The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-07-18
abroad until the middle of October We
cordially wish him pleasant journey and
q safe return to this country.



state Senators mt Saratoga.
The State Senate meets in extra session
at Saratoga to-day. The immediate cause
of this meeting is the trial of Super
intendent Ellis, of the Bank Department,
on charges of official malfeasance. The
charges were made during the regular legis-
lative session at Albany, but the Senate did
not then find time to conclude the examine
ton and bring in verdict, and hence this
watering place postscript. The plain mean
ing of the thing is that thirty-two gentle
men who represent the several Senatorial
mer vacation at one of the favorite summer
resorts of Americans at the public expense.
Of course they will take with them their sub
ordinate officers Sergeant-at-Arms, Post
master, doorkeepers and pages-all of whom
will draw their pay and enjoy themselves at
the cost of the people. The ''extra session"
is, in fact, q swindle on o small scale a
trick by which the treasury Of the State can
be made to pay the hotel bills of one branch
of the Legislature for few weeks of the
heated term under the fimsy pretence of
public necessity.
The Superintendent of the Bank Depart
ment is an officer who cannot be removed
without the action Of the Senate. But the
Senate has the power to remove him at its
will, and is bound to do so provided he is
shown to be incapable or untaithful. The
proceedings against him are not in the
shape OF an impeachment No charges
need, in fact, to be made against such an
officer. If the Senators should become
cognizant Of his dishonesty or incapacity,
without any formal charges having been
preferred against him, they would have the
right and it would be their duty to remove
him. It was proved in the investigation
last winter that Mr.. Ellis had suffered
Third Avenue Savings Bank, to continue
business long after it had been officially
known to him that they were hopelessly
insolvent. The Bank Superintendent
was convicted on his own evidence
of having suffered tho Third Avenue Bank
to keep open its doors and swindle de-
positors for six months after one Of his own
examiners had officially notified him of the
rottenness Of the institution. His only
excuse was that the officers of other banks
had advised him that it would injure them
should the insolvency of the Third Avenue
Bank be made public. and this disclosed
secret and suspicious relation between the
Superintendent and bank officers which
ought not to exist. It was proved, further,
that when the Third Avenue Bank got ready
to close its doors and let its depositors know
that they had been robbed Mr.. Ellis per-
mitted an officer who had nine months pre-
viously sworn to perjured statement of the
banks condition to be appointed its re-
ceiver, secretly and without the knowledge
Of the creditors of the bank. Yet the Senate
declared themselves not satisfied with the
testimony, and so secured an extra session
at Saratoga during the most pleasant part of
the season to complete the trial.
The Senators will, no doubt, enjoy them
selves at Saratoga Springs at the public ex-
pense. They have shrewdly arranged to be
there during the racing season, SO that they
will take out their full share of sport. But
it is to be hoped that they will be contented
with this small imposition and not do the
people the gross injustice of retaining in
Office q Bank Superintendent who. if not
corrupt must be miserably incapable We
can afford to pay for Senatorial 'jam-
boree," but we certainly cannot afford to
keep at the head of the Banking Department
of the State man to whose incapacity or
which have followed the illegal and dishonest
practices of the broken savings banks Of
New York.