New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-19
RICHARD B. CONNOLLY.
religion.

few DAYS since, there appeared in onr
columns n statement that it had been charged,
by his late associates, that Richard b. Con-
molly had been convicted of criminal
offense in Philadelphia, and pardOned by the
Governor of Pennsylvania. We have since
had submitted to us evidence which satisfies
us that they had no foundation for the charge.
We publish to-day certificates showing that Mr..
Connolly arrived in this City from Ireland in
the wear 1923: went Immediately to Philadel-
phia. where he was employed by one house
until 1885 when the head of that house recon-
mended him for employment to Haggerty Sons
of this City. Mr.. Connolly was employed by this
finn ju 1885, and has lived here ever since.
We have also before US certificates OF the
Clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions or the
City of Philadelphia, and of the late Clerk Of
the Court of Oyer and Terminer, showing that,
so far az their records go, no person OF
the name of Richard B. Connolly has ever been
convicted in Philadelphia. Mr. Sharkey knows
Mr.. Connolly. The case is closed with the GER
tifcates of the Secretary of State and OF the
Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, that
according to their records no person of the
name of Richard B. Connolly had been par
doned by the Governor of Pennsylvania up to
the year 1887. Criminal as Mr.. Connolly has
been In our municipal affairs, we are glad to
see him indicated from the imputation on his
carly life if only for the sake of his family.
The TRIBUNE has not said that Mr.. Con-
molly was convicted of any crime in Phila-
delpha; it has said that his Confederates of
the Ring had threatened him with exposure of
crime committed by him in that city if he
appeared as a witness against Baulch and Hag
gerty When Garvey made bis appearance In
New York, reporters were set TO work to learn
the effect of his return on Tweed, Sweeny, and
Connolly. One of them learned that the latter
had disappeared. On inquiry Sheriff Bren-
nan told him that Connolly had been
gone about ten days, for the reason
that he had been threatened with expo
sure of crime if he appeared against Baulch
and Haggerty. On being pressed for an ex
PLANTATION, the Sheriff said the matter was no Sc
cret. He had been told it by Mr.. John Graham,
in his office, before his deputies, without re-
serve. He did not say, however, that Mr..
Graham was the one who had threatened Con-
molly and driven him away. Surrogate Robert
C.. Hutchings son-in-law OF Connolly, to
whom the reporter went and told what he had
heard asking at the same time for his version of
the story, gave the information that Graham did
the threatening, and he added that Mr.. Rufus
Andrews, COnnOlly's lawyer, had conferred
with Graham on the subject. The reporter
had heard that the alleged crime was burglary,
and so remarked. Mr.. Hutchings denied that
that was the crime, and asked the reporter to
use the words "sOme criminal offense" in
stead of "a burglary Hutchings further
said that this threat had been made weeks
before Connolly went away; that Connolly had
made up his mind to be witness only in his
own cases that he had gone away when Halls
trial approached and that he Qlutchings) did
not know where he was, though he thought
he could easily be- brought back (Which is
precisely what TIE TRIBUNE wants done).
We make all these statements with the greater
pleasure, because Of the additional misfortune
the afflicted family underwent in having Mr.
Joel A. Fithian first assume TO repcl the
charges of his old associates against Mr.. Con-
molly. Mr.. Fithians way of doing it was to
assault like o rufiian one Of our employees,
who had done his exact duty in the premises
get kicked out like poltrOOn for his pains,
and go around the city with lying boasts
about his achievement, like a Falstaff with
the wit left ont. 1t is bad enough for them
to endure this person we gladly give them
the means of confronting their additional as
sailants OF the Ring.
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While the pcw managers of the Erie Railway are