New-York tribune., 1910-12-27
Friend Explains That He Is in
the Florida Everglades on
His New Houseboat.
CERTAIN HE WOULD TESTIFY
Counsel for Committee Wanted
Him as Last Witness, and
Thought He Could Be
Reached at Any Time.

Joseph Carroll, of the firm of horse
dealers, Fiss, Doerr & Carroll, at his
country home, in Teaneck, ~ J.. declared
positively yesterday that City Chamber
lain Charles H Hyde had not been there
in several months. Furthermore, Mr..
Carroll said though he was careful 70
qualify the statement with the assertion
that he did not pretend TO speak officially
for Mr.. Hyde. the City Chamberlain was
In absolute ignorance of the fact that the
legislative investigating committee want
ed him as witness.
Il believe that the counsel TO that COM
mittec." said Mr.. Carroll "have seen and
talked to NJ Hyde since his name was
mentioned in the testimony, and they
gave him no intimation that they might
want him later as a witness If they
haven't seen him or talked with him,
they should have because he was right
there in the City Hall for weeks after his
name was mentioned and they could
very easily have notified him that they
would want him later. But they didn't.
and now the man has gone away legiti-
mately on a houseooat cruise that
happen to know he had been contemplate
ing for at least six months
Mr.. Carroll said that Mr. Hyde had re-
Gently completed the building of new
houseboat, which he had expected to
have ready for use last summer. The
building of it was delayed. however. ard
as it had just been completed Mr.. Hyde
went to take his first cruise in it.
IF they had so much as sent him word
three months ago. when his name was
mentioned, that they would want him to
testify later, he'd have waited for them.
even If he did want to go away for a
vacation" said Mr.. Carroll.
On His New Houseboat.
So far as he knew. Mr.. Hyde had left
no mail or telegraphic address. and he
thought that probably the City Chant
berIain. with his new houseboat was
somewhere in the Florida Everglades
shooting NJ. Linn Bruce, chief counsel
to the committee, was not in the city
Yesterday. but Isidor Kresel. his assist
ant declared that, so far he knew,
Mr.. Bruce had never talked to Mr.. Hyde.
T.
the City Chamberlain had not been called
before was because 1t had been decided.
directly after the testimony of Robert H.
Elder duplicating Hyde with others in
the subscription and collection of the
alleged 100000 lobby fund of the racing
interests to defeat the Agnew-Hart anti
racetrack gambling bills, to pile up every
possible shred of evidence on the matter
that could be cleaned from other wit
nesses before calling Mr.. Hyde
I'VE planned to have Mr.. Hyde as the
last witness on the racing Investigation .
said Mr. Kresel yesterday. land if he re-
turns to the city any time before Janu-
airy Is. when we are TO report to the
Legislature. we will still have him. as
we planned. for the last witness
No one connected with the committee.
however, has yet explained why Mr..
HYDE was not informed that he would be
wanted later. Judge Bruce. when Hyde's
name was first mentioned. replied to all
inouirers as to when Hyde would be
summoned to the stand. that he could
got the City Chamberlain any time and
that he would be requested TO appear
later on in the inquiry No subpoena
was ever issued for Mr.. Hyde. because.
as Judge Bruce explained 1t, ii wouldn't
he necessary to subpoena city official
who would undoubtedly come TO the
stand on the simple request of the COM
mittee.
The committee will resume its public
hearings tomorrow morning, with the
FIRE insurance end of the investigation
under consideration. and they expect to
finish the public hearings Win, this
weeks sessions. II Mr.. Hyde returns TO
tho city. however, at any time before
January Is the committee Will be re-
called to a special public hearing TO hear
his testimony.