The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-18
MAZET lNQUlSITION
Boss Croker and His Lieutenant Car
roll in Contempt.
DIDN'T ANSWER QUESTIONS.
Refused to Tell Of What They CLAN
Are Personal Affairs
IAMNANY CHlEFTAlN WAKES wRAIHY
Denies Positively Ever Having Received
Money for His Influence.
SALOON KEEPERS STARTLING STATEMENTS
Says Police OFFICER Made Him Pay foi
Protcrtion--rhieNes Compelled
to Divide Their Booty.

New York April l7,-ln the Legislative |
investigating commission todayR Rich |
ard Croker was again the principal
witness and the most important develop |
ment was the probability that the Tam
many chiefiain and John L. Carroll VIII
be the subject Of contempt proceedings be-
fore the State legislature shall adjourn.
In the evidence today Mr.. Croker parted
the questions of the counsel in regard 10 i
his business relations and the amount of
tcstin ony he was willing to give regard
ing matters, which he classified as per
sonal Affairs
BY the initiative Of Mr.. Moss many of
Nhose questions Mr. Croker repeatedly re
/ fused 90 anawer, and with whom he had
/ several sallies that came very near being
{ personal. the oh lirmln OF the commission
took such action as would leave Mr.. Cro-
ker in technical contempt, 1t was stated
! tonight that when MI, Fellows Of he CONT
mitteo left his Afternoon for Albany he
hal instructions 10 prepare papers adjndg-
ing MIR. Croker and Mr. John Carroll in
contempt.
When the committee began its inquiry
to-day about the first thing brought up was
a resort known as the Broadway Garden,
which had fourished in the upper Broad
wsy district for some time In this place
/ the alleged robbery of former Mayor OF
! Trenton Frank MaGowan, took place, and
Simon Buttner, the former proprietor OF
/ the garden was examined. Buttner made
some startling charges against Poli,e cap
tain Price and his walters corroborated IN
part his testimony
4 He testified that in 1890. when he came
to this city "a country jay, he went 10
a certain politician who told him that he
would have to see the police. lie was in-
structed TO see Inspector Williams. but
he could not see him and met Price, then
a roundsman. now captain.
Buttnor testified that Price told him nc
would have to pay him 500 month to
insure the protection of the resort which
he started, and that If anybody was
robbed he Price, was to get halt
And have done business with him for
quite awhile" said Buttner.
Buttner swore that the first thing that
Price did was TO threaten to close the
Broadway garden unlnss be received Slou
and half of any robbery that WAS acsoin
nlished in It, He objected and told Price
no was running straightforward game
and letting out no rooms, but. according
10 the witness. Price replied; II don
care a d II YOU let out a hundred
rooms a night, want SlHO month.
pnttner asserted that he had known o.
more than hundred cases In when tnt
police had made women snare WIN III ~.
money they had stolen from men IA
s,Yrre that On one occasion woman
rohbed a man Of $4,000 and gave the wnol'
amount to the ward man. A.,
Richard Croker was then called. Mr
Moss asked him about the contribution
made Inv the judicial candidates last He,il
, M Croker could not tell the amount. hr
! lCrolor had never heard that tho Metrop1l-
itan street railway or persons Interest,"
Ia a bad contributed $3.50. 900 TO the Tam
y many hall during the last election' HiF
(; Croker had received no money, dlrecuy U
j, indirectly. from Mr.. Carroll during the
y last year. From Andrew FREEDMAN ne
; ,.,,hSr his firm (Meyer g. Croker, ha'
received money Mr. Croker said nc wa
interested with Mr. Freedman in tho
ljnited States Fidelity company
g ,syou know ali the bond officers OF tb
n ritv government take out their bonds IRON
, your company" qreried Mr. Moss
: mot all OF them Some OF them thk
them our OF your boss company Thi
caused loud laughter
: DO Won mean Mr.. Pletts company
\ eve YES " said Mr.. Croker you know
4 what / mean, and there was more laugh
n Ter
MIR. Croker presumed his own compan
had The majority of the business In IN
CITY and Mr. Platt's in the state.
Nr. Moss asked Mr.. Croker how mue
he paid for his stock in the initial state
Bond company, and whether the stock wa
given 10 him upon the formation OF tn
company.
! Mr.. Croker refused TO answer and tue
MIR. Moss asked the committee TO direc
Mr.. Croker 10 answer Mr. Mazet so di
rected.
"Will you answer, Mr., crokerT
No. SIR" said the witness, hrmiy'
please TO record the gentleman's re
fusal 10 answer all OF the questions con
corning the getting of the stock an'