New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-15

the committees counsel laughter frequently ran
through the audience and every once in while
Commissioner Hoahan sprang TO his feet IN
sisting upon addressing the chairman. and re-
curing the services or the sergeant-at-arms 10
s1uelch him. The four principal witnesses OF
tho day presented marked contrasts. There was
tho frankly brutal witness. Richard Croker. the
irritable. insolent witness Mayor Van Wyck;
the Willy tacturn witness, Hugh Mclaughlin
and tho loqtacious and humorous witness. Ed
ward Lauterbach
or course. it was fully expected that Croker
would be- brutal Van Wyck insolent and Me
Laughlin tacturn. 50 no one was astonished by
this display Of their leading characteristics; but
Mr. Lauterbach. counsel for the Ramapo Water
Company gave the committee. the company
the spectators and fhe Tammany officials who
tried 10 pass the Ramapo contract. genuine
surprise when he denounced the proposed con-
tract as a fatal one for fhe company 20 enter
into a gold tipped cinch" Of the first magni-
tude for the city if the company's directors had
been foolish enough 20 sign II. and declared
that if it went through he would be glad to sell
his 25O shares of Ramapo Water stock for one
cent the dollar.
SHIFTS BLAME TO INGRAIIAM.
He declared that the contract bound the COM
and aqueducts. In order tha- It might be in
position to deliver 2OOOOOOOO gallons of water
a day. ard yet tho city had the right to call for
and pay for only one pint "a day if its Water
Commissioner saw Mt Turning to Mr.. In
graham. associate counsel Cor the Ramapo COM
pany. he exclaimed dramatically. Mr.. Ingraham
It was YOU who had to deal with that contract
drawn up by John Whalen and If YOU were
such a ninny as to allow yourself TO be i'm
posed upon in that way. | can no longer enter
tain the same opinion of your professional
ability as formerly had This caused a burst
Of laughter. in which Nj. Ingrahamjoned hearth
ly Mr.. Lauterbach followed This up b. gravey
asserting that If Commissioner Hoahan and
his hackers and coadjutors nad succeeded in
enticing the Ramapo company into such deal
as was proposed. they would have been the
greatest benefactors of The city Of NewYork
that the present century had seen.
"Ain't he the prince Of joliers?" exclaimed a
man IN the audience, as general grin went
around Hoiahan looked puzzled. He could not
see Lauterbach's motive at first. Mr.. Moss did
"Fveryb body is crawling out of this contract as
fast as he can" was his comment
GREAT FLOW OF LANGUAGE.
Mr.. Lauterbach is what is called a smart"
lawyer. but ne is no exception 20 the rule that
lawyers generally make poor witnesses. As Nc
Laughlin who preceded hin. and who never says
one word more than is absolutely necessary 70
convey his meaning. was a fine example Of the
hardest kind of a witness. which d crOss-eX-
aiAiner can tackle Mr. Lauterbach, whose
flow of words Is ike a running faucet un-
Willingly presented to AIr Moss many excellent
openings and suggestions fof new interrogations.
Mr. Moss was quick To pick up Mr- Lauterbachs
hint that the contract. # enforced, would prob
ably bankrupt the company. and he asked
few questions Of the witness. whose answers
showed that provision had already been made
10 sell stocks and bonds Of the company 10 the
public to the extent Of millions and millions OF
dollars
This exactly FITS in with the theory which Mr..
Moss advanced on the first day Of the present
session Of the committee. when he declared his
belief that the whole plot was stock jobbins
scheme. intended to swindle the public Mr..
Moss said he felt confident the company knew
il was Undertaking contract Impossible 10 iu.-
M and fully intended 10 fail, after getting the
money from the sale OF stock and bonds. the
value OF which would be greatly enhanced IN
the eyes Of the unthinking public by the fact
that the company haa secured contract which
called upon the city TO pay n N9'H""" a year
for forty years Mr. Lauterhachs testimony
Mr Moss declared. Went far 20 establish the
truth Of this theory
OFFERED A USELESS LIST
Mr. Lauterbach's habit OF uttering eight words
where two would suffice gave Mr. Moss a second
fine opening The counsel for the committee
asked the witness if he were a stockholder in
the Ramapo Water Company. Il am" replied
Mr. Iauterbach Now. that was enough. but
not enough for Mr.. Lauterbach. who added
~but not p stockholder Of record" "Oh. hor
srrt. .,ara
other stockholders in that company whose
names are not on the record" Mr.. Lauterbach
then had 20 confess that the list Of the COM
pany's stockholders, which he had offered 50 I'M
nressively 10 the committee the previous
day on condition that II b" kept from the re-
porters was in reality not an accurate and com
nlete list OF the companys real stockholders at
the present time bur only a copy Of the stock
holders ~ record. Richard Croker and all the
Tammany chiefs even Senator Patt himself
might own shares H. the company without
that carefully guarded list giving any mint or
IT, 1t was a painful antcllmaN
LAUTERBACH PRAISES CARROLL.
Nothing short of adjournment could stop Mr.
Iauterbach's loquacity. however. He consumed
an immense amount OF time uselessly in this
way and soon go. into trouble again. Mr.
Moss was asking him about his uncheons at
the LAWYERS Club with johnny" Carroll. Cro-
ker's favorite retainer. Did you talk about
water" asked Moss meaning. OF course. Ram
apo water az the witness well knew. Yes"
replied Mr. Lauterbach smiling Il told him |
was taking four quarts Of hot water daily and
losing considerable weight" The laugh which !
this sally raised would have satisfied most
iokers but not Mr.. Lauterbach. who added: He |
recommended my buying some Consolidated Ice
stock also. oh twith an exaggerated sigh, I've !
got IL yet
That VAS funny. too. ~ course. hut II happens !
that another OF Mr.. Moss pet theories is that /,
Croker and Carroll are deeply Interested In the !
Ice Trust which bled the poor harshly this 7.
summer and Mr. Moss at once wanted 10 know F
why a shreWd and successful man Of the world !
Ike Mr. Lauterhach would unhestatingly buy !
three hundred shares of ice stock just because |!
a man who never was ahle 20 earn more than "A |
Every view Is a picture As seen from the spacious |
decks OF swift Day Line steamer-Advt j