New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-12
ALBANY VICE TAKEN Up
Minister Tells of Conditions in
Capitals TenderlOin.
MAYOR M'EWAN ON STAND
Tells of His Private Business
Under Questionings of James
W. Osborne.
rRv Telegraph :o Tho Tribun. !

Albany. oct thames ". Osborne. chief
counsel for the Albany investigating COM
mittee surprised the crowd gathered IN the
Senate chamber late this afternoon by an
nouncing that he would now take I'd the
question Of vice IN Albany" Ever since the
Albany inquiry was authorized by the Sen
ate the question as 20 how this subject
would be handled has been the source OF
the kaenest speculation among the people
II the city NJ. Osborne. In a short state
ment before calling the first fitness de-
clared that gambling and vice had been
practised IN this city for years with the
knowledge and consent Of those sworn 10
enforce the law.
The first witness called 20 tel ~ the citv E
immortality was the Rev Herbert Tinsey
formerly q field secretary FOR the Anti
Saloon League The way that Mr. Tinsley
got ont Of the league is indicated in let
Ter N him from ). Albert Patterson, super
irtendert of the league. which was read hy
Mr. Osborne This letter informed Mr.
Tinsley that hts resignation would be &C
conplshed II he went on the stand for the
Albany prohsrs M Osborne declared TINS
an atterc7t 20 intimidate a witness, but did
not show where there was any connection
nected with the city ~ ALBANY
M Tinslev is = tall. slender man. with
everv appearance q a clergyman Of TIE re-
forming type. Consequently ~ was with q
s,Ipr-essaa smile that the crowd IN The sen
ate chamber md galleries. including a mum
her Of women. listened 70 him tel ~ MS
visits 70 Albany resorts NJ Tinslev said
that on the streets IN the Tenderloin dis
trfet be counted thirty-nve women solicit
ing
And what were the policemen on these
streets doing" NJ. Osborne asked.
They were just looking on
Much ~ the en7bprrass-7art Of tho V'r-an
r~esent. Mr. Tinsley gave a grsphic de-
scription OF what happened when ne visited
..rarlor houses" dance halls and lodging
houses I'm the district He said that In one
house ne was told nv the woman IN
charge that II he didn't want 20 spend his
money he could ger ont As NJ Tinslev
gave the addresses n a number Of dance
halls and described The practices there. Mr..
osborne would read from the records W
the County Clerks once showing the mum
be~ Of voters registered from each. IL
one there were eleven voters. in another
seven and 50 on The attornev intiuatsd
that hv tomorrow he would be able %
show that these are an Republican voters
and also that there are vet some startling
things 70 show by the vice inquiry.
Of the city officials. the principal wit
ness called today was Mayor James p
AfcEwer. After NJ Osborne questioned
rI-, closely concerning the stock he held
in various corporations. the Mayor 70
De- -~f
ness. Mr. Osborne"
Your private business is Tu7lic bust
ness" retortsd the counsel
". osborne brought ont from the Navor
that he was a stockholder IN the McEwan
Coal Conpary. the HolderbArg Cement
company and the Municipal Gas Conpanv
Pur The Mayor stated that most Of the
stock he acquired through inheritance from
MS brother and owned hefore he became
Nsvo-. Mr. NcEwan said that the Nc
EVAN Coal COMPANY sold coal 20 the city
a1vshouse without bids being submitted
thar the Fiolderberg Cement Company sup
piled the cement used hv the city IN IT'S
Improvement Of the state street pier IN the
river. and that the -as company supplied
gas and electricity 20 the city
Questioned as 70 The law ~ 1915. trans
ferring from the state 70 the CITY land in
the Albany basin. which Mr. MCEwan in
troduced IN the legislature when Senator.
The witness said that ne believed that the
bin was given 10 him by some one I'm the
Corpora ton Counsel Office. but denied
that he had any knowledge then that the
land was likely n be used as . Delaware
&. Hudson freight depot. Ir MoEwsn ad-
m,tted that he referred 10 this fact IN his
message 70 the Board Of Aldermen in 1911.
bur said ne did not know that the land
was 20 be used for railroad purposes until
about year age.