The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-19
SHOOK HIS FINGER AT WINS.
carr. GIBSON RESENTS NR. CO.
HEN'S THIEF QUESTION.
Committee Refuses To Hear Counsel In
Reply 20 Implied AsDersion. Alderman
Bowling Protesting snow Contractor
Bradley VIII show Prices Cut.

Because Of a question put to a witness
at Thursdays sitting Of the Aldermen's
committee which is investigating the Street
Cleaning Department. Deputy COMMISSIONS
Gibson Of the department insisted on being
called yesterday. julius Henry Cohen,
who keeps tabs on the Legislature for the
Citizens Union, asked W. II. Coles, a witness
! who tried to sell a snow melting machine to
| the Street Cleaning Department: did you
ever say to the COMMISSIONS that you did
not mean TO talk TO Capt. Gibson, when 1t
was suggested that you should consult with
the Deputy Commissioner, because you
thought the Captain was a theft Mr.,
Coles fatty denied that he had ever made
such an insinuation.
When Capt. Gibson took the stand he o
no pains to hide his anger. He denounced
the question put to Coles as a malicious lie
in its implication.
Il think such a question was disgraceful
and it was certainly unprofessional on Mr.
Cohen's part to put it, said Capt. Gibson.
There is no need for you to get excited, .
William VI WINS, counse to the committee,
said somewhat airily. There ia nothing
on the record against GU. The question
was answered In the negative, but if you
feel that you would like to testify that you
are not "A thief su ppose / ask the question"
For a few seconds Capt, Gibson was so
astoniShed that he was unable to reply.
Then bending forward in his chair and
pointing his finger at Mr.. WINS, he ex-
claimed;
do you ask that question:
MIR. Wins hesitated and again Capt. Gibson
demanded
"Do you ask that question, l say?"
mo, | said suppose l should ask it,
faltered Mr.. wins. .
IF any man says | am a thief ne is q liar,
retorted Capt, Gibson.
Again Mr.. Wins asked the Deputy Com
missioner not to get excited, whereupon,
turning to the committee, Capt Gibson
said:
Il am not excited, but l am indignant,
/ not only represent myself here, but to a
certain extent the United States army,
and | can't let any such insinuation go
to my face that | was a thief. and the man
doesn't live who dares to do it. =
william p. Mahoney, counsel for Capt
Gibson, sought to address the committee,
but Mr.. Wins interrupted.
Chairman Grifenhagen. banging his gavel,
ordered Mr.. Mahoney to take his seat. with
the remark, you ha We no standing here
Il ask il it is the unanimous opinion OF
the committee that a man who has been in:
directly accused Of being a thief should
hol NO iCiiNsCiis'A ~ SoeiSSf
Mr.. Mahoney.
Alderman Bowling, who has before pro-
tested at what he has called the b~igh-handed
methods Of Mr.. Wins and Alderman Grifen-
hagan, interjected:
NO, it is not. In my opinion at least a
man who has practically been called a
thief should be permitted to defend himself,
and has the right to have the advice Of
counsel"
The majority of the committee refused
to Listen to Mr., Mahoney.
William Bradley, the snow removal con-
tractor, refused to produce his books. He
said he was acting on the advice OF counsel.
The committee formally ordered the pro-
duction of the books and Threatened him
with Imprisonment. Mr.. Bradley gave way
and promised to bring the books next
Wednesday.
The rest Of the hearing was given up
to a continuation of the probing into the
snow contracts. Commissioner Woodbury.,
one of the witnesses called, said that since
he had been in office the contract price
for the removal of snow had been reduced
from SO cents to Ia cents a cubic yard, and
that seventy-seven miles of streets bad
been added to the snow clearing schedule