The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-11-14
THE SOAP FACTORY HEARING
STORMY SESSION OFTHE LIC EMS 7
 COMMIT
Charge That Intimidation by a Member of the Committee Prevented Witness from Appeartnp-Accuser Asked to Prove the Charge.

from Appearing-Accuser Asked to
 Prove the Charge.
 The hearing on the petition of Leder- CT & Go. for license for the soap fac tory and rendering establishment on Derby avenue, just west of the bridge across West river, was resumed before the aldermanic committee on licenses last night, and the session like the 1rst one held last week was stormy one. There is very strong objection among residents of the western section of the city against granting the license, on the ground that very offensive odors emanate from it. Last nights session was taken up with hearing witnesses who favored the granting of the license and the main point made by nearly all of these was that the firm of Lederer & Go. should not be compelled to re- move from the city. Others testlfled that they had noticed no offensive odor from the factory.
 This hearing has engendered much Ill feeling among those who have appear ed and personalities flew thick and fast last night. It has been largely a neigh 
 contest is a bitter one.
 One of the gentlemen who appeared last night was Roscoe w. Reeves, who said that Yale university was working against Lederer & Go. in this matter. He said that the university had secur- ed control of the most valuable property in the center of the city and had now moved its field of real estate operations to the outskirts of the city. He said that because of the playground which the university owned just beyond the soap factory the university was trying to abolish the factory. He referred to the fact that about six years ago the factory was burned, and said that 1t was a significant fact that the class of 1896 in the recent bicentennial parade carried a transparency bearing the in scription "Who burned the soap fac tory?" MT. Reeves presented a peti- tion in favor of the factory which he said was signed by Colonel Osborn, Max Adler and other gentlemen who, he said, were among the most prominent citizens and business men of the city.
 MT. Ingham, who is bookkeeper for Lederer & Co.,, appeared in favor of the petition, and said that he had not noticed offensive odors from the fac tory.
 MT. Lederer, head of the petitioning firm, appeared and said that his firm gave employment to fifteen or twenty men. and paid out $15,000 or $2O,OOO per year in salaries and that it would be great expense to be compelled to re- move the machinery in the factory. He referred to the large number of wit nesses in favor of the petition who were present and said that more would have been present had they not been intim- dated by Alderman Bronson. mem Der of the committee.
 MT Bronson asked MT. Lederer to e,veSthe names of any persons who had been intimidated by him, and deterred from attending the hearing. MT. Lea erer could think of but one and named MT. Durham. Then MT. Andrews. who Is employed by Lederer & Co., was called and asked by the lawyer for the petitioner, Harry w. Asher to tell what he knew about any intimidation. MT. Andrews said that some time ago he called upon MT. Durham, who told him that he was willing to testify before the committed He said that later when he asked MT. Durham to come to the hearing the latter had told him that he was employed by Alderman Bron- son and that the alderman had given him to understand that he had better keep away from the hearing.
 Continuing his statement MT. Lederer said that the only time when there were odors from his soap factory was when the condensing machinery was out of order. He said that he was thinking of