The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-19
Employees of the City Forced to Pay
High Rates for Their Bonds in Orr
der to Enrich Andrew
RICH PICKINGS FOR CROKER
WHO Is THE SILENT PARTNER OF
PETER f. MEYER a. CO.
All Auction Sales of Real Estate Given
to the Observation-Disclosures to
DemOcratic Organizations.

NEW YORK, May E.-The MaZet fnvest-
eating committee spent the greater part of
the day in an attempt to show the respect
i've bonding interests of city employees held
by the so-called Freedman and the so-called
Plat Surety Company. Counsel Moss. for
the committee, after an elaborate examina
ton into this matter, said that the signifi-
cant feature of h has been shown was
the growth of the Freedman company, the
youngest of all the bonding companies, dur
ing the past year or two. in the bonding Of
city officials. Police Commissioner Hess
and Abel were on the stand for a short
time to-day. COMMISSIONS Hess agreed
with Counsel Moss in an expression Of an
opinion that facts of a suspicious nature
had been presented before the committee.
Commissioner Abel stated that he had ac-
cepted the position of commissioner with a
view to first performing his duty, and. sec
| ond. to protecting the Republican members
of the police force. He, too, agreed that
there was considerable crime in the city of
New York. but he failed to furnish any sig
nifcant details to aid the Sher-
if Dunn was on the stand for a brief period,
but his counsel was permitted to take his
place and to explain the bonding Of the Of
fcers in the sheriff's department by the
Il lCCoAlldu SOllpahy" 4hO wan
meet tomorrow morning and at the close
of the session will adjourn until May 81.
VIEWS OF Mr.. HESS.
Police Commissioner Jacob Hess was the
first witness to-day. He said it was the
duty Of the chief of police to secure such
evidence against poolroom keepers as was
| brought out in yesterdays examination of
| Agent Wood. The fact that the captains
unanimously reported their precincts free
of crime and vice had caused some sus-
picion in his mind that the captains were
'lyirg in their reports"
Mr.. Moss asked: What do you conceive
to be your duty with regard to the chief
and the other subordinate officials of the
| Department."
Mr.. Hess answered.: ITO Immediately
start an Investigation He did not believe
that gambling could be suppressed entirely,
but thought it could be reduced to a mimi
mum. Mr.. Moss brought out the fact that
when Chief Devery was on the stand before
the committee a month ago the list Of pool
rooms, most of which were testified to yes
terday, was placed in his hands. Mr.. Hess
| testified that he applied FOX his bonds as
commissioner to the Fidelity Company of
Maryland Cdr. Platt's company. the witness
e%xpliined.) AT first they said they were
glad to take him, but afterwards refused
him.. Mr.. Hess said their refusal had moth
ing to do with his responsibility. He sup
posed they had heard from somewhere.
| Then he was bonded in the United States
Guarantee Company, the F~reedman-Croker
concern. Mr.. Hess said he got a reduction
in bonding rates because Mr.. Freedman was
an old friend.
Mr.. Hess testified that as treasurer of the
police board he had divided the deposit of
the pension fund, amounting TO about siO,-
0O0, between the Bowery National ana Gar
ield National banks. 1t formerly was all
in the Bowery concern. he gave several
reasons for this change, but finally admitted
that Commissioner Sexton might nave hrst
suggested the change. -.
ways, was the next witness. When asked
If he had not contributed 4 per cent. or his
yearly salary of $500 to the political ex-
posers of his district Mr.. Heating said he
| could not tell. He had contributed as usual,
but could not remember how much. He did
not know that it was a general thing Tor
city employees to contribute 4 per cent. OF
their salary to the Democratic party. Mr..
| Heating had not spoken to Mr.. Croker about
his appointment. His department had given
| all it's auction sales to Peter r. Meyer d
Co. He knew that Mr.. Croker was a part
| ner In that firm, but did not know that he
Never was the only auctioneer. he knew.
MIR. Heating said he was bonded in Mr..
| Freedman's company. as were all the EN-,
4 moves IN MS QeDdI ltllcDl. MI. IASdtiAiS Nlb
| not know that Mr.. Croker was interested in
that company.
Controller Collier was called and testified
that two or three weeks after his nomination
| TO the controllership he subscribed 5000 TO
the New York county and 5000 to the
Kings county Democratic organization He
ton. Mr.. Collier said he had followed the
policy of his Republican predecessors and
had given the sales In his once TO Peter r.
Meyer. who has been auctioneer of the con-
troller's office for a great many years. Only
by general report had he known that Mr..
Croker was a partner OF Meyer.
F~REE1DMAN.S BUSINESS.
A statement of the contractor under bonds
to the city showed that in the so-called
Plat company contractors were bonded to
the extent Of Sc. 466. 40. and in the so-called
Freedman compass to the extent OF 2.S3o,
300. The American Surety Company headed
the list. with Sc, SO, 500. the Platt company
the second on the list and the Freedman
company fourth, being exceeded by the City
Trust Safe Deposit and Surety Company.
This list referred to all the contract bonds
now in force. From Jan. 1. to Dec. 81, 1898,
that is the first year of Mr.. Golfers office
holding, the Platt company headed the list
for bonds accepted during that period and
the Freedman company was again fourth.
From the LIST of January. 1893. to May IL
last, the Freedman company headed the list,
with $3.50, 24, as compared with $685., 52S in
/ the Plat company. Mr.. Moss said that the
significant feature of the report was the
constant ratio of increase of the Freedman
company. The list Of the bonds filed in the
controllers office by city employees and
heads of departments gave the Freedman
company s.. 400, 200, as compared with $4,000
In the Platt company. No other company,
with the exception of the Freedman COM
| pany. had more bonds than the Platt COM
pany.
Deputy Commissioner of Highways VIM.
N. Shannon followed the controller on the
witness stand. He testified to giving sales TO
Peter F. Meyer & Co..
| John J.. Ryan, president OF the aqueduct
commission, also testified to giving sales to
Meyer G. Co. The usages regarding such
sales were exactly the same as during Mayor
Strong's administration
Deputy Chamberlain John II. Campbell
testified that he had never used the influence
| of his official position TO secure customers
for Mr.. Freedman's bonding company. Mr..
Moss then read the following letter, written
on official paper OF the city chamberlain as
follows:
ITO Whom 1t May Concern:
My Dear Sirs-This will serve to intro
| duce TO you Mr.. Percy ]. A. Leer. of the
United States Fidelity and Guaranty Com.
] Broadway, the vice president Of which Is
Mr.. Andrew Freedman He will state the
nature of his business, and any favors
granted In this line will be greatly appre-
! ciated. JOHN II. CAMPBELL"
You did not do that without thu knows
IT did" said Mr.. Campbell.
do you not know that bonding business
was secured from banks on the strength
OF that letter. asked Mr.. Moss.
II don't know that" said the witness. He
said he might have heard" that Mr.. Croker