New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-10
MR.. MOSS WE'LL PLEASED.
A GOOD YIELD FROM THE FIRST DAYS
PROBING.

| AGAIN-sATURDAY's WORK GOT
CLOSE TO CROKER - MRS.
CRoKERs ATTITUDE.
The first days work Of the Mazet COMMITTEES
made 1t clear that the investigators mean busi-
ness. and before Mr. Mazet and his associates
and Frank Moss, their counsel get through the
task they have undertaken. some startling
things are likely to be heard about the methods
upon which this city is being run just now.
That at any rate Is Mr. MOSES opinion, and he
is in a pretty good position to indulge In predic-
tions. Mr. Moss when he was seen yesterday
expressed himself as we'll satisfied and highly
pleased with what had been accomplished on
Saturday. At the very outset the Inquiry got
nearer to Richard Croker than that OF any other
committee has ever got.
There was evidence that tended to show that
Richard Cookers son and his nephew were
reaping financial benefit through the Buildings
Department that the specifications drawn up
by Tammany officials for new schools and build
ings were so worded as to make II practically
impossible for any other company than the one
with which Frank ii. Croker and his cousin,
Charles f. +. Mccain. are connected, to bid for
contracts for freproofng. While It is true that
Mr. Mccain was generous enough to offer his
services to two competing freproofng concerns
with a view to getting the objections Of the
Buildings Department to their material removed
he stipulated as the evidence proved that those
services should be remunerated to the extent Of
$4,000 from each company Mr.. Mccain Is
under thirty and inexperienced. lawyer OF only
about three years standing. but he Is intelli-
gent, and it was presumed by those who heard
him testify that the high value he placed upon
his services was not so much because OF his ex-
ceptional professional ability the knowledge
of the intrinsic worth of his relationship to
Richard Croker.
WANTS TO HEAR YOUNG CROKER.
The friendship between Frank H. Croker and
Mr. Mccain and the Buildings Department ia
to be further ventilated before the committee
Mr.. Moss is anxious to get young Croker on the
stand and it remains to be seen whether the
Tammany leaders son will make good his PROM
Use and present himself before the committee
to-day. The Buildings Department itself is 70
receive some very close attention from Mr.
Moss This department, because Of the powers
vested in it and because of the Importance Of
its functions. should be above suspicion, but on
Saturday the first charge of attempted bribery
brought out before the committee was agains,
this very department 1t was asserted by ". p.
Tostevin. president of the Tosteyn- Hayes Fire
proof Construction Company. that through
Con" DAILY. saloonkeeper and Tammany poll
tician OF Columbus-ave, to whom he was sent
by Superintendent Dooner Of the Buildings De-
partment, he was informed that he could get
his freproof material favorably passed upon by
the department for 81, 600
The committee VIII renew its sittinrs a, 10
o'clock this morning in the rooms OF the Board
nf Trodo M
found 1t impossible TO secure the use Of any o,
the courtrooms, and as Mayor Van Wyck with
characteristic urbanity refused TO allow the In
veJtigating body to hold It's sessions in the
Council Chamber the members were obliged 10
accept the offer OF the Board Of Trade. Con-
siderable Inconvenience will arise from being
compelled to sit in these cramped quarters but
under the circumstances the committee is pow
eress to make better arrangements
When the inquiry was adjourned on Saturday
Chief Devery on the stand. His examina-
ton was not finished, but whether or not he
will be the first witness called this morning
Mr.. Moss would not say yesterday. For pre-
cautions sake he said, It was best that he
should not make known his plans in advance.
However. 1t Is more than probable that Devery
will be recalled some time to-day. 1t is we'll
partment whom Mr.. Moss more disttusts than
the Chief. and he has got that official now just
where he has wanted him for a long time
MORE TROUBLE FOR DEvERY
Mr. Moss has many more interesting and per-
tinent questions to put to Devery. He has al
ready forced the rotund head of the police force
to confess that he is not only incapable and in
competent, but is negligent In suppressing the
hundreds of vicious haunts, poolrooms, policy
shops, indecent concert halls, and illegal resorts
generally which exist in this city. In his at
tack Saturday Mr. Moss was speaking by
the book. and Devery knew 1t. The Chief knows
also that Mr.. Moss has plenty of other charges
up his sleeve yet and it is just that knowledge,
people saying yesterday. that made him
sit so uneasily in the witness-chair on Saturday
and which made him go conveniently forgetful,
blissfuy ignorant of things and happenings
which every one else knows. and so ingenuously
simple that he did not understand the meaning
OF the term "wide-open town"
The thought is generally expressed that at
least one result OF the committees probing will
be that Mr.. Moss will gain his desire Of seeing
Chief Devery busted from Mulberry-st.
The course Of the inquiry on Saturday would
seem to indicate that the committee will not
devote much IL any. OF its time to subordinate
officiais In the city government, but will aim
high and seek TO strike at the leaders OF the
organization now controlling the municipal ad
ministration and fasten uron them the RESPONSE
bility for any corruption and criminal methods
which may be brought to light.
MR. MOSES STATEMENT
To Tribune reporter who saw him yester
day at his home No. 300 East One-hundred
and-twentieth-st. Mr. Moss said
II am satisfied with the results obtained on
Saturday and think the committee is also well
satisfied with the first days work. But beyond
that l would prefer not TO say anything.
have made Il a point also for reasons that are