New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-14
WOMEN IDENTIFY COONS
Confederate MCCIeIIand'S TeSti-
mony at Albany Investigation.
WARD LEADER AT HEARING
Minister Says Police Make No
Effort to Restrict or Regulate
Vice in the Capital.
tBy telegram 10 The Tribune. !

Albany. Oct. 13-The testimony Of three
women whom Robert s. McC1elland. the
vice investigator engaged by James w. Os-
borne. brought from New York TO pose as
the inmates Of n disorderly house i'm order
TO entrap city officials formed a dramatic
feature Of the Albany investigation to-day
Their testimony was largely corroboratve
OF that given by Mr. McClelland yesterday
Edward s. Coons the Republican leader OF
the 4th Ward and one of the jailers at the
county jail. was in the Senate chamber,
and each one Of the women witnesses
identified him as the man who made the
arrangement with McCleland for the leas-
ing and furnishing of the supposed dis
orderly house u No. ~ Division street
McClelland had previously testified that
Coons was the man he was told to "see"
when he inquired about going into the dis
orderly house business I'm Albany.
Mrs. Anna Berger was the first OF three
women called. She swore that she was to
take the part of the housekeeper. After
pointing out CoOns, who sat in the front OF
the room, Mrs Berger told how she had
purchased her furniture and secured her
paper hanging and painting work done at
the places Coons suggested.
Miss Grace Miller and Miss Vera Black
more. who We're introduced as prospective
inmates Of the house, were each called to
the stand. and bore out the testimony given
10y Mrs Berger.
When McC1elland was recalled to-day he
said he had mentioned 10 Coons and n man
named Mcnamara that a curtain I'm one o.
the rooms IN the house had caught fire
and that he was told by Coons that he
would send down Cantlnes man. who
would help him fix NJ the insurance mat
ters Coons told him. ne said, that IT
would not cost him anything, az the man
was a good fellow and would spend all the
money in the place. Cantlne is the name of
the Albany Commissioner of Public Safety,
and he is in the insurance business.
In giving further details concerning his
visits in the tenderloin district McClelland
sGid that what he noticed particularly
were the numerous policemen who would
appear I'm the district after midnight
They were either talking 10 the women
who were soliciting from the windows" he
said. cor were drinking whiskey passed
out 10 them from the house. / heard po-
licemen saying TO me on the streets TO
either get of the block or get into enc Of
the houses"
McCleland. however. was unable to give
the numbers or descriptions Of any Of the
policemen.
The witness later told = another talk he
had with Coons in a place al No 81 Ham
ilton street. He said that the leader re-
marked to him. I'm placing a lot Of con-
fdence in YOU and ! think you'll get along.
The only thing that looks bad is this Al
bany investigation. That's "Packey" Nc
Cabe's scheme Hes a good fellow, and
don't know why he should do this to Al
bany."
Coons later expressed the opinion, ac-
cording TO the witness. that the thing
would then be going on as usual. CoonS
had also told McCleand that he would
Introduce him 90 the ward boss, Mr.. Hey
land and that when he got his house GO
ing he would bring lots OF friends around.
The Rev. Herbert Tinsley gave more de
tails to-day as to his summing expeditions.
The police make no effort TO restrict or
April | saw a woman take two boys to
her room. They were not over sixteen
years OF age. Just as they got inside
sergeant and policeman came along. l
called the sergeant's attention 10 wnat |
had seen, and he told me If | could regu..
late these matters better than they ana
that | should try it,
mony taken to-day women and boys were
excluded from the Senate chamber At
O cloCl< this afternoon the committee ad-
journed until Tuesday morning,