Mazet Aids Moss, Kansas City Journal (Article, 1899)
Full Text
MAZET AIDS MOSS
OFFICIAL PROBER DEMANDS THE COURT'S PROTECTION.
WITNESSES TREAT HIM BADLY
REBUKE IS GIVEN AND POLICE INQUIRY PROCEEDED
Evidence Given Showing Flagrant Existence of the Worst Forms of Vice in Police-Protected Districts of the Metropolis.
NEW YORK, June 1.--The sessions of the Mazet committee were noticeable mainly for two points, one the turning at bay of Mr. Moss, and the other, evidence regarding the existence in this city of the most frightful form of depravity. By far the greater part of the sessions was devoted to the examination of President Feitner and Commissioner Sheehy, both of the tax board. Their evidence merely went to show the long established inefficacy of the system of personal taxation and revealed nothing sensational.
Mr. Moss opened the session with an outburst of indignation against the way in which witnesses had treated him. He demanded protection of the committee, and announced his intention of bringing Police Captain Price before the committee to make him prove the charges he made yesterday against Mr. Moss. During this heated appeal, the committee's counsel, Dr. O'Sullivan, who appears for the city departments, frequently interrupted, and in intense anger Mr. Moss demanded that Dr. O'Sullivan be denied the privilege of participating in the proceedings. Mr. Mazet upheld Mr. Moss, and Dr. O'Sullivan was rebuked, but allowed to remain in the committee room.
The evidence regarding the flagrant existence of the worst forms of vice was given by two of Mr. Moss' agents. It established the fact that under the eyes of the police there were running on the Bowery, the vilest of resorts, patronized nightly by persons of the lowest social standing.
A Visit to "Paresis" Hall.
John R. Wood, employed by Mr. Moss, was the first witness. He testified that last night, in company with a man named Harris, also in Moss' employ, he visited a resort in the Bowery of the lowest type of men and which is known as "Paresis hall." Wood described the conduct of the creatures in the place and stated that he had frequently observed them in the resort in question in large numbers. He alleged that they pursued their traffic quite openly. The presence of witness and his companion seemed to disturb the proprietor and they started to leave the place.
Just as they stepped out, Police Captain Chapman walked in with a squad of men and raided the place. Chapman, the witness said, declared he would "stand for no souvenir nights" and closed the place. Wood and Harris then went to a gambling house on West Thirty-first street. As he was coming out, a number of men rushed up to him.
"I saw Bob Nelson," said the witness, "coming at me fumbling in his pockets as though he was after a knife or pistol. He struck at me. I dodged the blow and jumped behind a cab. He turned and struck Harris in the lip and cut the side of his face. A policeman grabbed Harris and struck him with a club. The policeman was standing just a few feet from both of us."
Price Called Him a Crook.
Joseph Dillon, who is an [employee] of Mr. Moss, related the circumstances of an attempt to serve a subpoena on Police Captain Price this afternoon just before the police parade. He testified that Price said to him: "Go away from here or I will throw you overboard, you crook."
"You serve the subpoena this afternoon," said Mr. Moss in a tone that showed his determination to make Captain Price prove his accusation of yesterday.
Joel Harris, another [employee] of Mr. Moss, who was with Wood at "Paresis hall" last night, was then called. He confirmed all the testimony of Wood and related some of the habits and methods of the habitues of this resort.
George B. Hammond, another [employee] of Mr. Moss, also testified to the hideous immorality that prevailed in "Paresis hall." There was no difficulty in getting into the place. As a member of the city vigilant league, he had frequently visited it, and the only occasion on which he had noticed police action was when one evening Captain Chapman came in, looked around for several minutes, and then went out.
Tax Commissioner Sheehy was then recalled and subjected to an examination on various assessments on different properties.
Mr. Moss said he had observed a "tenderness" in increasing the assessments of various gambling houses and resorts. Mr. Sheehy replied that the commissioners "know no man in assessing real estate."
Thomas L. Feitner, president of the tax board, was then called. He testified that among his appointments were those of a number of relatives at larger salaries. Mr. Moss then went into the assessments of John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, J. Pierpont Morgan, Russell Safe and George Gould. In the cases of Messrs. Rockefeller, Sage and Vanderbilt the record merely showed that they were assessed in 1898 after making no appearance. In the case of Mr. Morgan it showed that he was assessed on $1,000,000 and that he consented to an agreement on $400,000 after stating that he had no property upon which he could be assessed.
"Do you mean to say," said Mr. Moss, "that Mr. Morgan swore that he was not taxable and then volunteered to pay $400,000?"
"That is what I mean to say," said Mr. Feitner.
In the case of George Gould the record showed that he was not assessed. Mr. Moss asked if any effort had been made to place him on the roll, and Mr. Feitner said not as far as he knew. Mr. Feitner admitted that an enormous amount of injustice resulted from the personal tax system as it existed at present.
An adjournment was then taken until 10:30 o'clock tomorrow morning.
