Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-04-23

KY COMPANY'S OPERATIONS.
New York, April 22.-The seventh
session of the Mazet investigation COM
mittee was held to-day. A larger
crowd than on any previous occasion
endeavored to gain admittance to the
small quarters in which the committee
is meeting. The particular anxiety to
listen to to-day's proceedings was
caused by rumor that Richard Croker,
Chief of Police Devery and Capt. Price
might all face the inquisitors.
The proceedings opened in some
what sensational manner Proctor
Clarke, assistant counsel to the COM
mittee, addressing Mr.. Mazet, said he
desired to call the attention of the com
mittee and witnesses to the penal code
sections which provided for years
Imprisonment or a fine of $500, or both,
for refusal to attend or to answer
OF the legislature.
'You will observe" said Mr.. Clarke,
for contumacious refusal to answer
proper and material questions a wit
ness commits misdemeanor. 1t is the
purpose of the counsel of this commit
tee, with the approval Of the commit
tee at the proper time, to be determin-
ed by the judgment of the counsel to
the committee, to present such contum-
acious witnesses who have refused to
answer such proper and material ques-
lions as the committee shall determine,
to the constituted criminal authorities
of this county, for presentment, indict-
ment and punishment, not for a mo-
ment doubling that the constitutional
officer of this county, the district at
torney, will lend his aid to the proper
observance of the laws of the state"
Mr.. Clarke went on to state if it
were impossible for
THE GRAND JURY
or this county to spare the time to deal
with cases of contempt, the counsel for
the committee would request the Gov
ernor to appoint a judge to hold an
extraordinary term Of the Supreme
Court, and to empanel an extraordin-
airy grand jury, before which the mat
ters could be brought according to the
existing laws governing such cases.
DR.. OSullivan, representing the city
departments, referred to Mr.. Clarke's
announcement as intimidation" Mr.
Clarke protested against the use of
that word, and Mr.. Mazet ruled that
DIR. O'Sullivan had no right to use it.
The Tammany counsel, however, con-
tinued and said: 81 contend that this
committee is not the judge as to the
questions, as to their materiality or
propriety, and also that you are not
the judges as to whether a witness is
contumacious or not"
Lucien Bonhuer was the first witness.
He said he lived in this city and at one
time had some connection with the
Maryland Whisky Company Mr.. Bon
heur said he left the company because
he did not like the kind of statesmen
that were engaged. He said that some
of the headquarters officers in Balti-
more had complained that the sales
men were drumming trade in disreput-
able resorts in this city.
Samuel Meters, tailor on Broadway,
was then called. He refused to say
whether he had taken orders for Mary
land whisky. "That is my business"
he reiterated, and though Chairman
Mazet
ORDERED HIM TO ANSWER,
he refused. He said he had never
spoken to Police Commissioner Sexton
about whisky. He had never discussed
with Chief Devery appointments to the
police force. He refused point blank
to answer the question whether he had
been employed by any member of the
city government or of the police de-
partment to go to disorderly resorts
and solicit orders for whisky. Final
ly, on request of Mr. Moss. Chairman
Mazet directed the stenographer to fur
nish counsel with the minutes of
Meters testimony and directed counsel
to take such steps as they might deem
necessary to bring Meters before the
court for contempt as soon as practic-
able
Charles c. Haight, an architect, testi-
fed regarding letter sent to him bv
VIM. j. Fryer. chairman of the board
OF building examiners, and chairman
OF the New York State building law
commission. Mr.. Haight said that Mr.
Fryer had sent Mr.. Young to him
with letter of introduction with an
Idea that Mr.. Young might do some
work for the witness. Mr.. Haight tes-
titled that he had forgotten who Mr.
Fryer was and did not treat Mr. Young
with cordiality. Mr.. Fryer then wrote
Ito Mr.. Haigfht letter which was pro-
duced in evidence. In this communi-
cation Mr.. Fryer chided Mr. Haight for
his
TREATMENT OF YOUNG
and stated in part: II write now to
say that perhaps it may turn out at
some future day that you will know
who am AS it has turned out it will
be just as we'll and if it should ever
happen again that you need my help,
1t will be necessary fer you to bring a
letter of introduction yourself to me-"
Mr. Haight said he assumed a threat
was intended by this letter
Thomas J. Feitner, president of the
department of taxes and assessments.
testified that an examination of the rec
ords OF the department showed that Mr..
Croker was not assessed for personal
taxes in the years 1896, 1897, 1898 or
1899. Feitenr presented an assessment
notice served on Mr.. Croker in 1895.
The swearing off his assessmenf