New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-31
THE COMMITTEE ON CRIME.

CLUsiON OF THE CORRESPONDENTS BETWEEN
MR. PHELPS AID AssgNBLYSiAS CAMPDfIL.
Below will he found letter from John ID.
Townsend counsel for tho Committee on Crime, when
replies in detail 10 the charges put forth against that
gentleman Ivy Distnct-Attorney Phelps:
BENJAMIN X PHELPS esd District Aonsyo Of Ser- YORK
counsel for the Committee Crime. TO appear be-
fore them. you have deemed 1t cxpadicni, while dcc-
man what you choose 10 designate your reasons for so
doing, aud in that connection to attack me oyer me
shoulders OF he Committee 10 not propose that you
shall do with impuniiy. Before directing my a1en
ton 10 the subject OF the grievances you nave asais
counsel b. the unannous voice OF the Committee, I'M
de. the belief presume, that would be faithful IN ihe
discharge Of my duties and got DO biased ny ponicai
considerations. At all events accepted tho appoint
nent under such impression. and have endeayoIed 70
perform tho dudes to the best Of my undersiahnihg 40
Serious disagreement has at any time occurred netwcrn
any member Of tho Committee and myself ana you ore
the frat person who has presented views Nv 10 hn
uer i'm which my duties have bern performed You nave
been neither delicate truthful In MAKING }omt atl
nent, and while IN ny remarks TO you shaH sPeah
plainly trust shlil do trrhuily. You charge me
with deliberate intention OF dcotroyihg pun.c yI'
doncc IN YOU nj the owe OF an election ana '"
that end that have suppressed evidence ana col
orrd other and aat through my duoltahe ignorance IN
matters about which the merc9t tyro Ia ciiinh; lhnce
IL proficient the proceedings ~ tlc tu,niil,cc u pcs
anything ut profitable and 10 forty these grave charges
Be;rr reviewing your citations lc' yon that
more surprised tiian OF ne roin'oV Wnen
examination II ycur Department uiFcloru %
ever having beer, upon intimate terms with you had
il,,,y
had considered you an hnnr3t iifornt' ltI ChItuI.
man. with an inclination to do right hut WIN no great
and If ficre were defect ii the administration Of your
Office rather those which might e attributed 10 hcgu
naI prarcc cf late years did ROT NEE. YOU otcn. but
yItha was Inclined IL like yoG inhucd with those cC
Was uo: IN aaraui FOR any ofiro. and hence no selfish
considerations moved me q suci purpose rs yOl lPutc
yyii aroused on tire ltth OF Scpicube when you ?p-
poarrd before the Committee. md instead OF oter-
20 To ic manner IN rach Won ;hoCEit the INVESTIGATION
,houd p@ conducted and attempted to iAircS iae OH
nittrc with he idea toydcutF ~ aI excuse Tor yGa.
6horl"oAilig "hcn WEE thTh ,oi"iS 'Ft't,V Ia, '.
he iacucs ipr tic prosecution ot cihie8 Door lFs
ihc report the newspapers was correct tol gave about
the same testimony before the senate ,oii1;cc ~ yO
Ecw better haa 20 maxi such assertions ami imncd
atc. asked tDat you bc swofi h'u on adl,ieh ihat
eistsp y Hic ly5 four ana besides tb3i dd1n4
ynr tcru you had hccl empowered with the eensan OF
Sessions wiene ycT REQUIRED, which no The Su1c ~
i>ls. You tes;iiod gba during your afh You had Lea
IS u reason fag n0i hod.rc i'"m monthly that
. %" rrrc. y u tlr ease lad hardly required ,hai
labor 10 impo.cd Ui'"n "a" G-ngra! SECTIONS Ma
rGt such sitcfo1f ~ ga abundant r"ason 10! the
ComlCe to fcr tba. q TREY wished 70 IND TIE reason
10, - u' Stri,,iicsi n,,rr yGrr a!dr.5s TO
tle Committee ;O.., Moons icrtcY i'f|iS, ItiniIEt H.
II csn give thr Committee any Information, should
ho most happy to 40 20; - iE'r' i ".ythH& ina le
H.u,'stef'" Alter yorr c,amlratin rlt that You
were cnrasod at nee qui vas convinced That We should
ever ur..ily ticy Ili"Gt rceu".t Time after tlGie.
when IGatic,a 0f peculiar oa"f. u'inat'hg iro'h
ycloreI yOlr pfe.,ucc wa rclc tel in writing but
you faird t. rcmcml"r ycur promise. and il will
yc,te,,'l p, So forth IN y'Hr otter NJ Campbell
corr. I} set form yolr nou..s !uf decnig We a,e
all hl,Hlu ~ LfIo - ay = IL possible dHii1 c11ble
Situations, ai Ltc as Iu;i,.l &" -aiA - yos "cGi
irvc Neaa ctc upon to do might .'gssiy nave aced
IA Al 3D. s,all1 % l.
