The New York herald., 1875-08-19
A LITTLE MUNICIPAL WAR.

SHIP OF JURORS "A SCENE IN CoURr-ME.
TAYLoRs CASE STATED by HIMSELF.
inc matter OF the claims of Colonel Thomas Dunlap
ana DIT douglas Taylor to the Commssionership Of
jurors Is hhey 10 result in lively contest before 1t ia
finally settled Confusion itigants and in the trial of
criminals Is certain to ensuc unless the question is dis
posed of speedily in one way the other. Mr Taylor
has engaged the services Of Mr.. A. Oakley Hail. whio
Colonel Dunlap represented by Corporation Counsel
Whitney. Mr.. Hall was asked yesterday by HERALD
representative as to what might be the effect upon tho
jurors who refused to serve. That gentleman observed
he could answer he had already answered several
clients who jurors Any process purportng TO
from Colonel Dunlap could be successfully fought
Nevertheless every citizen ought to a jury
when asked from sense Of duty rather than from fear
Of 1nc. Colonel Dunaps counsel is equally sanguno
with Mayor Hall as to the merits of his case.
The first real move in tho contest began yesterday,
when the drawing Of Grand Jurors for the September
term took place About procession of gentlemen
entered tho Supreme Court, Chambers, before Judge
Tappen
THEY LOOKED SOLEMN AND SERIOUS.
This procession consisted of Deputy County Clerk
Mclaughlin Under Sheriff John T. Cumming, Colonel
Thomas Dunlap and small boy carrying largo box
ensconced in a wheel This procession afterward
increased by the presence of Mr. Hall and Mr. Taylor
The crowded with lawyers and spectators at
tho time, They could not understand what was meant
by this unusual asscmblage of officials They waited
anxiously for the explanation. This suspense and
curiosity aevatod by Mr.. Hail. who and
said
May it please the Court desire through you to ad-
dress inquiry 10 the County Clerk This the day
for drawing Grand Jurors The statute provides that
the Commissioner of Jurors shall attend and certify
order to make the list valid. Mr. Taylor Commissioner
of Jurors is here but observe also an cstimabe gen
tleman who claims to bo Commissioner of Jurors and
who has possessed himself of some of the books by
that force which Is always permissible in scramble for
Office Mr. Taylor Is here to give validity to the list by
his signature, matter who else signs 1t, and this
the interest of public justice and to prevent such
barrassng questions distinguished counsel raised in
the Stokes case Docs the County Clerk propose to
ask him to afix his signature?
Mr.. Andrews, Assistant Corporation Counsel thon
rose and II respond for the County Clerk Under
advice he will only list signed by Colonel Thomas
Dunlap"
Mr. Hall-Then I must advise Mr. Taylor to with
draw under protest and the OF the validity
of the signature to be determined by others than my
client
The drawing OF jurors then went
Some timc after the occurrences in the Supreme Court
Chambers HERALD reporter called upon Mr. Douglas
Taylor and received from him
-, .,aTiAp Claims he Commissioner of Jurors rs I
npon T summer vacation force so@e
om books and papers although not all Of them and he sits
place assigned office to the Commissioner of Jurors
for the making MP Of new lists Tor the succeeding one like
poll lists in the hands of registrars of election Grand and
After this forcble inerierence-which only
F%on steet Of Nassau street where am now
officiating in hearing excuses and collecting fines and pre-
During past year commenced suit against the city
charter Of is ee III line $ vacated NY oace in May Of
S" s s Sss d& S a & %S s
this point was % sustained 9y Judge of the the
point his decision although othor grounds Of demurrer were
During my absence the Mayor claiming act under
25 ne - Of the charter and assuming supposed va.
Jurors No notice has been served of
this action the Mayor taking tho ground ss learn that
that reality throughout six months of his own term there
been any repeal Of laws which shall presently refer
and under which was appointed aud under which act sx'
consistent phraseoogy that occurs in section e about
the tenure Of my Office The points which the
ensuing premises aim TO- reach are & hs am mot II any
officially created by special local acts which are utterly
government" hirdThereore no possible distinction exists
e S t"e my out Of Of 5 H be Ccs S S S Sne ]
matter expressed in the tteEyh OF the
sic subject contained in that charter void In
short that the sandwiehng my Gee among the
Of the Oyer and Termner or OF the Common had also
The Office of commissione5 Of Jurors dates from chapter
go Of act ssson tSS 10 y Sn oecS iS
body (as phrase description in the former Com
%sse Is B sasaGT Shall chosen
Ss 2 anS
course OF legislation which affected his duties and his
until Nth by ssss4 so"5! 5 C %S e
act Of and 'ep ans ~ the he 70 Be 5
his mode appointment remained Every act relating to
nSos and duties No act by rcmotet impca
ton him with the local government OF the city OF
government the charter Of 1878 as before
Snse rs I On is his term and changed tho mode his
removal aud appointment from the mode prescribed oy the
relation 90 the local government of New York The dis
SgndTed others Scarcely could imagined any instance OF
mischief which was sought 10 be Killed by the eonstit
subject greater than this instance for SURPRISE and
Under ali these circumstances confident only be
moved BY the ana n h tue S action S ths % Ma Mayer
only the elective body Of judges and supervisors s
ESQ any other worthy gentlemonI continue to act as
commissioner of jurors aud II or legal em-
act then the responsibility belongs to Others
than myself
THE ALpHRMASrC INVESTIGATING coMMTrEE
Al the last meeting of the Board Of Aldermen Messrs
Purroy, Reilly and Robinson were appointed commit.
tee to examine tho accounts of tho Commissioner of
Jurors for the past twelve years. To this committee
Mr. Taylor yesterday transmitted tho following letter
OFFICE COMMISSIONER JUaoRs, J
12s FULrcN srEvkSr CORNER as, qE y Nsss1U' isHs'
Hon. II. D. PuaRor Chairman of Committee OF Board OF
sIR-Newspapers inform me you ave chairman Of com
missioner Of Jurors during the past twelve years Permit
70 approach this subject and your c9mmistee without
in public metaphor many dead and gone city fathers
respectfully deny your jurisdiction am sure the Comp
troer will make any such investigation should he deem
needed Only he holds that power and he possesses as
successor under the County Consolidation act of the
board of supervisors In point Of nct however, my
counts have duly audited and passed at the close Of
! each fiscal wear When my of 1874 duly
approved among the auditors signing them (Ciy Record
anuarv the Mayor who recently took
20 20 furnish the tho city with my during
nv absence Europe and suddenly while present
To- broached the subject Of his power in the premises
"a power which may incidentally observe, had already
denied by General Term, ia controversy which
directly raised the question
Pardon adding additional for declining
the board of Aldermen no longer any jurisdiction in
Investigation except the only three powers which
survive the charters and the wreck
of law makers These the powers % Of enacng ordn-
ances regulating the uanncr whereby heads depart.
make contracts, and C of confirming these heads'
whenevo some are cut on and others put The ruler OF
the city is really, by law the comptroller No pot
boil unless he furnishes the fuel His veto Is practically
omnipotcnt. When first appointed commissioner Of
jurors aldermen concerned themselves with police, fire,
health buildings water, streets docks parks aims,
prisons assessments and openings
these important powers distributed exclusively depart
which the aldermen have control however
nL