New-York tribune., 1874-12-25
MUNICIPAL UPHEAVALS.
ruprp COMMISSIONERS OF CHARITIES AND
,oppECTION APPOINTED.

MUNICIPAL UPHEAVAAo'
THREE COMMISSIONERS OF CHARITIES ANU
CORRECTION APPOINlED
.~o,,,r.s,oSrss STERN AND BOWEN REMOVED by
rur MAYoR-TowNsEND COX, EDWARD L. DON
lily AND ISAAC n. BAILEY APPolNTED IN
-uprp PLACE TWO OF THE COMMISSIONERS
rANKp BY THE MAYOR-ELECT-MoRE CHAN1hs
IN STORE.
Altar the death of the late Mayor Havemeyer II
-. dacovercd by his successor. Mayor Vance, that
Gov Dix had instituted inquiry into the conduc'
Of the Charity Commissioners. principally regard'hg
their trestment Of William NJ. Tweed, oonsignou 70
their care as o convict Mayor Havemeyer osieu
the attention Of Commissioners to the com"uni,
cation of the rnor. The new MAYOR oen'anuo0
areply TO the INQUIRY Of Gov Dix MIR. Laimoecr'
,no ~ tho Commissioners at once resigned, IN
,etter throwing the responsibility for the treatment
n Mr.. Tweed or tho other two Commissioners
James Bowen and Myer Stern, at tho same time
charging that Tweed might at any moment make
his eseape Mr. Stern and Mr.. Bowen gavo explana-
t;ons of their action IN tho matter, which do not
sppcar to have been satisfactory. The Mayor, WIN
the Governors approval, removed them yesterday
without further investigation and accepted tho res
ignation Of MIR. Laimbee1. Late yesterday after
noon Mayor Vance after consulting with Mayor
elect Wickham as to the two Democrats named
made appointments to fll the vacancies The new
Commissioners are Townsend Cox. Edward l.. Don
ney and Isaac H. Bailey. Mr. Bailey has the longest
ferm-until May I, 1879. The removal OF the f1re
commissioners will probably follow in few days.
TIE MAYORS GROUNDS OF ACTION.
uIs LETTER To GOV. DIX-LENIENCY TO TWEKD
AND ILLEGAL CONTRACTS FOR SUPPLIES THE
MAIN CHARGES AGAINST COMMISSIONERS sTRRN
. AND BOWEN -TuB CORRESPONDENCE WITH
MAYOR wICKHAM.
The following are the official documents re-
,a,pc to the removal OF Commissioners Of Charities
and Correction and appointment OF their successors
NEw-YORK. Dec. "a, 1874
Hi. Ereti'eney JOIN A. DIX. COrer"0r Of ~e S'~'e Of
SIX: transmit to you herewith nv certificate OF re-
Of ComWssi%ncs % o. ro rse of ,nmova ia IA stated in
The certificate criminal violation OF duty OH the part OF
End Commissioners. Ny reasons ior t"is re'no' 'io
Hrsi: In November 1873, William NJ. Tweed was con;
ted in the Court OF Oyer an! lerlner hsa 10 aur
and sentenced for term OF inprlsonment III te rehi-
iIentiary Baekwcls Island This pri.2n p is under under
Ties and Correction. A few days after Tweed was
to the Ss dress ne ws Mas M OSe
prisoners compelled to wear and to dress IN ord
He allowed the room no, in the Irlsou proper &
situated above the main HnTanss one staT M up r rms
pense. he confined 10 his room h"ing al hoery
Srs 1nsTs ne day unyos1 is in Excellent health med
cal attendance nome OF the prison physitians having
1 The ps's%n pr rep a at e
residence Of the Warden which is about quarter OF
mile distant from the prison. and to the Wardens resi-
meal hours. he takes these walks alone or IN
company of keeper c u permitted TO peeeaye an III
see hun whom he does not wish to see He ,I,n re-
has fee access to INN OF the day, and with
whom he passes considerable time. In short IWce1 Is
not treated as a prisoner. but guest necesstated
circumstances 10 pass sOnc Ou tuo
island, tho officials OF winch are determined % make
si0Ie. The Conmssloner principally RESPONSIBLE for
tins criminal violation duty eG MyeI Stern o n NJ as, @ Gn
prison dress and To wear ordinary clotOng: ana al te
the ssnt1n Of Mr. stern. do not consider neces-
sary determine whether these indugences hlve been
tended to HIM for other considerations an howeytr;
oP%oH on review n;yS,s OF the he eve-fgI owe et
Whatever the aIrangements were which scored cared
Me- soSeS Sss s
since tine latter was sent to B!aek%es Island Ihs
Bowen is thereby relieved from the responslDi!les
omsiOn ieI by Mr. MT Bowen to act was criminal violation
Of his duty The sdbiec vas repeatedly brought oI-
tain for himself the facts and remedy The matter com
planned Of He sustoins by his vote and action Mr. stern
and cannot therefore relieve mn from responsibility
consider the acts Of both ConDlsNioners were crn,
ina violation Of d"y on 1s fISr part iOr Which they
Second In the administrator of the affairs OF the
Department Of Public Charities and Correction there
have repeated violations of the provisions of law
purcLaen The supplies rcqareH S lhe ~ pal tmot,
by the Commissioners OF Accounts on Aug n. now on
le This Office. The restrictions Of law ds 10 puIcas-
ing supplies di~reGardcd, and the books OF Inc
Department altered for the purpose OF deception.
Purchases exceeding 800 III value were repeatedly
made the bills altered to represent purchases
under 1850. and entries made on the books OF the
Department corresponding To the alterations. These
transactions to tine prejudice Of the city. The
prices supplies exceeded what thev could have been
purchased Tor. and IN one transaction alone, where
Myer s;eru purchased goods through a relative OF
Wcmbcr OF his family, the relative, Gu u
of S(S47 80, received q commission OF
i9l4 95 As a Result OF the system adopted aud so
persistenty followed in tue Department. as 10 the par
chase OF supplies know tlat III ore INSTANCE at least
merchant was only allowed the custom or the Depart,
he had Of Myer Stern, aud, through
middle man, had agreed to pay such mldde.nan five
per cent on tue purchases made and that after
time purchases discontinued because the mer
pay corresponding with snch Increase corresponding
commissions. 10 not say tnat these or such
H. through the instrumCntdity OF sOh nf one Of tne
COmmssOicTs such things cOuId BE- carried into effect,
which has been adopted and continued by the COmmls-
sIOnels. The action OF the Commissioners, tu violation
in effect criminal violation Of duty the part Of
the requiring her re%3ys IRON Ma0 0tce
TIE GOVERNORS APPROVAL.
whereas, The Mayor Of the City Of New-York having
removed james Bowen and MSer stern from the Office
Of Commissioners OF Public Charities anu Correction
sured by law and the sad Mayor having submitted
his such removal; II Is ord red that the
sTprcved, JOHN A. DIX
THE INVITATION TO Mr.. wICKHAM.
Hon. VIZ. H. wICKHAM-MY DEAR Ella: In the dis
charge OF tho duIcs Of the office have the honor to
and Myer stem CommssiSneys OF Pubic CHARITIES and
Correction. William Lambeer, the tnri Commissioner,
Of this Office. Considering the CIRCUMSTANCES under
which 40 xpectedy called upon to occupy the
prOach Of the expiration Of the term have TO serve,
and the fact that you are the elected OF the