The Portland daily press., 1899-04-15
Political Assessments
as High as $4,000
Richard Refuses to Tell How
He Got Rich.

was on the stand today before the Mazet
investigating committee and he will be
on the stand again tomorrow. John r..
Carroll. the Tammany leaders chief dep
uty was also put through course Of
questioning this afternoon. Judge Jo-
seph II. DAILY, whom the Democrats re-
fused to nominate for justice of the su
preme court last fall, told OF his treat
ment by Mr.. Croker and Tammany.
while other prominent witnesses contrib
uted testimony that went to make the day
most notable one in the investigation
into the city's affairs. The examination
chiefly by reason of answers which he
returned to the questions propounded by
Mr.. Moss. He was brief and direct, and
he took advantage Of the many opportun-
tiles afforded him to retort In q manner
that evoked applause many times
Mr. Croker gave events somewhat
dramatic turn when, after refusing to an
swer several questions concerning his pri
| vate affairs, he held up his right hand
and said impressively: "If you can show
me where have taken u single dollar
from this city, you can cut this arm of. ="
When the Tammany chief went ON the
stand at the beginning of the days ses-
sion. MIR. Moss conducted q line of ques-
tioning which Mr.. Croker evidently be-
lieved was loss of time. for he suddenly
leaned forward and said;
sit is not necessary to bring up what
every body knows. There is no use play
ing to the galleries; there is no use max
ing speeches. 1 am the leader Of the par
ty and / acknowledge it. All these peo.
pie are my friends and I am going to
stick to them all the time. just give
me straight talk. 1 AIN going to give
you straight talk. That Is all.
Mr. Moss said he would accommodate
him and he endeavored to do SO. Mr..
Moss read list of Tammany Sachems.
MIR. Croker admitted that all or nearly
all of them held prominent positions In
the city government.
The witness could not recall any otiicsr
of the city government upon whose selec-
ton his advice had not been asked. He
maintained, however, that they were
not bis personal selections. but had
been chosen by himself ana immediate
associates.
!. Once in awhile Mr.. Croker met these
gentlemen and consulted over the affairs
of the city and of their departments.
| MIR Croker said he had been interested
| in the matter of the Amsterdam
AVENUE GRAB
and also in the matter of the Astoria
gas bill
Mr.. Croker admitted that at a meeting
of the executive committee of Tammany
hall he had given out the directions that
the Tammany IN mbers OF the municipai
| assembly must pay more attention to
| the work and be present In their seats
| to pass upon the matters pending.
| MIR. Moss tried to bring out that Mr.
Croker's anxiety about the alleged neglect
| of business was due to the fact that he
wished "quick action upon the bridge and
building code resolutions which were be-
| fore the assembly"
| Mr.. Croker said that was not the object
of his directions.
Mr.. Croker said that rs chairman Of
| the finance committee of Tammany hall
he could not tell anything the contribu-
| tions to the campaign funds. All the
money received for political use In Tam
many passed through the hands Of John
MeQuaid, treasurer of the organization.
MIR. Moss asked If candidates for ju-
dioial office had not contributed amounts
ranging from ten to eighteen thousand
| dollars.
.'They have paid some." said Mr.
| Croker, 'but nothing like the amount
| Mr. Moss mentioned. They might have
paid as much as seven or eight thousand
dollars
MIR. Croker said he believed the orga-
nization in control should have all The
offices in every department., judicial, exc
cutive and administrative.
MIR. Moss tried to bring out that ju-
dicial sales had been given to Croker's
real estate firm on account OF the political
influence of the witness.
| Mr. Croker said he knew that at the
present time his firm had nearly all Of
the judicial sales.
$50 that II you have
A CONTROLLING VOICE
in the affairs of the party" asked MIR.
Moss, and secure the nomination OF true
men you may be sure that at least in the
real estate exchange and in the firm OF
Meyer Il Croker, YOU will, as true Dem
ocrat, get some of that profit?"
"we, at least, expect to be befriended, :"
said MIR, Croker