The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-09-15
THE WAR ON TAMMANY.
MAYOR HALL DEMANDS CONNOLLF'S
RESIGNATION--A TART REPLY.
The Mysterious Robbery of the Comp
troller's Office.

troller's Office.
The crisis of the New York City ring seems
to be approaching. The mysterious "rob-
berry" of the comptroller's Office, heretofore
reported the missing vouchers of 1870, and
the suspicion that the robbery" was after
all not robbery, but bold expedlent
to defeat the ends of justce-all tend to
hasten the denouement. We give below
the full correspondence between Mayor Hall
and Comptroller Connolly, already briefly re-
ported by telegraph:
CONNOLLY REQUESTED TO RESIGN.
Late Monday night the following official let
ter, dated at the Mayors Office the same even
Ing, was sent by Mayor Hall to Comptroller R.
B. Connolly, asking that official to resign. The
Mayor says:
II have Just been Informed By the superln-
tendent of police that late last night the offices
of the finance department were secretly in
vaded, and That as consequence thereoi Valu-
able vouchers, evidences OF payment, and can
celed warrants together representing large
amount of discharged city liabilities, are alleg-
ed by some of your subordinates to have then
diappeared. The superintendent and the
Mayor Immediately had full conversation re-
SdTQluH VI IuC uuIO-
ward circumstances of the alleged burglary,
and so as to punish the guilty. procure res
titution OF such papers as may have been
taken, and protect the Interests OF the city, our
constituents will have q right to hold you
responsible, and In measure withhold from
the finance departm ent desirable public conf
dence. 1t is impossible not to perceive that
the city credit will suffer, and in very critical
period of the municipal government With
great personal reluctance | officially reached
the conclusion that the eXigency demands
your retirement from the head OF the finance
department, that I may place there another
gentleman who will be enabled to thoroughly
Investigate its affairs and restore public
confidence. cannot suspend any head OF
a department, not even pending an investt-
ton. I can only prefer charges to the Com
mon Pleas, who alone can remove after a con-
siderable time for trial. I am compelled to
throw myself, therefore, as mayor, in this un-
expected aud sudden emergency, upon your
magnanimlty, and ask, under the circumstan-
ces, for your resignation.
"A. OAKEr HALL Mayor"
COMPTROLLER CONNOLLY DECLINES.
The following reply of Comptroller Connolly,
dated September II, addressed to Mayor Hall,
was duly forwarded to Mr.. Hall
s'Your letter of September llth, asking my
resignation as comptroller, was presented TO
me last night, al IL o'clock. at an Interview
sought by myself. Similar verbal requests,
from yourself and others, have been, within
the last few weeks, received and declined.
The official source and subject matter OF your
note, as then read to me, and as published by
you in this mornings press, demanded and has
received my earnest consideration.
"A criminal abstraction Of papers from the
finance department seems 10 be the reason TOR
your letter, so far as any Is therein suggested.
In common with ether city officers, | now stand
before the public and our constituency eharg.
ed with mateaSance In the administration OF
high trusts so long confded to my care.
The legal proceedings wherein such charges
are made, and to be subslantlated, II at all,
is now on hearing before fearless and
lust tribunal My answer thereto Is before
the public, and my complete defence ready
to be presented both TO that high court
our constituents and to the citizens OF New
York at large. Ny counsel has urged, by
my wish. speedy trial and rigid nvestga-
tion. am fearless OF the result and anxious
tor the procedure. During the many years OF
my administration Of this office, have not
seen, and fail now to see, any dimlnutlon OF
public confidence; and such lact would have
been readily Notwithstanding being more
sensitive to general opinion than financial ad-
ministratlon. beg leave to differ from your
Honor In thinking the robbery OF my office
creates any unexpected or sudden emer-
gency' I am not apprehenslve that
either yourself or this community will
suspect that | am an accomplice IN tnat
depreciation. am happy 10 assure you that
1t has effected no serious m!schiet-the archives
of the department contain abstracts OF the
stolen papers. Whoever planned or executed
the crime has reaped no benefit and inflicted
no injury upon the public interests. Would
not my resignation OF this particular time give
the advocates of the partisan attacks upon the
city government Just cause to believe me TO
plead guilty, not only to parlicipation-at least
passive the burglary, but as well to oil the
charges now made in the legal proceedings!
So 1t seems TO me.
s.My official acts have been supervised and
approved by your superior vigilance. SO Tar
as my administration is questioned, equal re-
sponsibilty attaches to yourself. In your an
swer and affidavit, read in the pending liliga-
tion, you have adopted and indicated those acts.
You could not justify yourself without so doing.
Consequently, do not perceive why my resls,,
nation should be asked, or how, If rendered
1t, 1t would have any just influence In appeas-
ing popular clamor.
SConadent therefore, in the steadfast good
opinion of friends, and In the ultimate JudS-
ment to be rendered by the courts, cannot
consistently, with self-respect, accede to your
desire. I am unable to submit myself as
vacarious sacrifice to satisfy the hungry appe-
tite of adversarles for victim, or, at this
iuncture, and under these peculiar clrcum-
stances, betray weakness of position or fear Oh
Investigation BY rendering my resignation.
II cannot now anticipate the effect upon the
determination of future Efforts. When my
past administration shall be vndlcated, and
pending accusations shall be repelled, shall
not fail to act as may seem to be demanded
by the changed circumstances which may then
exist.
.Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
ORCHARD B. CONNOLLY, Comptroller"