The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-14
MAzET TAKES A HAND
In the Investigation of the Ram
apo Water Steal.
WITNESSES ARE RETICENT
They Refuse to Answer Questions
Which Throw Any Light on the
Deal-Dutcher and Platt
on the Stand.

New York, Sept. 13--The most i'm
portant and interesting witness at to-
days session of the Mazet legislative
investigating committee was Frank H.
Plat, son of United States Senator
Thomas C. Plat and junior member of
the law firm of Tracey, Boardman &
Plat. Mr.. Plat was called as a wit
ness for the purpose of throwing addi-
tional light upon the organization and
the plan and scope of the Ramapo Wat
er company AS a matter of fact, he
did not give very much information in
regard to the origin of this water COM
pany, which hoped to secure 5000, 00O-
900 contract from the city Of New York
Questioned by Mr.. Hoffman, who rep
resented the democratic minority in the
Mazet committee, Mr.. Platt declined to
answer in regard to the amount of stock
which he held in the City Trust COM
pany, and when pressed for an explain
alton, said:
1T is none of your business"
Silas b. butcher, president of the
Ramapo Water company, was. also
questioned, but he did not give details
concerning that organization. num-
Der of other witnesses were called TO
the stand, but nothing of general inter-
est was eHc1teQ.
AT the opening of to-day's SEES
sion of the Mazet investigation
committee Mr.. Moss, of coun-
sci to the commission. said it was eX-
pected that Mr.. Croker would be on
the stand some time during the day.
The first witness to-day was Alfred y.
White, former commissioner of the
city water works in Brooklyn. In 1896
he made an exhaustive report on the
Brooklyn water supply. Three sources
of supply were examined at the time,
one of them being the Ramapo water
supply.
Witness said that General Tracey had
asked the witness in 1894 if the propo-
stion from a private water company
would be received. Witness replied
that he would do nothing until after
his engineers had made their reports.
He thought General Tracey represent
ed the Ramapo company at that time.
Mr. White said that Engineer Worth
en- had reported that to deliver water
from the Ramapo shed to Brooklyn
would cost 500 per million gallons and
that the Ramapo supply would be in
adequate. Mr.. White said it was his
view that the state ought to take
charge of all it's water sheds and APP
portion them between the cities
Frank H. Plat, son of Senator Plat,
and junior member of the law firm
called to the witness chair. Mr.. Plat
said he knew little of the Ramapo
Water company. He had no personal
knowledge that General Tracey had
ever been president of the company.
When General Tracey came into the
firm in 1889, he brought with him a
lawsuit concerning the validity of the
title to certain lands in which the
Ramapo company was interested.
When the act of 1895 was before Gov
ernor Morton, by which the right was
given to the Ramapo company to sell
water anywhere in the state, General
Tracey had requested that a gentle
man connected with the firm appear
before Governor Morton and present
the case Of the Ramapo company
Il never knew anything personally
about the Ramapo Water company"
said Mr. Platt.. Never had any in
terest. direct or indirect in it; never
knew anything about the bill, and
never knew about the contract until
l read of it In the newspapers"
Assemblyman Hoffman asked Mr..
Platt whether General Tracey was not
president of the Ramapo company at
the time he was member of the Great
er New York charter commission.
Il only know that the newspapers
said he resigned the presidency before
going on the commission"
DO you know that General Tracey
owned s1,000,O0O worth Of stock in the
company
IT know nothing about it."
DO you own stock in that COM
pany?"
None" a..
Never did,"
Never"
He was asked whether his firm did
any work for Silas B. Quicker. He
did not remember, but thought not
He knew nothing about Mr.. butchers
connection with the company.
Mr. Platt said the Fidelity Deposit
company had done business in fair
and open competition with other Sc
curity companies. Senator Platt, he
added owned no stock in the company
Mr.. Hoffman asked: What stock do
you hold in the City Trust company"
II decline to answer" replied the
witness.
Why"
1T is none of your business"
Witness declared that he had told
Governor Black, when that official re-
fused to sign certain corporation bill,
that he could not be renominated.
Witness had appeared before Governor
Roosevelt with regard to the Ford
franchise bill and said that it was sub
sequent to this that the special session
of the legislature was called at which |
the bill was amended. Witness had
never received any blocks of stock for
his services to any corporation, or for |
his influence, nor had any member of |
his family.
Siias b. butcher, president of the |
Ramapo Water company, was called to |
the stand. He said he had been presi- |
dent of the company since July, 1897. |