New York Wickedness, Portland Daily Press (Article, 1899)
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NEW YORK WICKEDNESS
More Evidence Before Mazet Board
Much Time Devoted to Members of Tax Board.
Mr. Moss Denounces Capt. Price
Price Tells How He Save Moss's Life Once.
New York, June 1.--There was another sitting of the Mazet investigating committee here today. Before the proceedings comenced Mr. Mazet was asked regarding the conduct of Captain Price and Mr. Krause, who yesterday defied Frank Moss, counsel to the committee.
"We cannot punish recalcitrant impertinent witnesses," said Mr. Mazet. "All we can do is to report them to the legislature.
When the chairman rapped for order, Mr. Moss arose and made a long denunciatory speech. He said no investigating committee had ever been treated as this one was yesterday. He pointed to the alleged contumacy and impertinence of the witnesses and demanded that some action should be taken by the committee. Dr. O'Sullivan, who appears for the city departments, frequently interrupted Mr. Moss while he was speaking. Finally Chairman Mazet told Dr. O'Sullivan that if he interrupted Mr. Moss again he would have him ejected from the room, Dr. O'Sullivan then sat down.
The remark that Mr. Moss took most offense at was when Dr. O'Sullivan said: "Are we here to receive testimony or are we here to receive the bold and unqualified statements of the sounsel, who yesterday was accused by a witness on the stand with having committed a crime and who has not yet answered that accusation?"
After this Mr. Moss asked for the exclusion of Dr. O'Sullivan. Mr. Hoffman, one of the Democratic members of the committee, said he thought it was unnecessary at this time for Mr. Moss to sum up. Mr. Mazet told Mr. Moss to make it as brief as possible and Mr. Moss said: "No, sir, I will make it ass long as I think it is necessary."
Mr. Moss then went on to say that he had caused another subpoena to be served upon Captain Price, to require him tomorrow to substantiate the accusations made against him. Mr. Mazet assured Mr. Moss that the reflections made by witness had no weight whatever with the committee. "So far as the action of the witnesses on the stand is concerned," added the chairman, "their attitude had influenced this committee more forcibly than anything that has come out by word of mouth from the witnesses. The attitude of these people toward a government of which they are a part and which they have themselves sworn to support and maintain, being as they are, officers representing the law and sword to uphold law and order have had their due effect on this committee of the legislature and will receive proper care and attention at the proper time."
John R. Wood, employed by Mr. Moss, was the first witness. He testified that last night he visited a resort in the Bowery known as the "Palm Garden." He was accompanied by a man named Harris, another [employee] of Mr. Moss. The Palm Garden, he said, was known as the resort of the lowest kind of degenerates, men whom he described with en epithet that is unpublishable. Wood described the conduct of these degenerates, and stated that he had frequently observed them in the Palm Garden in large numbers. He alleged that they pursued their traffic quite openly, and last night after 1 a.m., were to have given a show, but according to the witness the idea was given up because some "congressman or assemblyman" was present. This "official" the witness testified, whispered to the proprietor of the resort, and the proprietor acted suspiciously, and apparently tried to hold Harris and Wood. The witness said they became suspicious and started to leave. Just as they stepped out Police Captain Chapman walked in with a squad of men and raided the place. Chapman, the witness said, declared that he would "stand for no souvernir nights," and closed the place.
Wood then went to a gambling home on West 31st street. He was accompanied there by Harris. 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."
Mr. Moss remarked that Nelson was present at the session yesterday and heard the testimony of Captain Price. After ascertaining that the Palm Garden was called "Paresis Hall," and after remarking that he had directed the attention of Chief [Devery?], while he was on the stand some time ago, to that resort, Mr. Moss called Tax Commissioner Sheehy. Mr. Sheehy was subjected to a lengthy examination regarding the workings of his office and his acquaintance with Mr. Groker.
Mr. Feitner interrupted the proceedings by objecting to Mr. Moss' question and had to be told sharply by Mr. Mazet to sit down. Mr. Sheehy admitted the he assessed the tax valuation for 1898. It was done honestly and well. He admitted that the increase of taxation for 1899 in the Boroughs of Manhattan and the Brox was $327,000,000. Such an increase was unprecedented.
Col. Michael C. Murphy, president of the department of health, presented papers showing the increase of salaries in his office. Col. Murphy said that he wished to call the attention of the committee to the fact that every department of the city government of New York was clogged because the head of departments had to be present as witnesses to the committee. Mr. Moss said that only one or two heads of departments were there, that he had already arranged that they might be represented by subordinates. John Keller, commissioner of charities, was examined regarding the purchasing methods of his department, and after a few unimportant answers to the questions Tax Commissioner Sheehy was recalled. Mr. Moss took him over a series of instances where assessments had been increased. Mr. Moss intimated that these had been unjustly assessed, but the witness maintained that the work had been done correctly and justly. Mr. Moss maintained that the assessment books were not open to [anyone] to look at, and the witness maintained that they were. Joseph Dillon 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 started. He testified that Price said to him: "Go away from here or I will throw you overboard, you crook." He had been mad unable to serve the subpoena. There was no reason why Captain Price should call him a crook.
"You serve the subpoena this afternoon," said Mr. Moss, in a tone that showed his determination to make Captain Price prove his accusations 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 disgusting habits and methods of the habitues of this resort. He made a direct charge against the resort form his own personal experience, alleging that he had been approached with propositions that cannot be mentioned in print. Harris testified to the assault made upon him by Nelson outside the gambling house and added to Wood's account that the policeman who saw the assault had said to him (Harris), "You get out of here, damn you."
George B. Hammond, another [employee] of Mr. Moss, also testified to the hideous immorality and degeneracy which 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 one evening when Capt. Chapman came in, looked around for several minutes and then went out.
Assemblyman Hoffman said that such place would not exist were it not for the Raines law, under which they were granted liquor licenses.
Mr. Moss called Mr. Hoffman's attention to the fact that Capt. Chapman had twice been seen in "Paresis Hall," so that the Raines law had not prevented him from going in and seeing whatever took place.
Tax Commissioner Sheehy was recalled and again subjected to an examination of various assessments on different properties.
Question after question was asked by Mr. Moss in an endeavor to show that the assessments had not been fairly placed, but apparently the witness made no admissions of importance.
Thomas L. Feitner, president of the tax board then testified that among his appointments was Miss Annie C. Moore as his secretary at [$1700?]. Miss Moore, he acknowledged, was his sister-in-law. Charles F. Moore, a brother-in-law of the witness, was the deputy commissioner of taxes at a salary of [$3000?]. His was a civil service appointment. Another personal appointment was that of Edwin A. Powell, chief clerk of the borough of Queens. He became a son-in-law to Mr. Feitner after his appointment.
Mr. Moss 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 and 1899 after making no appearance. In the case of Mr. Morgan it was [shown] that he was assessed on $1,000,000 and that he consented to an assessment of $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 a tremendous amount of injustice resulted from the personal tax system as it existed at present. Mr. Moss through the records, mentioned a lot of prominent men in this city, some of them showing that they were assessed for comparatively small amounts and some of them not assessed at all, many of the latter were prominent members of the Democratic club.
Adjournment was then taken until tomorrow morning.
