The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-20
Edward Lauterbaeh, COmpany's
Counsel On Stand.
BE Has Very Little To
Tell However.
President Butcher Also Displays
Ignorance.

AN0u AOhhs AcPbCAA aVs-Ast " oA ~
Lauterbaoh, counsel for the Ramapo COM
pany, was ON the stand today before the
Mazst committee. He was asked to tell
whether the Ramapo stockholders had
decided to submit a list of their names.
Mr.. Lauterb bach stated that be had been
instructed not to submit the list on any
other terms than those previously named.
which were that the names should not
be made public. Mr.. Lauterbach and MIR.
Moss had several wordy rows during the
examination. The witness was asked
II hu had ever said he would much rather
see Tammany man elected mayor than
a man who belonged to no organization.
He replied in the affirmative. Later he
was given an opportunity to explain his
preliminary" speech, as he called 1t.
He said that his words merely expressed
a preference for an organization nomina-
ton, even by a hostile organization to q
by brid one. There was nothing of i'm.
portance to be learned from MIR. Lauter-
bach.
Silas B. butcher. president OF the
Ramapo company, who was called to the
stand. declared that he had no such docu
ments as he had been oalied upon 60 pro.
duce before the com mittee. Mr.. butcher
declined to answer a number of ques-
tons put to him and was unable to say
where the books of the company were.
He will be put on the stand tomorrow.
Bird S. Coler, comptroller of New
York city was the first witness before the
committee today. He did not care TO say
whether he had received certain invita-
tions Co be out of town at the time the
Ramapo contract was to come up. Mr..
Coler said he saw no reason why the city
should not build Its own. water plant.
1t had the money.
versity. who Was a member of the Great
or New York charter commission. said he
could not say who drew section All OF the
charter. This section created the board
OF public improvements before which
the Ramapo contract came up for APPROX
oil.
Counsel Moss said 1t had been suggest
ed that section AL had been put into the
charter surreptitiously In order to allow
the Ramapo company to secure its oon-
tract from the city.
Mr.. Low said that was not true, but
that thssection had been put in the char
ter for the express purpose of protecting
the city against any private water COM
pany seeking contract with the city.
He had opposed the Ramapo matter per-
sistently.
James X. Croes, an expert EN- gineer on
water works, said that part Of the water
distribution system Of New York was Sc
or 60 years old and was detective.
Mr.. Moss asked whether 1t were practi-
cal to supply water in three years accord
ing to the Ramapo contract. The engi
neer replied that 1t was not Some com
motion was occasioned when Mr.. Moss
called the name of MIR. Edward Lauter.
bach. The latter arose from mis- chair and
addressing Chairman Mazet, began Il
speak concerning two sections of a report
made to the controller by Enginee,
Croes
"We would rather have you speak from
the witness CHAIR" said Mr.. Moss.
'Well, I desire to ask the witness a
question or two about reports" said Mr..
Lsuterbach.
"They are all In evidence" said Mr..
Moss.
'Mr. Moss" said Mr.. Lauterbach,
angrily. ST am not speaking 20 you.
am addressing myself to the chairman O
this committee.
Mr.. Lauterbaoh was called to the stand
and asked to tell whether the Ramap,
stockholders had decided to submit lisi
of their names. He said he had consulted
with Mr. butcher, Charles A. Lamont
and other stockholders and had rece<Sed
from son of MIR. Lamont copy of the
list.
ut was instructed, :" said MIR. Lauter
bach, mot to submit the list on any 9th
er terms than those under shiloh 1t wa
submitted to you, Mr.. Moss. and refused
by you"
The terms were that II. should not b
made public.
Mr.. Moss-"I read from an interview
with Mr.. Nixon the Ramapo bill whel
it came out of committee was harmful
bill.'"
| MIR. Lauterbach passionately protest
ed: "This Is the horror of an investigat
ing committee" he said, ''that state
ments like that may be read and wit
ness questioned on them. The TACT tina
this Is in some Newspaper
at is not in a Newspaper" said Mr.
Moss. SIT Is in the attorney general
report of the hearing" -
"There is no such report, " said MIR
Lauterbach. warmly.
''This is the most outrageous methos
of conducting business or any othe
lawyer ever heard.of,'' continued tina wit
ness, showing considerable anger.
Mr.. Moss insisted that MIR. Lautar