. among
them being Mayor Van Wyck, who. with
the heads of various city departments, had
been summoned to appear today. 1t was
announced that the committee will sit daily
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and FRI
days until its work is concluded; but this
program will be interfered with by the ex-
ira session of the Legislature, which begins
on Monday next.
A policeman was sworn, who testified
that on the night of May he saw two Of
his fellow officers dancing with women In
a disreputabie resort. The policemen In
question had just sworn that they knew
nothing about the particular dive mention
ed. Mr.. Moss. counsel for the committee.
explained that he had called these witness
es to show the lack Of discipline in the
police force.
Mayor Van wycE Called.
Mayor Robert A. Van Wyck was then
called and sworn.
In reply to a question from Mr.. Moss. the
mayor said that he had not yet come to a
conclusion whether the office of borough
president served any particular good Use
to the city government. However. he did
not think that the charter should be dis
turbed until 1t had a fair trial.
When asked If he had come across any
evidence of the work of the board OF mu-
nicipal statistics, the mayor replied:
Il think they made report to me. / do
not remember all these things, you know"
When asked If he knew that there had
been no printed report OF the police depart
ment since 1897, Mayor Van Wyck said: u
don't know. They put them in there pretty
fast. The volume of business is So great
cannot follow all these Details
Mr.. Moss inquired good deal into ths
bureau of statistics, and finally the mayor
said:
Il know Nagel Cchief of the bureau pes
ters me to publish everything h9 thinks of.
He is like you" added the mayor, address,
ing Mr.. Moss; he pays a good deal Of at
tenton TO the newspaper reports"
His Relations With Croker.
Mr.. Moss asked if the mayor had ever
spoken with Mr.. Croker regarding changing
the location of the departments from the
New York Life Insurance building to the
new syndicate building. The mayor thought
he had not.
Are you sure about that?" asked Mr.
Mess, and the mayor replied: We'll. there
was SO much talk going on, YOU know,
when man is confronted with 800 or GOO
people day that asking him for al
most everything. / can't tell you. 1t would
not have had any influence on me IL he
had
But you do consult with him about city
matters?"
No, sir; [ don't consult with him about
city matters"
Did you not consult with him at Lake
wood about the appointment of heads of.
city departments"
mo, sir: talked with every one. l think
every one in New York asked me for posi-
tons"
Subsequently the mayor said he had a
running conversation with Mr.. Carroll
(Mr Croker's heutenanD regarding ap-
pointments.
No FfreproOf Building in City.
Mr.. Moss read from the City Record that
the chief engineer had reported that there
was no sign of fireproof construction in the
building into which the health department
is about to move, and the mayor retorted:
There isn't fireproof building in New
York"
Mr.. Van Wyck denied that he was elect
ed as the nominee of Tammany Hall.
II was elected by the democratic party
of Greater New York" he declared.
The mayor and Mr.. Moss had some disa-
greement over the meaning of the word
sponsor" which the mayor had used in
his first annual report.