Too Vile To Utter, Wichita Daily Eagle (Article, 1899)
Full Text
Too Vile To Utter
Are the Abominations Practiced in Greater New York.
"Paresis" Hall Shown Up
In the Mazet Investigation--Scandals of Taxation.
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 inefficiency of the system of personal taxation and revealed nothing sensation. Mr. Moss, opened the session with an outburst of indignation against the way in which witnesses had treated him. He demanded the protection of the committee, and announced his intention of bringing Police Captain Price before the committee 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 that Mr. Moss, and Dr. O'Sullivan was rebuked but allowed to remain in the committee room. The evidence of the flagrant existence of the worst forms of vice was given by two of Mr. Moss's agents. It established the fact that under the eyes of the police there were running the vilest of resorts, patronized nightly by person of the lowest social standing.
Before the proceedings commenced today Mr. Mazet was asked regarding the conduct of Captain Price and Mr. [raus?], who yesterday defied Frank Moss, counsel for the committee. "We cannot punish recalcitrant, impertinent witnesses," said Mr. Mazet. "All we can do is to report them."
When the chairman rapped for order Mr. Moss arose and made a long and 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. Finally Chairman Mazet told Dr. O'Sullivan that if he interrupted Mr. Moss again he would have him ejected from the room. Mr. Sullivan then sat down.
Joseph Dimond, who is an [employee] of Mr. Moss, related the circumstances of an attempt to serve a subpoena on Police Captain Price this afternoon. 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, a previous witness, at "Paresis hall" last night, was then called. He confirmed that 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 one evening when Captain Chapman came in, looked around for several minutes and then went out.
Tax Commissioner Sheehy was then recalled and subjected to examination of 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.
