New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-06-30
THE MAYORS OPPORTUNITY.


ARE REAPporTED-How THE PROSECUTION WAS
CONDUCTED. 900
The interest in the case of the convicted 70
Ice Commissioners was ncwise abated yesterday "
fact Il formed the current topic OF conversation !"
cal circles The questions when "erc hios iu'
discussed were these: Would the Mayor receive 'no
ras,srt,ons Of the Commissioners, and whom wouu no
,., =. ,heir successorsf As the day advanced the
rumor gained strength that the Mayor womb acecp.
the designations OF the convicted COMMISSIONER anu
then proceed 10 reappoint them. This was hrmy po
heved by of the wellinformed poh'icA"'' "A0'e
opioions are deemed OF Importance
Mayor Uayemeyer called on by Q reporter OF HE
TRIBUNE and questioned relative to the acceptance OF
the resignatons Of the Commissioners and their reap
poiutment The Mayor seemed to nave regaineo IA.
GOOD spirits which have been considerably aanicheu
late by municipal complications With reference W he
designations said he was not certain whether was
necessary for him 10 accept them formally Inc "on
,niss,oners had sent in their designations to him ana
tner official existence ceased The statement that ne
contemplated reappointlng the commissioners Prooaoy
arose from the that the public were convinced tna'
the Commissioners wrongfuy convicted ana 'na'
they had been guilty Of no serious ohense. lie ae.
clned TO say positively whether or not ne "ouu
reannoiut Messrs. Gardner and Charlick IL ne shoud
say what he meant 10 do. and circumstances shouio
render change necessary the public woud say 'na' NO
did not know his mind. He was giving the ma''er
his attention at Intervals He had referred certain
o,inon in the matter and would be guided thereby.
The MAYOR was asked whether the convicted Commits
sioners were still members OF the fohce boalu' vi
whether hc had ceased to recognize them rs ouca's'
He replied that he certainly did not consider them
as oieially connected with tho Board OF Police.
Corseonently the Board OF Police is now
without quorum. The Mayor reminded that the
first of the month at hand ana that as there
was now no quorum and the Board of Police was with
out President Treasurer, no salaries could DE pau
or bills audited until the new Commissioners should pe
appointed The Mayor replied that he had given that
matter consideration, and that everything would Dc
straightened out in few days. The public service
would not be impaired by the delay OF a few days.
THE OTHER INDICTMENTS TO BE PRESSED.
The Hon John Kelly the Warwick Of Tammany Hall,
was found in his office, surrounded by several OF the
lesser lights of the Democratic organization who had
called to congratulate him his letter In response
TO the allegations of the Police Commissioners
in their letter of resignation Mr. Kelly saiu thas inc
remaining indictments against the Police COMMISSION
ers would brought to trial as speedily as possible
The Tammany organization would not allow this matter
TO rest There would be Court OF oyer and Iermner
before October; bt they could procure fresh indiet-
meps and this they would do The counsel appointed
by the Committee on Organization OF Tammany Hail.
acting under Instructions would go before the Granu
Jury Monday. and ask that indictments should DC
found on additional complaints OF inspectors
and watchers OF election, who were removed by the
orders of the Board OF Police He had heard the rumor
that the Mayor would reappont the convicted Commits
sioners. This would be Drawing public opinion
With three indictments hanging over them he thought
1t would extraordinary proceeding the part of
the Mayor The Commissioners convicted Of vio-
laon OF the law and had been In effect adjudged
worthy hold their positions. The evidence was just
as strong In regard TO the other indictments as In the
case which conviction had been obtained 1t might
he necessary for the Mayor to reappont the Commits
siouers two three times This was not political
was member and which represented the
great majority Of the Democracy OF this city
convinced that an organized attempt was
made TO carry several districts by fraud at the
last election and that portion Of this plan was the
OF certain OF the Tammany inspectors Of cleo
tion by the Police Commissioners on the morning of
election day and the telegraph order to remove the
watchers the evening OF election. IL was for this
reason that his organization, pledged to reform In
municipal matters, had resolved to follow up these
election and to seek redress through the agency
of the law He thought he had met fully all the points
made by the Commissioners in his letter addressed
to Mayor. Hayemeyer
THE PROSECUTION NOT POLITICAL ONE.
Col. George W. wincate. OF the counsel for the
prosecution ID the trial of the Police Commissioners,
and associated with Col. Fellows in procuring the
indc ments by the Grand Jury questioned yester-
day relative the complaint OF the convicted Police
Commissioners, that the prosecution had been con-
Quoted by the DstricAtorney and his assistants
but by the private counSei employer Dy dammaDy
Mr. wingate said that he had objection to give ali
the facts In the case. The Commissioners seemed es
pecally anxious that the prosecution In their
should DO conducted by the District-Attorney.
To give q clear statement OF the case no
would to so back to last Fall. On Nov. 10, 1879
Col John r. Fellows and himself were retained by the
Committee OH Organization OF Tammany Hall to inves-
tgate the charges Of fraud at the last election They
received a number Of afldavts and proofs, and after
rejecting all that considered frivolous. they
pared lis: complaints for violations OF the election
law occurring than 80 election districts and
against large number OF persons These complaints
included false counting, ballotbOx suing. &c, and
each 1t the names and address, OF The
witnesses by whom it could be substantiated BY
Election law 1t made the special duty
OF the Dstric-Attorney to prosecute Immediately to
HnaI Judgment all complaints OF this description. The
speaker left these complaints with Mr. Phelps Nov.
90 1879 and there they slept Repeated endeavors
made 70 have some action taken to get them
before the Grand Jury, but without success He
10 Mr. Phelps on Dec land Jan. 2, asking him to
bring these matters TO speedy trial. He then
quested to send TO the District Attorney the aidavs
upon which the complaints were founded, which was
done Jan. 10. 1874 but without inducing any action
by the public prosecutor This was the more provoking
the seat OF Geo scherman as AsseDblyman from the
Eighth Assembly District being contested by Mar
Gin Nachtnsn and an Investigation before the Grand
-Ieved. probably developed sufficient frauds to
1s SG in the OF S. ID a9 the s
District Attorneys Office 1t had been decided
@ I non aagSe ea Ren
body having not only decided TO enter into the contest
counsel to act vita Col Fellows and himself aud the
ganzaon he represents and mat gentleman had ever
sep t6at had been taken Having concluded to test
the clause OF the Charter in regard TO examining public
under which Oliver Cnariick was examined |
The ' facts acts developed upon this exam,
They published newspapers, discussed BY |