New-York tribune., 1903-01-30
VI. Il. BRYANT A WITNESS
Harcourt, the 4ctor, Tells Of Con-
.feSSing First Crime.
JEROME WARNS GAMERS TO APPEAR.

District Attorney Jerome last night gave public
notice to certain persons who have employed those
under arrest for alleged tax Office frauds TO come
forward and assist the authorities or he would
assume that they knew what they we're about when
they engaged the alleged svindlers to assist them
in robbing the city.
"I would like to have the public understand per-
fectIy' said Mr.. Jerome, that have a list OF ths
various who have had dealings with these peo-
pie under arrest and with allied persons OF that
kind Every OF them is known, and Il those
persons come TO me and tell me OF what dealings
they had In getting to swear of their taxes
i shall consider that they innocent OF any
wronsdoing and that they did not know at the time
what kind of scheme they were in But it they
do not come to me and tell me- then I shall
pect. I shall believe. they knew what was going
on. and I shall do all in my power to prosecute
and punish them This Will afford the opportunity
to innocent persons of setting themselves right.
Il have more than twenty names OF such persons
who dealt with this gang"
In speaking about his objection TO having any
testimony brought out about any previous arrest
of Harcourt he said he objected because he him
self was once arrested for violating bicycle ordI-
nance, and he said there no disgrace In being
arrested under some circumstances Harcourt. he
said had never been indicted In the courts here.
he had looked up all the records. and he also
said there no complaint against him.
Walter P. Sawyer, Of the four men arrested
and who has turned States evidence. was taken to
the office Assistant District Attorney Schuruan
he added to the confession already made Nr.
Jerome refused to make public what he had said.
The preliminary hearing in the case OF Baer.
Nathan Springer. Moses R Springer and Sawyer
was resumed yesterday before Magistrate Olnsted.
in the District Attorneys library The District
Attorneys Office was represented by District Attor-
ney Jerome and Assistant District Attorney Schur-
man.
County Detective Secord who was the witness
stand at the end of the hearing on Wednesday.
resumed the stand and was cross-exa mined His
testimony not weakened
Monroe B. Bryant, the manufacturing Jeweller, OF
No Maiden Lane. living at No. 501 west TWen-
tieth-st., whose Secord svOre on. called as
witness. testified that he had been approached
by a man who gave him card bearing the name
Nathan Springer Counsel for Nathan Springer
requested Mr.. Bryant TO point out tue man who
presented the card. Mr.. Bryant walked about the
room twice and looked at those present. and said
he could not identify the man as one OF them IL
was noted that each time he passed the corner
where Springer sat he stopped and did not look
at any Of the there.
Mr. BRYANT was withdrawn temporarily and
Charles w Gould. a stenographer in the office Of
the District Attorney swore that Nathan Springer.
while in the District Attorneys office, had ad-
mitted that the card offered in evidence was his.
He identified Springer.
Mr.. Bryant. resuming the stand. said the
who gave him the card had called the day after
he received the notice of his assessment. and had
proposed that he should have his tax reduced He
did not make any arrangement with the first man
who called. He said ne believed he saw N the
room the man who first called him and identi-
fed Moses R. Springer that man. None except
Moses r Springer had ever approached him
He made arrangement for the reduction Of his
tax with any one of the three defendants. He had
made an arrangement to have his tax reduced. but
he did not the man with whom he talked in the
District Attorney Jerome informed the magistrate
that he would present three bills against Nathan
Springer to the grand jury to-day Two OF these
ChdTE
attempted subornation of perjury In his opinion
there was doubt that indictments would be re-
turned in each case.
George Harcourt. the actor, was then cross
examined His real name. he said. was George
Holmes. He had been here for fifteen years and an
actor for thirteen
whether he had ever been indicted or been ar
rested.
District Attorney Jerome objected, and was sus-
tanned. The witness said he: had never been con-
victed of crime. He said Sawyer approached him
in regard to swearing off taxes He said he as
sisted in the commission of a fraud in the swear
ing off OF taxes in swearing on those OF Adolph
LJIdece of No 10 Broadway, for which he received
s. in the presence OF Baer from Sawyer
After thinking it over decided to tell Mr..
Jerome about it, he said "As il was the hrst
crime I ever committed, decided 10 tell the truth
to the proper authorities and throw myself on their
mercy"