The times., 1899-05-19

Highways, game !e sS sisnd after Mr..
Hess, Fe Was questioned as TO the cir
crmEtaaees OF his appointment. lie said
that he learned that he Was 10 be appoint
cd or June /, iSaS.
Did you make contribution to the
campaign last year,"
Yes
"How much-i per cent of your salary ?"
u don't remember how much it was
Don't you know that all ofIiceholders
were required 10 contribute ! per cent OF
I their salaries?"
Not that | know Of.
| MIR. Keating said he belonged to the
/ Democratic Club, but had never spoken to
( Mr. Croker about his appointment. He said
I that he did not know until recently that
/ Mr.. Croker and Peter F. Meyer were part
ners in business. Mr.. Moss then brought
out the fact that MIR. Keating had given
all his auction sales to Peter f. Meyer &
Co, Mr.. Croker's firm.
II don't know whether | knew that Mr..
/ Croker was his partner or not he said.
How did you eome TO give him all your
auction sales?"
because he was the only auctioneer /
knew
Facts About Bonds.
"l'll give the Assemblymen some infor-
nation about bonds" said Mr.. Moss TO
Hoffman, calling Comptroller Co,er
/ abruptly. Mr. Hoffman had interisctcd
{ few questions during Keaung's examina-
! ton.
Mr.. Mess then took up the matter OF the
bonds on file in the comptroiler's Office.
The witness had submitted a lis, which Mr..
/ Moss read. showing the bond business done
by the various companies.
The comptroiler's records showed the
bonds on contracts in 1898 aggregated Sli,-
-, ,se a. %
I was furnished by surety companies. The
business was divided among the principal
surety companies as follows: Fidelity and
I Deposit Company, OF Maryland (Platt's),
SS,C96, ,S24.50; United States Fidelity and
( Guaranty Company freedman -Crok ar),
S2,214, 1894 American Surety Company
S2,sS2 567.SSi City Trust Company, of Phil
adelphia, Sl,277, ,269 Less than sl.0lO, 600
Of the business was divided among four
othe. companies.
The bonds on contracts from January 1.
1899. to May 1S aggregated $685., ,il0.s0 OF
which less than sl,oo0,o00 was furnished
I by private sureiies. During this period the
Z business of the Freedman Croker bond
( company took a big jump, and>they fur
/ nished sl,670, 204.45 of these bonds, against
] s9SS.52S-37 by the Plat company
W. y. Shannon, Deputy Commissioner of
Highways for the borough of Manhattan.
1 tised the Brooklyn sale of May which lad
been spoken Of. He was asked why he
! gave the sale to Peter F. Meyer.
why did you give him the sale?" Mr..
Moss inquired.
Because the preceding sale was given
to him by Mr.. Heating"
Did you know that Mr.. Croker was a
partner of Mr.. Meyer
Il did, sir
And that Mr.. Meyer was a dock COM
missioner
Yes, sir
"You knew that Mr.. Croker was the
leader of your organization, didn't you?"
Il did, sir
And you saw no impropriety in giving
the business to Peter F. Meyer & Co.? ?"
None at all. thought it was all rlgh;
from a business and political standpoint -
John j. Ryan, of the aqueduct commits
| sion, came next and added TO the disclos-
ure of Peter F. Meyer & Co.'S monopoly
OF the auctioneering business of the va
/ rious city departments. He said that Peter
| +. Meyer & Co. conducted an auction OF
| some property for the commission ON April
2S. He said he did not know upon what
terms Mr.. Meyer had conducted the sale.
How did you come 10 select Peter F.
Meyer & Co. ?''
81 think he has been the auctioneer all
along"
Did the fact that Mr.. Croker was part
ner of Mr.. Meyer influence you in the mat
ter?'
1T might have.
He said that Peter F. Meyer & Co. had
conducted all the auction sales made by
the aqueduct commission.
Commissioner AbcEI.
Police Commissioner Abel was the first
witness al the afternoon session. Mr. Abel
said he went into the board as Republic
an, and voted TO make Deverey chief OF
police because he believed him competent
Mr.. Moss succeeded in getting the witness
fairly well ratified. Mr.. Moss tried 10 find
out from what newspapers Mr.. Abel got
SO much remarkable information. He read
the names Of a number OF newspapers
which Mr.. Abel said he read occasionally
He finally came to the Herald"
do you read the 'Herald?'"
Occasionally
DO you believe in it2''
Not in its personals
But don't you think ii part OF your dut,
to lock into these personals?'
"oh, have looked into them"
"Oh, you havei"
(Mr. Moss looked surprised)
What have you done about them?"
Il answered a lot OF them"
Indeed, When?"
"Since / have been a police commits
sioner and before, too" Qaughter)
did you ever get answers?"
81 don't recall now
''WilI you tell me why you did this be
fore you were a commissioner"
''oh, wanted 10 get onto the system
A Ratified Witness.
Mr.. Abel was badly ratified at this juno
ture and his discontinue added to by tn
roars of laughter that went up from tn
spectators. Mr.. Moss read a number o
newspaper clippings about the efforts I,
force former Chief McCullagh out, printe
! about the time Abel was appointed polio
commissioner, but the witness did not re
member having read them. He faintl,
reeollected having heard, he said, tha
! McCullagh was to be put out of the de
! partment because he refused TO stop inter
fering with gamblers but the witness neye
took any stock in this.
occasioned by the intimation of the mayor
desire that Deverey be appointed chief
: and your fear Of losing your place If yol
didn't accede to the mayor's wisnss9'