Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-21

Hartford, May 21.-In accordance with the request made to the commit tee on cities and boroughs by Repre- sentative Bissonette on Wednesday af- ternoon, Mayor Denis Mulvihill of Bridgeport appeared before the com mittee at the Capitol yesterday morn ing, and his pronounced personality made the. session an interesting one. He came to the city on the legislative train, and a number of his friends were with him. The bills under con- sideration were those which forbid the mayor to make any appointments for the Bridgeport commissions before De- cember next, and virtually continue the present commissioners ln office. They correct certain oversight in the new charter, the mayor being elected in November now instead of April.
 Mayor Mulvihill addressed the com mittee as follows:
 T take pleasure in appearing before you to-day. In regard to these bills take no interest in them. don't care what you do with them. understand, however that statements were made here yesterday against my good name and character in regard to what was done by me last Sunday. don't care what you do with the bills. What was said here about me?"
 MT Colt: 'tYour conduct on Sunday was criticised here yesterday. Nothing was said about your character"
 Mayor Mulvihill: 'The very men who were here yesterday to put through these bills have been here be- fore. But about Sunday. live with in POO feet of the place where the trou-' ble occurred. I went there knowing that if I stayed at home I would be ac- cused of cowardice. So I went and found 400 or 800 people there and po-. licemen and sheriffs. I went there to preserve order. I am accused of tell ing a sheriff to liberate a prisoner. I did not. He had no prisoner. It is | false. I went to protect the police and sheriffs"
 MT Colt: teWe have two afffdavits 1 stating what you did"
 l Mulvihill Has Witnesses. Mayor Mulvihill: T know what I ' did and said. The policemen can also make afffdavits So can POO other peo- | pie who were there on Sunday The l shertffs were on car with. pistols and l were melting the crowd to violence went to deputy and putting my hand on his shoulder said: T am the mayor of Bridgeport; keep cool and l there'll be no harm.' I went out to l preserve order and I am criticised. Any mayor of Bridgeport will be criti- cised, no matter what he does Now about the bill 1t keeps in office men who fear that won't reappoint them. l Some of them have not attended a meeting of their boards in year, and yet they want you to keep them in I office. Their hearts beat so strong for ] the. public good that they never both cred the police board until they in- v1ted me to attend a meeting last Mon= day at 10 o'clock in the morning. When I got there a peculiar condition con- fronted me. There were lot of citi- zens, ex-mayors, judges and bunch of lawyers. I presided and three or four questions were hurled at me at 1 once. No vote was taken to send any committee here. Because 1 am a work ing man and a representative of organ ized labor this bill is brought up.' EH Mir Colt; Your connection with or l ganized labor did not come before the l l+committee." 5s
 Mayor Mulvihill: ..Ten years ago we had strike on this same railroad in Bridgeport and the cars were stopped. but no row was made then. Then we did not have a labor mayor. It's no matter to me what you do with the bill It will satisfy me. I am sat isfied that when the people vote they'll rebuke the people back of this The bill will only give the commissioners I power to block the business of the city of Bridgeport. I never attended a meeting of the police commissioners 1 Ia dou 11i ic H--hn ,,cy is slap at labor through me. I've nothing more to say"
 At this point the hearing was ad- journed to enable the members of the ! committee to attend the session of the house. The adjournment was taken until the close of the afternoon session of the house.
 Afternoon Session.
 It was nearly o'clock when the committee was able to resume it's ses- sion in the afternoon The thunder and lightning outside of the Capitol at that hour gave q fitting prelude to the thunder and lightning which developed shortly after in the committee room. N Senator McNeil of Bridgeport opened the performance by declaring that he did not think the opponents of the bills naQ que WafnlnS O1 the uedFlHS. he said he understood a self-appointed committee of Bridgeport men had been before the committee and advocated
 the bills. He was opposed to the meas
 ures. Senator McNeil declared that he
 was not special champion of Mayo'
 Mulvihfll. ssHe needs no champion,
 said the senator Furthermore" saiG
 Senator McNeil, "the mayor has sub
 mitted to me the names of three candi
 dates for appointment on the police
 board, and I am willing to say that any one of these will be as acceptable tt
 the people of Bridgeport as the presen :, ,incumb bents.' | Citv Attorneu T M Cullinan de