mad rio mistake % writing uca iei,efs N triiig
M impression, O. yo't yhli3rt ,b'.a AhIc @ddra
Of ehgc df-s bat iEd va - error H.'Yre aliuiinS
10 SOHO Of o. subject upon WHOA 90 iE'Sht o5eb|
WI, yoJr pic.onco ct iic,'y rr'irs Soao Of tie
Illustration. urou Huch you ha5c 'orr charges against
I,ei: Yon say II, time q iae cenmiitoe sa, been
rligly o-c,ui, 81 listening fie complaints - cpi..
ycis a3..icY.d compliments. am dis hl,ci clesaS,
ana Eas ,eeu u.c 3j oIt ct review - revise tn ''so-
~ a,.a, % ri,,t v,iI ...vtttt have i:Gt
been aVar, that convict bi t'i rt 1rI y" the Com
irfcc II rcIc,opcr 30 your d2Hn'ncn:. Are youf II
-, ,'l rcn ,,lr... Give h, %, rrr - me. and state
whether og not n enc tas - t's'' II, lc cr eh'
W. moi ooIIaboratrii know al ~ d:.'arsoG c'afis.
u,e,s You r.rcr % Mr. hc. roHr lcrE.l assistant
,r;,e -cl .1rs why re si ycur ofi~c do know that
many lnanY i.;1icyc, rD.au:,ia1nt' have testified
acir-, the Ianuc" wiIel YOU! ohc2 IA, been admit
i.;.rrd ani vim GOOD too nj bad thcii cls'
been rIcf,;Si OF en- side on D. viirh Is not trrc ,h
world have hc.r good ieGsIi7 or u first b., '''
caFcs Of Nj Ioafy aud ~" liii',g vi tcCa!tyani.
Second Hccaus. could ao induce sCr 10 appear wi,h
sero1d: You rryt o,casc lie NJ ':asin% he tine Of
the COMMITTEE Iar' "ii.~ az o. itic wei. Island
il con.rougnep ~ NY 'a'ncn r"," Ignorance ~ no. ttoW
go, th1t the CcEr had III 'ret nary powor % commit
childI 49, Ter 10 ycers o! age Wen IL -! YOU WI
h. SIT how ., II with jr ni. i've ,1i ro"f yor 20
tEii yOu have in u every oaF Yea S'y yod would
~ together your nuE,rs Of ST Lon 20 L., bric the
Co.rmt,po DO SCI d,air. g. blow rv own horn. Int
irat r"w may Ac "Nrl,fd l. ear II yCi" NINA lia!
dpau or-lsuu, when have btcn opposed - you in
U,;,a: You wy IL rdct il5j.T eid"avor'i 70 make
- a-ir1r tiGt 700 ind c'1.u'- we 81 j-l i-1iE te
'g.a w ', ,,c,fi 49, t,-.f ~. ., y-rr" n
yoir uN,o Jcrotic- 'ith tac uGh:p.ca practice -
n..ais IA cr'ua us. Unless roNs5y ataHnt persons
tcty Ire !. ~. pe,,. mo ,va! "p'ei1.-.ueisc" ia-
diclcn piooa!ly bad Is bigt in me rsc,ce Won rciT
s.rvuucc. But have another a1-"cr Wncu out clolH
had ~ po- "d fO2 i1fetiDci.@ a. ing from the
10 your Office with rcGues. thu you wo,ld IN 'iratc
whe;hoi Thy wtrr N yor i'o>, ion or E' 90 not
did IS !ind N ca copy book the following cue;
~, H9r. pazI K PHYLLIS, Dfrr..'.4esr.s4
sI9 Iae vn ~ - iaiici,aen- odai in ls73 lo7i
"Hd 1877 ~ ", Ji!- J., w., Ivy On a' ~.
General esaous WI YOU reae' 9rte nqn7 ~ your oaee
ac: marked oppoh" % Ihc f.s I'VE illctineG's on inc
s,go lar fhis d.y meeting Of ts ~, nb, C0mle
crime The nrteA - T. Ai-hd o. YOU written ihN
Tecti1 would I've agre,apc - also aIy lana Jon T." com
Ia rFu.-i a h. u" - be presented
in connection Win the 'nrg, cation tour7 t.'prc'dy
THtJ. htB, Associate Counsel
b. : -. roy, lscnd, Counsel Coma tee.
After waiting thOn month FOR your action In the
matter and no response bei1- made except by g. urn
Of few indictments AGAINST lottery dealers on ne I'm
Of October ~ irrrCrsc - subpoena fei, ~ my duty Ia
make The absence "i ne indictments part OF The record,
and TO day with Inc exception ~ ycrr statement II Hr.
Campbell your t'yr about the Conmitiee has 20
knowledge tnat Of hose missing indictments are III
yOir possession
Fo,fi Y0I charge me with an cfoit % convict you Of
iu,urcpDF practices Tire % election. think dr.
Ht-s will bear out when a. tiat was in favor oi
passine over the completion Of tho examination OF your
Office until after election for fear that surl charge
irihf bc urged against the Committee. TEe matter
he subject Of debate and Vt wa concluded hat II
We did yen should be reelected the COMMITTED
would be blamed fcr letting tha gube know the tire
condition o. your pliGcnt And must Dc paruOne.i