The record-union., 1899-09-15
Mayor Van Wyck Appears Before
the Mazet Committee.
From the Outset the Examination Too
Form Of an Acrimonious COIIoquy.
The Mayor Intimates That Moss,
Attorney for the Committee,
Was Seeking to Reach a Seat ON
the Supreme Bench by Pressing
a Partisan Investigation.

a Partisan Investigation.
NEW YORK, Sept. 14-Mayor Rob-
ert A. Van Wyek occupied the witness
chair before the Assembly committee
investigating the various departments
of the municipal government.
From the outset the examination of
the Mayor by Counsel Moss took the
form of an acrimonious coIlocuy, in
the course of which Mr. Van Wyck in
timated that Mr. Moss was seeking to
reach a seat ON the Supreme Court
bench by pressing a partisan investiga-
ton and sneered at counsels attain
ments as a lawyer.
Mr.. Van Wyck began his testimony
by saying he had. from the time he as
sumed office, been alarmed over the in
adequacy of the Brooklyn water sup
ply. He had not given the Ramapo
Water Company contract considera-
ton, it would be time enough for that
when it reached him officiallyy. 1t was,
witness understood, a mere option, and
could do no harm to the city Witness
had not consulted with the heads Of de-
partments regarding the contract. The
officials, he said, were to exercise their
own judgment and not to come to him
for advice upon such subjects Witness
again said he would consider the Ra-
mapo contract when it came before
him.
When will it come before you?'
asked Mr.. Moss.
when I send for it,
when will you send for it?"
None of your business
The witness was not convinced there
was any fraud in the Ramapo contract,
and advised counsel to call Comptroller
Color and Bridge Commissioner Shea,
the only city officials who had charged
fraud. Counsel began formulating a
question as to the duty of the Mayor to
remEve Commissioners who were in
competent.
oh broke in the Mayor, "you are
talking of removals, and you have been
talking of legislating me out. Why
don't you go ahead and do it, and not
be talking such impertinence? And
why don't you receive that list of stock
holders you referred to yesterday? You
talk as though Silas b. butcher, Levi
p. Merton and General Tracey, having
stock III the company, were a pack of
thieves"
Richard Croker followed Mayor Van
Wyck. He testified that he did not ad-
wise any of the Commissioners on the
subject of the Ramapo contract. Before
he went to Europe last spring a COM
mittee of citizens had called upon the
witness to urge the need of an improved
water system. He was often visited by
such committees, seeking his aid and
influence. Witness intended to inquire
into the merits of the Ramapo con-
tract.
What are you going to do in the
way of advising these gentlemen of the
Board of Public Improvement after
you have made your investigation?
asked Mr.. Moss.
81 am not going to tell you. You're
not here for a fair investigation, re-
piled Mr.. Croker. You're here for one
side only and for one purpose only.
I've been looking you up, as I said L
would when [ was on the stand before.
You told me 1 might do it, and 1 have
done it. 1 will prove you now man of
bad standing in this city. l viii tell
what l know to the press here to-day. I
have here decision from the Supreme
Court"
So saying, Mr.. Croker handed a writ
ten statement to the reporters present,
The statement concerning Mr.. Moss.
which Mr.. Croker gave to the reporters,
was an extract from an opinion of the
Justices of general term of the Supreme
Court in a case in which there was in
troduced as evidence a deposition at
tested by Mr.. Moss and another as
Notaries Public
Mr. Moss was examined in court as to
the authorization of the signatures Of
the deponent and the witness. but he
admitted that the document was not
signed in his presence, and that he only
knew the witness through the introduce
tion by the principal. Mr. Justice Van
Brunt expressed the opinion that the
notaries Zone of them Mr.. Moss should
be criminally prosecuted for attesting
instruments without having seen the
signing of them. and without the
of the sgners' identity,
which the law requires.
ADD MAZET. :. :. :. :. :. =.
At the afternoon session the chief
witnesses were Hugh Mclaughlin of
Brooklyn and Edward Lauterbach the
latter counsel for the RamaDo Com
pany. Several communications were
read. one of which was from Stuyves-
ant Fish, President of the Illinois Cen
trail Railroad, asking that it be placed
on record that his company had no bus
mess transactions with Senator Il. G.
Platt.
Mr.. Mclaughlin, during the course Of
his examination, pointed out that he
had not held public Office for twenty
five years: that he was merely private
citizen. and therefore he refused to
answer a number of questions which
he deemed concerned only his private
affairs He, however, denied all asso-
citation with officials of the Ramapo
Company in relation to the proposed
water contract, and declared that he
had no conference with Richard Croker
touching the matter
Great Destruction by a Hurricane.
ST. THOMAS Cd. w. -, Sept. 1t
.Advices received at st. kits from the
island of Anguilla, one of the British
West India Islands. Leeward Group
say that a hurricane during the night
of September Sth destroyed 200 houses