The San Francisco call., 1899-04-22
HOW DICK CROKER
HELD UP ONE NEW
YORK GAS COMPANY

pany Mr.. Freedman refused to answer wheth-
er this was a rate war between his company
and the other company, on the ground that
the question was not pertinent to the inyesti-
cation.
Chairman Mazet instructed him to answer,
but Mr.. Freedman refused Mr.. Freedman
testified that his bond company had paid no
dividend. Mr.. Moss drew Mr. Freedman's at
tention to the testimony of Mr.. Croker, who
stated before the committee that he got dvi-
dends regularly from the United States F'idel-
ity and Guarantee Company. Mr.. Freedman
said he could explain that very easily. AS
manager of the company he had a SALARY and
commission, besides owning stock. He divided
his salary and commission with Mr. Croker,
according to previous agreement There was
no contract for such an arrangement. MIR.
Croker relies upon my word" said Mr. Freed
man. The witness refused to tell the exact
nature of the agreement he had made with Mr..
Croker. Witness was very anxious to have Mr..
Croker's friendship and association in this
company, ION account of the legion. of friends
that he has all over this country"
profits he divided with Mr.. Croker were most
ly from bonding"
ChairmanMazet said: "There is a discrepancy
between your testimony and Mr.. Croker's. If
you care to have the record stand as it is the
commission is satisfied"
Freedman. averred that it had been 'ex-
planned sufficiently
Frank A. Bell who is employed in the de-
partment of taxes and assessments, and who
has brought with him the tax book of the city
was called to testify to the value OF Richard
Croker's house on seventy-fourth street. Ex-
tion of Mr.. Crokers house had been decreased
by the Assessors $4,000 since 1898.
Moss called Abraham HmmeI Wright of the
Roebling Construction Company. Mr.. Moss
asked IL the treasurer of the Roebling Com
pany attended the office of the company regu-
larly every day. Mr. HimmeI Wright said he
thought that a matter of private business. and
Mr.. Moss retorted: II am sorry to see a man
like you, a man in ordinary and respectable
business, adopting that line of answer. I am
afraid that expression will be used by the peo-
pie for term of twenty years to indicate GER
tain kinds of transactions which do not be-
leve you mixed up in.
Wright haggled over every question and was
frequently directed to answer and just as fire.
quently refused on the ground that matters
connected with his business were his own per-
sonal affair. Finally Moss asked If members
of the city government had not directed
had not Moss endeavored to bring out that
Briggs, the treasurer of the Roebling Company.
had kept away from the companys office be-
cause he was afraid of being served with A
subpoena to appear before the Mazet commit
which, according to the testimony of Frank
Croker, was paid to Briggs for his stock
Wright said that Briggs movements We're pri-
vate matters, Moss at length got Wright TO
admit that John A Doenor of the building
department had suggested that he (the wtness5
should go to see Con DAILY. DAILY is a saloon
keeper who, according to the testimony Of Mr.
Tostevin of the fire prooffng firm of Tostevin
& Hays, offered to get the Tostevin-Hays sys-
tenn of construction approved by the build
ing department for a pecuniary consideration.
You decline to give any assistance in
lerretlnB out the truth as TO whether NOT
attorney endeavoring to extort money
from your concern by reason of his CONNECTION
with the building department. do you or will
you give us that assistance|' demanded Mr.
Moss i
BY answering that question" said the wit
ness Il would be compelled to infer that 7
knew all the methods and conditions and
everything under which the company employs
an attorney. / do not know these things and
consequently | cannot answer that question -
Wright persisted in his refusal to make def.
mite answers. When Moss said he would sus-
pend his examination for the time being.
Wright endeavored to make a statement which
was abruptly and sternly nipped in the bud by
Chairman Mazet, who said, angrily that wit
nesses could not come there and refuse TO an
swer all questions and then make statements
to suit themselves. THE sergeant arms was
called to take Wright off the witness stand.