The times., 1899-04-21
CROKER CHANGES HIS PLANS.
There Is No Intention to Resort I.
Retaliation.

ihere Is No Intention to Resort to
Retaliation.
New York, April 20.-Richard Croker
SAID today that, so far as he knew. no COM
mittees would be appointed By the Munich
pal Assembly in enquire into alleged in
reference on the part of Republicans with
Tammany's administration of the city gov
ernment His announcement created con-
siderable surprise. for it was only a few
days ago that reports emanated from the
Democratic Club that the Boss was 60
ing to make It warm for his opponents, .
and that another investigating commit
tee was 10 be appointed. What has caus-
ed the change OF programme was not ex-
planned.
Mr.. Croker was asked at the Democratic
Club this morning whether or not Tam
many, as was rumored, intended TO attack
FRANK Moss on the ground that when Moss
was an ex-oficio member Of the Board OF
Health be was also counsel for persors
accused OF having sold adulterated milk
thus putting himself in the position OF a
person representing two sides Of case al
the same time
i have not heard that any such en-
quirfes were to be made into Mr.. Moss
A~Noiu, si-u hT- STOheT. w HGu MT.
Moss began to pose as a poor man at the
investigation the other day some of my
friends recalled that ON July Is of last year
he bought at auction the house at 81 East
ilSth Street for S17, ,229; but so far as
am personally concerned / see nothing
wrong in such transactions. l have heard
OF no attempt TO investigate MIR. Moss and
ask him where he go; it.. The presump-
tion is that he got it honestly, although
10 pf h a. en-.
cation implied that he did not think any
Tammany man could get anything hon
estly."
is there any truth in the story that,
since your son Franks name was con-
nected with certain patented sewer pipe
concern known as the Pittsburg Clay
Manufacturing Company, that company S
sewer pipes have been extensively used in
the borough of the Bronx, and that other
sewer pipe firms have begun to complain
that they are not getting a fair deal?"
There is no truth in the story" said
Mr.. Croker. The Mazet committee has
objected to my going into the auto-truck
business. which requires no franchise. 1t
has tried to make it appear that l bought
stock in the Consolidated Ice Company,
which any person would have a right to
do, and suppose before long it will have
me in the ice cream business. 1t doesn t
buy stock in any company which l think
will be profitable
do you think that Tammany will get
up any kind Of a counter investigatin COM
mittee TO keep the Mazet committee busy
this summer
Il have heard of no such intentions.
Tammany Hall, so far as l know. will con-
tinue to act in a dignified way toward the
Mazet committee, and will aid the COM
mittee in getting at the whole truth
When do you think the city will be in a
financial position to begin building its own
gas works and the underground railroad,
which you said a few days ago would be a
good thing for the city to undertake.
The gas plant, think. could be started
pretty soon," said MIR. Croker. but as to
the time of attempting to build the pro-
posed underground road, / have not been
able to form an opinion. All l have said
III that connection is that if the city could
see its way clear to undertake the work
it ought to do so. But whether the city
ought to build the railroad on a cash
basis with the money from taxation each
year. or issue bonds to be sold to the peo-
pie, so that the road would eventually pay
for itself cut of its own profits | am not
able to say. | have not got that far along
If the city could build the road in sections
on the cash basis. from direct taxation
l would prefer to see the work done that
way. j am informed by the finance de-
rartment that considerable could be done
in that direction which it was formerly
thought could not be done on account of
the debt limit
Frank Moss. counsel for the Mazet In
vestigating Committee, declared this
morning that he was not TO be frightened
off by such attacks upon him as that
implied by TammaIy leaders last night
when they declared that Immediately after
he left the police board he had bought two
valuable houses in Harlem. Mr.. Moss re-
manned at his home. 306 East 12Gth Street,
today to escape interruption from callers
while he prepares for tomorrow session
OF the committee. When his attention
was called TO the Tammany attack upon
him his manner showed that the only eff
feet of the charges was 10 make him more
resolute than ever in prosecuting the in
vestigation.
IF they think they can frighten me off
by such foolish charges he said, with
vigorous emphasis, accompanied by the
look that he wears when he is having enc
of his serious tits with Mr.. Croker, they
are mistaken. They can't stop me by such
methods as those; they will have TO slug
me.
They charge that l bought the two
houses at "a and % East One Hundred and
Eighteenth Street Just after leaving the
police board. The facts are these: The
houses were sold at mortgage foreclosure
sale. a mortgage of SIS, eco rested on each.
The fact that Peter f. Meyer & Co. sold
them has no signifcance-the firm was Sc
lected as auctioneer for that particular
sale. The houses We're knocked down TO
me at S1,5GG each. /. OF course, assuming
the mortgages. The only money | paid
was the $4,000 and the necessary expenses
OF the sale. | had to borrow the money
for that. Since that time have succeeded
in reducing the mortgages by $1,000 each.
so that now / hold the houses with mort
gage Of $4,000 apiece. That's the whole
story. II MIR Croker can make anything
out OF that he is more than welcome TO Il.
Such attacks only make me more resolved
to do my duty, and, as | have said. if they
want TO stop me. they'll have to slug me-
Although Mr.. Moss will not reveal his
plans. it is regarded as almost certainty
that administration of the Tenderloin pre-
cinct will be made the subject Of inquiry
before the committee returns to Albany
on Monday night. MIR. Moss realizes that
a rich field OF investigation has been open
ed up there. and there are many things
that will have to be explained about affairs
in that district before Mr. Moss is salts
fled. Because the charges made against
Captain Prices conduct in that district
came from a divekeeper is NOT regarded
By Mr.. Moss and the committee as sufti-
cient proof Of their falsity. 1t is realized
that the only persons from whom evidence
of that kind may be expected are divekeep-
ers. for in such cases they are the only
ones besides the guilty men, who know
the facts.
Chief Deyery will be within call during
the coming sessions of the committee, and
ID is probable that Mir. Moss may again
place him on the rack. John b. Sexton the