The age-herald., 1899-05-17
CAME IN AN INDIRECT WAY
Counsel Asked if He Knew Man By Name
 of Van WyCk Who Was.
DID NOT LET CROKER BOSS HIM
The Mayor of Greater New York De- olared That He Directed the Af- fairs of the City Without
 Boss Dictation.

New York May 16.-Mayor Robert A. VanWyck was on the witness stand today before the Mazet Investigating committee. Mayor VanWyck gave it as his opinion that the conduct of affairs under the new charter has been remarkably satisfactory, but refused to express an opinion regard ing changes in the city offices that might tend to improve the administration I the city affairs. There was not much of note about the mayors testimony and on only one occasion did he find reason to make an outbreak.
 This was when he was questioned by Counsel Moss of the committee, regarding the rumored connection of Ia man named VanWyck'' with a number of pool rooms. The mayor became very angry at this and declared that MT. Moss had asked the question for the purpose of 'insinuation" He demanded that if any evidence was ob- tained to prove any such connection 1t should be produced before the committee. He denied most emphatically that he had any connection with any pool room what soever or any illegal business.
 Mayor Van Wyck asserted emphatically also that he had never consulted with any one regarding the appointments he had made and that he, himself, was the most powerful factor in the city administration, that he was guided absolutely by his own affairs and not by those of MT. Croker or any one else.
 Neither, MT. VanWyck said, had he con- suited with MT. Croker regarding the re- moval of city offices from the New York Life Insurance building to the new syndi- cate building on Park Row. He was very n 0Q f1ad xyifE Asa the various city offices.
 Did Not Consult Croker
 MT. Van Wyck said he had not consulted with MT. Croker at Lakewood in Decem- ber 1897, on the subject of the selection of heads of departments but he had "a run ming conversation" on that subject with John F. Carroll, who is close to Mr. Croker in political matters. Reverting to the sub- ject of the quarters provided for the de- partment officials Counsel Morse asked the mayor if he did not know the building to which the health department had been assigned was not fire-proof
 There is not fire-proof building in the city replied the mayor
 MT. Van Wyck denied that he had been elected mayor by Tammany; he had. he said, been chosen by the people of greater New York.
 ''Who is there in the organization which
 
 has more power than MT. Croker?" asked MT. Moss.
 Nobody has more power than I have" replied the mayor.
 Have you done a single thing contrary to the wishes of MT. Croker?" demanded the lawyer.
 ''I don't know,' said the mayor.
 You have never been called to ac- coupt?''
 Nobody dare call me to account" re- sponded the mayor, warmly. T cannot be called to account except the court shall organize some judicial tribunal No indi- vidual can call me to account"
 In answer to the question if 1t was con- trary to his notion of political ethics that there should be leader of the party whose voice have greater influence and weight than the chief executive, the mayor said tarty:
 You'd better call Senator Platt and ask him that question: He knows more about leadership than I do.''
 The mayor declined to answer further in this respect.
 The mayor said he had discharged Chief Mccullough because he thought he was not fit man for the head of the police force. Police Commissioners Phillips and Hamilton were also removed because he believed they were unfit.
 The mayor was questioned about his
  ality in this city, and the mayor retorted that MT. Moss was morbid about vice.
 Don't Know of Pool Room
 "Have you any idea how many pool rooms there are in the city of New York" q don't know that there Is single one," was the reply.
 The mayor said he knew James A. Ma honey, and had business dealings with him ten or twelve years ago in Texas. He had seen him several times lately.
 "Have you ever heard that your friend Mahoney is the chief of the greatest pool room syndicate in this country?" asked Mir. Moss
 q knew he made books on the race tracks" replied the mayor.
 s.Did you know he was running rooms and receiving bets in those rooms in New York city?'
 ''No."
 The mayor had never heard that Ma honey, MT. Carroll and MT. Secton were jointly connected in pool rooms
 "Have you never heard" sneered MT. Moss, "that a gentleman named Van wyck was interested in them?"
 For the first time the mayor was aroused. ''That is absolutely false" he shouted He wanted to know who told Mir. Moss nythng of the kind.
 'Those things are not easily proved" re- torted the counsel.
 q never had any connection with any illegal calling anywhere in the word,' shouted the mayor. You know that I was not interested in pools when you asked the question. You knew that and you wanted to bring 1t out for the purpose of creating the impression that was. de- mand that you bring out the evidence and show that am connected with pool rooms anywhere in the world or with anything else of an illegal character, and think the chairman of this committee ought to en- force that request"