New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-24

sons gsvel and his orders for the
Mayor 10 stop testifying.
When Senator Thompson ordered the
room cleared Mayor Mitchell, IS chair
man Of the Sinking Fund Commissiop.
the body in charge Of all city build
ings, appointed the newspaper men
members Of the commission so that
they could not be driven from the
room by the sergcants-at-srms OF the
committee.
While the uproar was At its helght,
with the SPECTATORS crowded eNcitedly
around the Mayor, whom they later
cheered. Senator Thompson ordered the
etenoerapher to stop taking testimony.
Then the entire committee, led by MN,
adjourned TO another room, where they
continued taking testimony of Deputy
Police Commissioners Lord and Scull
and other members Of the Police De
partment having knowledge OF wire
tapping
Thompson committee received letter
from John NJ Bowers, OF Bowers &
Sands. counsel 10 members OF the state
Board of Charities during the Strong
investigation Mr. Bowers, anticipating
the Mayors testimony, protested against
permitting him 10 divulge certain mat
ters relating TO the charities lnvesu-
,,ation. and at the same time "oDtsin
b Inc protection of the privilege OF sueh
an occasion.
"Will Be Held Amenable-"
In part the letter from Mr.. Bowers
read:
"My object in writing you is to re-
quest that Mayor Mitchell shall not De
allowed to make pubic these records
when testifying before your commune zee
and thus obtain the protection OF the
nrivileges OF such an occasion. ~ ne
wishes 10 make the same record pub
lie. he and those who assisted MN
sbould be held amenable to the laws or
this state. 1T,
at is perhaps proper that / should
avail myself of this occasion TO call
attention TO the silence Of the city au-
thorities when challenged before Com
missioner Strong to produce any au-
thority for their violation OF the stat-
ute above referred to, and their iail-
ure ND TO the present moment 10 make
public any such authority very clearly
indicates that the authorities OF the
OF the state and the constitutional
rights of the citizens Of greater New
York in tapping telephone wires
throughout the city"
II was after Mayor Mitchell managed
10 get in the charge against Father
Farrell and Monsignor Dunn that the
row started. Up to that time the VIII
ness was permitted with little INTERRUPT,
ton TO read the statement he mao
brought with him.
In the audience, listening attentively
and smiling with satisfaction, were
Commissioner Kingsbury and MRS
Kingsbury and Mr.. kingsbury hrst
deputy. Joseph Doherty, who, with his
chief. played leading role in the in
vestigation OF conditions in institutions
caring for dependent children. Il was
these that led to the friction between
leading members Of the Catholic
Church and the Mitchell administration.
Calls Indictments Conspiracy.
The Mayor began by explaining the
conditions as he found them in some OF
the institutions, and characterized the
indictments found against Mr.. Kings
bury and Mr.. Hotchkiss as the cuimlna-
tion of a conspiracy against his admin
istratiOn.
when he maze tne chdIBts deaiHSN
the two priests Alfred J. Talley, coun-
sci for Father Farrell, objected, saying
that 10 read the purpOrted converse
lions overheard on the tapped tele-
phone wires was sggrayating the crime
!. specified in the Indictment
4 Senator Thompson jumped 20 Mr..
Tslley's aid, saying he did not believe
the $50 names Of the persons whose
wires were tapped in the last two years
should be given out. Then he added
"Father Farrell would have come
here besides, and undoubtedly use
Islander eharloterizing you
81 have no objection to that said
the Mayor.
~ do not look forward with pleasure
TO any SANDER" said Senator Thomp-
son. ave will. il you desire. take the
conversations in executive session"
The Mayor, with eyes showing fight,
leaped forward and. thrusting his face
close TO the Senator's, shouted:
Would Make Public Statement.
"No! These facts have here should
he made public. The people Of this