The San Francisco call., 1899-04-11
CHIEF DEVERY
NOW DEFIANT
Talks Up to Legislative
Investigators.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, April 1O.-Only two
witnesses of any Importance were put
on the stand before the Mazet legisla-
tive investigating committee to-day,
and though the investigation continued
for a number of hours into the AFTER
noon no particularly convicting evil
dence was brought out The invesu-
eating committee adjourned its session
until next Friday, when the chief wit
ness will be Richard Croker.
Frank Croker, son of Richard Croker,
was on the stand all morning. He tes-
titled that he had paid $4,000 to enter
the Roebling Fire Proof Company, and
was drawing a salary of $500 from 1t
to learn the business" Young croker
first said he had given for his 10 shares
of stock a check for the amount men
toned, but when asked If he would
produce the Cancelled check he grace
fully worked into an admission that the
stock was paid for in cash furnished
by his father He said he had got the
money in big bills from his home and
kept it in his room all night He told
of being presented with $4,000 worth of
stock in the United Company be
cause he said, ."they knew we had
lots of friends in railroads and such
places"
Chief of Police William S. Devery
was again put upon the rack after
Frank Croker had given his testimony.
Much of the questioning of the police
captain was similar to that of Satur-
day when he was asked to explain the
existence of many disorderly resorts In
the city that flOurished at all hours OF
the night. Devery said that the police
department had done all it could do,
he no. a6 before
to close such places. DeVery denied
| that he knew of any high official of
the city who was interested in pool
rooms.
W. P. Tostevin was called as the first
I witness. He made some comparatively un-
| important corrections in his testimony OF
! Saturday. He admitted that he had no
! personal knowledge of money having. been
| accepted by any one connected with the
! building department.
Thomas Walker, a builder under indict-
ment for violation of the building law,
testified that he had been approached by
d man who offered to procure dismissal
of the indictment, but Walker refused TO
| give his name.
ed. He told Mr. Mazet that he took ex-
ception to the old charges against him
brought up by Mr.. Moss on Saturday be-
ing admitted in evidence. Mr. Mazet
noted his exception. Then Devery ad-
dressed the committee:
81 ask the protection of this committee
I.
question touching my administrator as
Chief of Police" said the Chief. Il am
here and stand ready to make an open
breast as to any question he may ask me
touching on the subject of the welfare of
! the property-owner or as to any question
touching my administration since l have
been Chief of Police. I think his object in
entering into these matters in this case
| is to go behind the stay of the court he
is an officer of, the Supreme Court, and
his object is entirely foreign TO this in
The Chief hedged in his answers to
numerous questions. Again and again Nj.
Moss tried to get at the old charges when
Devery was a police captain, and agaln
and again Devery did not remember"
Il don't remember, now, don't remem-
| ber I can't remember, he reiterated.
''The records Of the police headquarters
this
ly indefinite answers from Devery, fol-
lowed At last Mr.. Moss got this one out
of him:
any money or valuable thing. for doing or
refraining from doing my duty, or any
part of my official duty. and have never
received a dishonest dollar or demanded
one in my life. l defy anybody on that.
1 am advised that any question touching
my personal affairs is not material or
proper or pertinent to this inquiry, and l
decline to answer by advice of counsel"
THAT means you won't tell US what real
estate you own, what stocks you nave,
-
erty you have in general?' said Mr.. Moss
"Well, 1 don't mean that said the
Chief. II am willing to let the public knew
anything, but | decline to answer any
questions touching on those matters you
Now. Chief" said Mr.. Moss, referring
to the old charges, don't you know why
it was that with all that had occurred in
the past which was unexplained, unde-
MED because you had no - oPporCIpltydi lrrcd as as
the past you should have been suddenly
jumped from a captaincy to the chief
taincy in three months? Why should that
have been? Why was 1t so. How did it
occur?"
fBecause I was a capable officer and
could fulfill the position and have got a
clean record in the police department"
Nj. Moss questioned the Chief closely
about his movements last night. Devery
admitted that he had met Police Commits
sioner Sexton at his regular corner, where
on Saturday the Chief testified tha. he
bed. Then Mr.. Moss brought out the fact
that Devery spent good deal of time
orderly resort called the Broadway Gar
den, the former proprietor of which Is
said to be among the list of witnesses to
expose police methods
Are you going about and seeing the
people whom you see here to see If they
are going, to appear against you?" de-
II don't know" replied the Chief.
Mr.. Moss asked why, even while the
committee was sitting IN session here, the
pool rooms were running all around He
stated that he had in his pocket money
that his Investigate tors had won in the pool
rooms; Devery said his men were "look-
ing after it." He added that If Mr. Moss
would make. specific complaint he
would have the men arrested. In answer
to the question why, with the money
and men at his command, he was unable
to close the pool rooms, Devery said he
! did the best he could.
The Chief promised he would try to
stamp out pool rooms, policy shops and
massage Establishments, to which Mr..
Moss drew his attention by referring TO
newspapers Devery denied that he was
himself interested in pool rooms or that
there were men prominent in the city
them.
Did you ever hear of the time when
one man became interested in racing
horses and on one little word from him
all the pool rooms In New York closed up
tight?" asked Mr.. Ross.
81 never did," said Devery
And you cannot imagine who that man
was, can your"
No sir"
you never heard Mr.. Croker's name
mentioned in connection with the fact?''
NO SIR"
Suppose Mr.. Croker should command