The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-20
LEWIS TALE OF R. Van COLT.
COLONIZATION INFORMER rs A
FLUENT WITNESS.
He Wanted to wash His Hands Away"
When Cashier McAyOy and Jones Washed
Their Hands Away-Picked Up Swell
Boys" Among the Broadway Statues.

When Cashier McAvoy and Jones washed
Their Hands Away--Ptcked Up Swell
Boys" Among the Broadway Statues.
The case of Richard Van Colt, son Of
Postmaster Cornelius Van Colt, and Bank
son McAvoy, cashier OF the post office,
charged with attempting to colonize voters
in the Fifth Assembly district. Of which
Pc stmaster Van Colt is the Republican
leader and his son the deputy leader. had
cncther airing before Justice Wyatt In
Special Sessions yesterday afternoon
Several Tammany district leaders were
in court.
The only witness examined was Benjamin
Levy Of III East Seventy-fourth street,
the young man who says he provided
the colonists by order OF Van Colt and
McAvoy, and who then confessed the whole
business 20 Deputy Attoney-General
Collins. Levy told substantially the same
story as is contained in his published afi-
davit. He said he got something more
than 100 colonists, many OF whom he and
Ralph Jones, clerk in the Office Of the
superintendent OF mails, distributed among
the following lodging houses
% Greenwich avenue. 8 Washington place.
lS2 West Eleventh street. 10 Christopher
street. los East Eleventh street. ios East
I .tTss sres a md a ts Fourth avenus
Third avenue. SO Bank street.
did you know what these men were
expected to do2n asked Mr.. Collins.
asure. I did, replied the witness. Il
got my instructions from Mr.. McAvoy on
Sept. 20 or 80. He told me to give each
paytheir room rent for six weeks, and give
'em % for voting the straight Republican
ticket
The witness told about receiving money
the room rent for the colonists, and said
that on one occasion Van Colt got q
ono hundred dollar bill changed, gave
$50 to Jones and some more to the wit
ness. The first house In which any men
were placed was 10 Christopher street,
there said the witness, Sbut they didn't
like the accommodations, and wouldn't
stay. On Oct. ! sent five gent men each
to los East Eleventh street, 100 East Twelfth
street and l4s Fourth street. Mr.. Van Colt
bers on them. The next night / placed
thirteen men. The last time I saw Mr..
Van Colt before saw him in court was
on the night Of last Monday week, the
day room rent was due: Saw v, him on the
into the Brevoort Hotel
when did you last see McAvoy?' the
witness was asked.
Last Wednesday. a week ago. was the
answer 4Then Mr. McAvoy says: Ben,
my hands is all washed away. Richard
says he won't have anything more to do
with this, and I've got my position down
in the post Office, II anything should come
out about this colonizing business Well
I'm a married man
Il says SO am ! a married man. Have
you heard anything? He said, No. and
i says: Well. II you haven't heard anything,
what do you want to wash your hands
away for? If you have heard anything
tell me, and I'll get my hands washed away
That was at the Lincoln Club. A little
later, Jones said there'd been leak some
where, and he was going to wash his hands
away. But before that Jones says to me:
Ben, can you get ne some swell boys|
and l said: Sure says /. Well says he
get me some swell boys.
Where did you get the swell boys?'
asked Mr., Collins
"On Broadway" was the answer, sThirty-
seventh street and Broadway. I got all
the boys either at the Mills Hotel or on
Broadway"
The witness identified four Of the gent
men" among the seven detained witnesses
as among those he had found rooms for.
One was swell boy" The case was
adjourned until next Monday at 8 p. NJ