The times., 1899-06-18
FEATURES OF MAzEr WORK.
\ Fear That Devery and the Police
Hoard VIII Re Onsfcd.

~ ou~tcu.
New York. June l7.-"one OF the most
Illuminating features OF the recent hear
ings of the Mazet committee" remarked
a daily attendant at the hearings today.
has been the regular appearance of
Thomas L. Feitner President Of the Board
OF Tax Commissioners, who. contrary to
the practice of the other heads of depart
ments, has not been content to remain
merely as a spectator. In a certain way
he has attempted to act as a counsel TO
the witnesses from his department,
although he has gone much further than
any mere attorney would presume to do.
He has always apparently believed that
he had the right to interrupt MIR. Moss at
any time, TO object to his questions when
he regarded them as improper or mis-
leading. and to give the witnesses points
on their replies. Mr.. Feitner was espe-
cially uneasy when Tax Deputy Engel-
hardt. the man who admitted that he quail
fled himself for his present post by listen
ing to the conversation of real estate men
who visited his saloon, was on the stand
Mr.. Feitner was constantly bobbing up,
correcting Mr.. Moss statements, shaping
his questions for him, and making nuIner-
Gus protests against the way he was man
aging the investigation.
He was even more nervous when Mr..
Grell, the brewer. who gave his main at
tention to corporate and personal taxes,
was attempting to explain his methods OF
assessments. Mr.. Feitner was not salts
fed to let Mr.. Grell do the testifying; he
must do ii himself. You don't mean what
you say, Mr. Grell, he said in one in
stance; you are talking about Long ISL
and City, not about Brooklyn. But in this
case Mr.. Grell had sufficient courage TO
inform his chief that he knew what he
was talking about, and meant precisely
what he said.
Again, when Mr.. Grell became so badly
confused in his efforts to explain how the
Standard Oil Company was assessed per-
sonal taxes on s60O,O00 when 1t admitted
assessable property of S1T000.0 900, ii was
Mr.. Feitner who jumped up and attempted
to explain the apparent inconsistency"
The police department, as well as the
tax department, has been undergoing a
thorough examination; and now. with the
committee adjourned for five weeks, the
police are taking account of the damages
received by their department thus far, all
endeavoring to make some preparation for
the future. Their belief, as made public
when the investigation began, that, so far
as the police department was concerned,
the chief idea was to obtain material SUI
.
Chief Devery and the present board, Is
more firmly grounded than ever.
1t is pointed out that no specific cases
have been made out against any one man;
+ that Mr.. Moss has endeavored, appar-
I emily, only to pile up mass of evidence
! that was a general indictment of the de-
partment as at present conducted. Wit
nesses have been permitted to fiout the
committee and its counsel at every turn,
/ and after assertions OF an intention and
ability to punish contumacious witnesses,
| it has been admitted that. with the Legis-
| lature not in session. the investigators are
comparatively powerless. This, the politi-
! clans of the force say, is a sure indica-
tion that, whatever may happen to other
branches of the city government, the po-
| lice have but one thing to fear-a renewal
of the attempt to have the Legislature do
/ away with the bipartisan board, and thus
make easy the downfall OF Devery.