The times., 1899-06-07
THE MAZET COMMITTEE.
Police Protection Given the Pro-
prictor of, the White Elephant


mittee resumed work today under diff
| culties. Crampeds in the small low Board
of Trade room at 2OS Broadway the in
vestigators uiopped their brows, con-
| sumed ice water waved their palm-leaf
fans, and longed for cool spot in some
green wilderness -where there are no mis-
behaved Tammany oficeholders. no Cap
tain Price. no Devery, and no haphazard
| tax department
The heat was intense in the poorly
ventilated room, and only fireproof spec
tators braved the sitting atmosphere of
the place. The prospects were that it
would be a lively day. Mr.. Moss an
| nouncement that Captain Price would be
| called TO the stand and the announce
ment that big Chief Devery had been
subpoenaed stimulated interest in the pro-
| ceedings, but nobody knew what direc-
| tion the investigation was going TO take
| until MIR. Moss called the first witness.
1t was made plain from the outset that
| the committee was resolved to permit no
more trifiing on the part of witnesses and
| outside lawyers. The events of last week
| convinced the committeeman that if the
| committees dignity was to be preserved
| and the proceedings prevented from de-
| generating into disorderly wrangle a res
! olute course would have to be pursued.
Heretofore, in order not to appear unfair
| TO the Tammany men under investigation,
| Chairman MaZet allowed latitude which
was promptly taken advantage Of and the
| dtsgraceful scenes of last week followed
| Chairman Mazet saw that his leniency
was wasted upon Tammauy and since last
weeks adjournment the committee has de-
| cided to handle defiant and contemptuous
| witnesses and others with scant ceremony.
| Sergeant-at-arms Crawford, who repre-
| sents the authority of the committee pre-
sented himself at the meeting place early
| in the morning and looked ready to handle
all the defiance that might be manifested.
| He devoted his energies to guarding the
doors and seeing that the room was not
packed to an uncomfortable extent
Chairman Mazet reached the committee
room ten minutes before the hour set for
assembling and waited in the ante-room
| for his fellow-investigators to arrive. Not
above score of persons besides those who
were present under subpoenas or on busi-
ness were in the committee room at 1870
o'clock.
| Police Captain Price came limping in
just before the committee met and took
seat in the extreme rear OF the room.
| He sat waving a big palm leaf fan COM
| placently. He greeted Sergeant-at-Arm
| Crawford Crawford went over, and after
brief talk with the police captain the two
| disappeared together into the ante-room,
where the members of the committee we're
| closeted. Chairman Mazet and Captain
( Price emerged together after moment and
went into secret session in adjoining
| room Various rumors were active as to
| what was going A message which
had been sent from the committee room
| for notary public few moments before
! gave impetuseto curiosity. and the spec
| tators were wondering what was going on
While Chairman Mazet and Captain
Price were talking together Prices law
yer Henry Clay Henderson. arrived on
the scene, but he got no farther than the
| outside corridor. Men were posted at each
door, and the man guarding the first door
| informed Henderson that he could not
come in. The man explained to the law
yer that that was the order OF the COM
mittee Henderson made no attempt to
get inside by force, but he was angered
at admittance being refused him.
I've got orders not to let him in, said
Crawford. resolutely, and 1t was plain
from the sergeant alarms manner that
he meant to obey orders. Henderson lin
gered in the hallway, remarking that If
the committee meant to conduct star
chamber proceedings he would keep out
Former Judge J, Rider Cady Hender-
sons counsel in the damage suits which
Frank Mess, and Sergeant Arms Craw-
ford, accompanied Henderson. Henderson
asked that he be allowed to attend the sas-
sion of the committee as a spectator and
, in the short conference between Chairman
Mazet and Captain Price, Price asked that
Judge Cady be allowed to attend the sss-
sion. After Captain Price and Chairman
Mazet ended their talk Price took seat
in the vestibule and waited, while Chair
cfa.a
| Price lighted cigar and made himself
comfortable. The men at the doors re-
quired a good reason from every man who
presented himself before allowing him to
enter
1t was nearly II o'clock before Frank
Moss arrived and he Joined the committee,
which was still in session in the ante
room. Five minutes later the committee
and Mr.. Moss came out and took their
places. Mr. McEwan, the Albany member
| of the committee was present for the first
time in a month. DR.. W. J. 0'Sullivan
was not present when the committee met,
and his representative. Prof II. c. John
son. said the Tammany lawyer was not
expected to be present.
Before going ahead with the proceedings
Chairman MaZet made a statement With
| drawing the privilege granted TO counsel
for Tammany at the outset of the inves-
tigation to be present at the sessions of
the committee. He said:
when this investigation first began the
committee was requested to grant the
privilege to persons under examination of
having counsel represent them. This priv
ilege was granted on the express under
standing that counsel would aid in bring
ing out facts and not hinder the investiga-
ton. Since then developments have arisen
which led the committee to reconsider its
action. The committee felt that 1t repre-
sented the sovereign power of the Legis-
lature OF the State of New York, and that
it should maintain the honor. integrity,
and dignity of the people The commit
tee felt that it's honor had been affronted.
grossly and shamefully. and hereafter with
draws and refuses the privilege hitherto
granted to counsel for witnesses How
ever, TO be perfectly fair. the committee
will allow any witness who feels that he
has been unjustly accused the right of ap-
peal to the committee and the committee
will give him the opportunity to set him
self right"
! Assemblyman Hoffman of course dis
sented He said that if the committee had
confined itself to the legitimate scope OF
the enquiry its dignity would not have sur
fered He mentioned DR.. OSullivan and
made the somewhat astonishing statement
that DIR. O'Suiliyan has done everything
in his power, to uphold the dignity Of the
committee.
While Chairman Nazet was making his
statement, Captain Price stood near by
listening closely. On Friday last he de-
clared that he would leave the committee
room If his lawyer was sent out.
After the chairman's statements was fin
ished Mr.. Mess called for some records
from the Police Department which he had
called for. The records were not all Mr.