Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-22
NO PERSONAL TAXES
Boss Croker Exempted Under Oath
for Four Years.
BE HAS PAID NOTHING SINCE s6
Counsel Clarke Threatens Obstinate
Witnesses With Prosecution.
THE PROCEEDINGS TODAY

NEW YORK, April 22.-The seventh ses-
sion of the Mazet Investigating committee
was held today. The proceedings opened
IN a somewhat sensational manner. Proc
tor Clarke. assistant counsel to the com.
mittee, addressing Mr.. Mazet said he de-
sired to cali the attention of the committee
and witnesses TO the penal code sections
which provide for a years imprisonment or
fine of 500 or both for refusal TO attend
or to answer questions propounded by O.
committee of the legislature.
you Will observe" said Mr.. Clarke for
contumacious refusal to answer proper and
material questions, a witness commits a
misdemeanor. 1t is the purpose of the coun-
sci of this committee 20 present such contu-
macfous witnesses who have refused to
answer such proper and material questions
10 the constituted criminal authorities Of
this county for iEdictmen mt and punishment.
not for a moment uoubtng lhat the ,0nstl-
tutional officer OF this county. the district
attorney, Will lend his aid to the proper
observance of the laws Of the state"
Special Grand Jury Nay Be called.
Mr. Clarke went on 10 state If ii were
impossible for the grand jury Of this county
to spare the time deal with cases of
contempt, the counsel for the committee
would request the governor to appoint a
judge to hold an extraordinary term of the
supreme court, and to empanel an extra
ordinary grand jury before which the mat
ters could be brought according to the cX-
istlng laws governing such cases.
Or. O'Sullivan, representing the city de-
partments, referred to Mr. Clarke's an
nouncement as intimidation Mr.. Clarke
protested against the use OF that word, ani
Mr. Mdzet ruled that Dr. O'Sulivan had
no right to use it. The Tammany counsel,
bAzgaN-.r continued and said
Il contend that this committee is not the
judge to questions. as to their mater
iality or propricty. ana also that you are
not the judges as to whether witness IS
COutum4c.UuS or not
I.ucien Bonheur was the first witness.
He said he lived in this city and at one lime
had some connection with the Maryland
Whisky Company. Maurice Cntermeyer
had invited him TO take an interest in that
company.
Meters to Ne Presented.
Samuel Meters. a tailor on Broadway was
then called. He refused to say whether he
had taken orders for Maryland 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 gov
ernment or of the police department TO go
to disorderly resorts ana solicit orders for
Maryland whisky. Finally, on request of
Mr.. Moss, Chairman MaEet directed the
steuographer to furnish counsel with the
minutes of Meters testimony and directed
counsel to take such steps they might
deem necessary to bring Me!ers before the
court for contempt as soon as practicable.
Charles c. Haight, an architect, testified
II Cgarding a letter sent to him by VIM. J.
Fryer. member of the board Of building eNN
aminers and chairman of the New York
state building law commission. Mr.. HalGht
said that Mr.. Fryer had sent Mr.. Young
to him with a letter of introduction with an
idea that Mr.. Young m,g ght do some work
for the witness. Mr.. Haight testified that
he had forgotten who Mr.. Fryer was and
did not treat Mr. Young with cordialty.
Mr. Fryer then wrote 70 Mr.. Haight let
ter, which produced in evidence In
this communication Mr.. Fryer chided Mr..
Haieht for his treatment Of Mr.. Young and
stated in part:
Mr.. Freyer Chides Mr.. Haight.
II write now to say that perhaps 1t may
turn out at some future day that you will
know who l AS it has turned out il
will be Just as we'll and if it should ever
happen again that you need my help it will
be necessary for you to bring letter Of In
PRODUCTION yourself to me-"
Mr. Haight said he assumed threat was
intended by this letter
Thomas J. Feitner. president Of the de-
partment of taxes and assessments, testi-
fled that an examination Of the records OF
the department showed that Mr.. Croker
was not assessed for personal taxes I'm the
years 1896, 1897 1898 or 1899. Feitner pre'
scented an assessment notice served on Mr..
Croker in 1895.
Mr.. Feitner said the books showed that
at this time Mr. Croker had real estate
which subject to mortgages amounting
to $4,000, but had no personal property
subject to taxation.
Mr.. Feitner said the subject OF Mr.. Cro-
ker's personal property had not been espe-
cially considered in his department since
he had been at the head of 1t.
VIM. Fryer, to whom Mr.. Haight's testi-
nony applied took The witness chair