The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-12
'LIAR'T TO MOSS
BY B. R.T.HEAD
STARTSFRACAS
Hearing Almost Becomes
Afflay as Col. Williams
Accuses Lawyer.
SPECTATOR HAULED
Up on JOHN DOE WRIT

A dark indigo blue haze OF profanity
expletives. denunciations, thr~ats ana
apologies envelopcd yesterdays gather
ing OF the Thompson legislative inauir-
ers. Several hours OF the committees
time and John Doe subpoena were
required TO settle the sulphurous atnos-
phere diffused through the room when
Col. Timothy :. Williams president OF
the B. II. r. alphabetically called Frank
Moss. the committees counsel a damned
liar and an interested spectator added
to the characterization the cpithet
'loafer," embellshcd with the same ad-
jective.
col Williams. who entered the hear
ing few minutes before the noon re-
cess. a bundle Of papers and portfolios
under his arm, took violent exception TO
a statement attributed TO MIR. Moss In
a morning newspaper to the effect that
Mr.. Moss intended TO try to prove that
tn. u. X. 7. bonus of 100000 u the
doughty Colonel" as he later called
him. came out OF a credit OF Sl.0O0.Ooo
allowed by ;he city to subsidiary OF
the u. II. 7. col Williams waited un-
| III the noon recess. when some Of the
audience had left the room. Mos; Of
| them and the committee were there.
however. so when the afternoon session
began every body Was 80 charged with
| fight that the rappiug Of hammer IN
| the hall set nerves on edge
serious Aspects Of Day.
! t,.. ,.,I. ii
! the serious aspects Of the days teSti-
mony-serous in the sense OF not being
opera boufte-which were these.
secretary Travis H. Whitney OF the
Public Service Commission produced
from the safe OF the commission "A let
ter proposing 10 Chairman Wilcox a
subway plan drawn by President Theo-
( dore i. Shonts OF the Inte-borouGh in
March. 1910. which contemplated build
, ing extensions to the city's transit sys-
tenn with all private capital. This ''in-
formal offer was discussed in general
| terms at the time. bu, the Thompson
| committee got the impression that the
letter was buried In Secret archives"
| OF the commission because Il was con-
| tained In neither the formal nor the
| informal files kept by the commission.
col Wiiiams--in his testimony that
did not concern the damn Iie"--said
|
opposed to everything that was not In
tcrborough and that the Mayor and the
! Interborpugh acted I'm harmony.
Kingsley Martin, former Bridge coW-
missioner under Mayor Giynor. described
for the committee how he acted as In
termedary between Mayor Gaynor and
the u. r. r. and the Interborough in the
negotiations that led to the birth Of the
dual subway plan.
p,A i,s y
about his conversion" of Mayor Gay
nor and the transactions, conferences
and agreements which led up 10 the sign
ing OF the dual contracts
But the vordy warfare overshsduNeC
all these Developments Following thu
testimony of MIR. Martin and S"cretar,
Whitney. jus' pl.pr to tn" recess. CO.
Williams appeared. Mr.. Moss asked hin
for "A letter which lie mad written oI
MAY 90. 1871. To william q. Morrisc,
of the l.rooklyu board of real estate
brokers, ~ which he referred TO th'
..bran h Office of the luterbovour.
. further up broadway. which rumor ha
( located in tn. city Hail. and mean
, Mayor Gayuors office.
The Trouble starts.
col. Williams produced it and NJ,
: Moss read H. Rc,ess was de Jared. tn
room began to clear. but not the atmos
ph.rc Mr. Moss ami the committee DE
gan gathering up papers, &c Nj. Mos
; mt on his ha. and looked up 20 Tin
T col Williams fire in his eyes. l"tn.n
, toward him over the reporters table
= ! ,cl Williams pointed "a headl.n" q
"A newspaper ou the table;
, "If Won said what is IN that paper.
:, said the excited col williams. "it is
>. damned lie This committee is iumun
: under IN. Constitution, but YOU AZ" no
> and intend to hold you to strict az
): rountah,lity You can't slander us. w
y come here with a clear conscience
q 'Wa are not IN the SOUTH answerc
u Mr.. Moss. "and | won't hit you In IN
- That's what you are You might hay
+" rom, to me and talked this thing Owe
. quietly. Now that's impossible. Yuu'v
y called mo "A ----- damned liar
"Therc is such thing as s".f-roSpcct
Il said col. Williams, his face reddcne
r. with excitement
$ Mr.. Moss turned on him: "iou haven
Il shown sclf-rcSpcct
- nv this time every ON" III the room an
o I'm th,, corridor was aware of the fraci
l. and crowded around the two men. NJ
is Moss had begun an excited pacing Il
If and down between tables, turning
return col. Wiliamss shafts. col, vii
e iams continued
Il ~ warn you and have warned you
J. "You don't have to warn me- retortt
" Mr. Moss II get mine every day in Il
week | have been up against the hi
1t gest bunch of crooks in New York cit
N and | don't mean to say You are crou
~ Col. Williams
!" You'd better not
/" "pou'i make an exhibition OF YOU
self, rol Williams, N"n're been si'
- .t,l. 4.