The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-06
SAW RICHARD . FIXING WENCK
 SAYS WITNESS

I V f-
 Albany, Feb. 6-Bat nasterson, who identified himself as vice-Presi- dent of the Morning Telegraph and a spcial writer, f1atly contraducted Fred Wenck, Chairman of the State Ath- letic Commission. who again was on the stand at the Bar Association yes- terday in continuation of the nearing on the charges of attempted extortion filed against him by Harry Pollock, John J. White and Patrick T. Powers.
 Just when it. seemed that a sensa- tional disclosure was imminent, how ever, Austen G. Fox, trial counsel fof Wenck, interposed one of his many objections and was sustained by Franklin B. Lord, special Commis- sioner. appointed by Gov. Whitman to hear the charges.
 Masterson was an eleventh hour witness. The hearing had dragged along from 10 o'clock to 12, and then after a recess from 2 o'clock to 2:30, when further adjournment was talk en to Friday in Albany in case MT. Fox considered the testimony of a witness, who was delayed in arriving here from Philadelphia by the storm, of enough importance for another sit ting. Opposing counsel were advised to file briefs within ten days, and Emil L. Fuchs had said that so far as he was concerned his case was closed.
 Those in the room began dispers- ing, when suddenly MT. Fuchs asked permission of MT. Lord to reopen the case for moment, as he had one wit ness to examine who had just report ed in response to subpoena. A mes- senger hurried to the cloak room to find MT. Fox, and when he agreed to having one more. witness go on the stand the hearing went on with Bat Masterson on the stand.
 At the morning session Tex Rick ards name had been brought into the case in connection with the promot- ing of the Jess Willard-F Frank Moran bout in Ma dison Square Garden last March.
 To a question: "Do you remember meeting MT. Rickard in the Waldorf or any other place before the bout 2" Wenck answered.:
 ''I took care not to meet Rickard, as there were stories of graft floating about among newspaper men,"
 He admitted that Rickard had called on him at the commission of fees to consider ways and means for conducting the bout under the direc- tior of the Show Corporation, which held a lease on the Garden at that time, but reiterated that he had not met Rickard in the Waldorf before the bout took place, although he had seen him there at other times.
 It was this statement when Bat Mastersonr flatly contradicted when he was called rater unexpectedly to the stand. He testified under oath that he had seen Rickard and Wenck at luncheon together in the Waldorf two or three days before the Willard Moran bout.
 Then came question which was never answered. It foHows;
 "As Wenck and Rackard were leay- ing the table, did ybu see any act on the part of either which you can tell the Commissioner? ?"
 MT. Fox was on his feet in mo- ment with an objection, and for the next 30 minutes or so the opposing counsel fenced with oily words or bits of stinging sarcasm-the one to get the answer in the record and the oth- CT keep it out.
 MT. Fuchus battled manfully and without Encouragement and put two or three different questions to the witness to bring about the same re- suit, but each time the quick cbjec- tion by MT. Fox was sustained by MT Lord, and what would have been the real bomb of the trial never, exploded.
 Masterson did not hesitate to ans wer the question to some of his friends in the hall after adjournment, and tf the testimony had been admit ted 1t would have proved a sensa- tion to say the least.