New-York tribune., 1879-05-07
THE FIGHT FOR PATRONAGE.
MAYOR CoOPER's NOMINATIONS.

Mayor Cooper yesterday made nominations
to fill vacancies in a number of city offices.
Stephen B. French was nominated for Police
Commissioner Jacob Hess for Commissioner
of Charities and Correction James DAILY for
Dock Commissioner; Thomas III. McAvoy for
Superintendent of Buildings; John n. Hay
ward for President of the Tax Board;
Cornelius Van COtt for Fire Commits
sioner and Joseph Shannon and John Murray
for Inspectors of Weights and Measures. Tho
Aldermen were dissatisfied, and laid over
the nominations until Friday. Combinations
are regarded as somewhat doubtful, as tho
general opinion was unfavOrable to the NOM
nations. Sketches of the nominees and COM
ments on the bill introduced into the As.
sembly by Mr. Strahan are given.
LOCAL POLITICIANS DISSATISFIED.
USFAvORABLE COMMENTS on THE EIGHT NOMINAL
TIoNs SUBMITTED BY THE MAYoR--CAUsEs AS
SIGNED FOR HIS ACTIoN-DOUBrs OF THE con-
FIRMATIoN OF THE NOMINEES.
Mayor Cooper surprised the politicians yesterday
by announcing that he would send to the Board Of
Aldermen nominations for all vacant city Offices ex
cept those of City Marshas. Excise Commissioners
and Commissioner of Jurors. Whether the intro
ducton of the bill In the Legislature to vest the ap-
pointing power in the hands of the DIstrIct-Attor-
ney. Controller, City Judge and the Mayor acting
as Board had the effect to hasten the Mayors de-
csiOn is not known, but that was the inference OF
many politicians who have been waiting for the
Mayor to act on the vacancies IN the Police Board.
When the Mayor arrived at his Office at noon, after
closing his conferences with the political leaders at
his residence he furnished the Aldermen a list Of
his nominees. They were as follows
For Police Commissioner-Stephen B. French, in
T., ID E-I,o, Solo Z. ~
For Dock COmmssiOner-James DAILY, in place Of
Jacob A. Westeryelt, deceased, Salary S3000j
the Board to elect president at salary of $1,000.
For Commissioner of Charities and Correction
Jacob Hess in place of Isaac ii. Bailey Salary.
$4,000.
For Fire COmmissioner-Cornelius Van COtt in
place of Joseph l.. Perley. Salary $1,000.
For Superintendent of Budings-Thomas III.
McAvoy, in place Of Henry j. Dudley. Salary,
$4,000.
For President OF the Department of Taxes and AS
sesslhents-John N. Hayward, in place of John
Wheeler. Salary $4,000.
For Inspectors of Weights and Measures-Joseph
Shannon and John Murray, in places of Thomas j.
Banta, Richard !. Mccormick and Mr. Dent. Fees
about $4,000
As soon as the Aldermen obtained this list they
| began an animated discussion of the merits of tho
candidates. The fact that nominations for City
Marshals wece not to be made at this time
| garded as tact threat from the Mayor that
| the Aldermen would not be allowed to name
| even one marshal each unless they supported
| his nominees. This did not tend to good feel
| ing on the part of the Aldermen. Those who
| had not been successful in getting thier cam
ddates nominated not slow in denounc-
| ing what they termed the duplicty of Mayor
| Cooper The nominations of Stephen b. French,
No iun nd Hav War1xy ON
surprises to nearly all the Aldermen the two former
being almost entire strangers to the members of the
| Board. Mr.. Hayward is now a Tax Commissioner,
and if he is confirmed President of the Tax Board.
| which is separate Office under the charter. his
present position will become vacant. His successor
could then be appointed without the confirmation
of the Board of Aldermen. This was regarded by
the Aldermen as a device of the Mayor to deprive
them of cherished legal right, and seemed TO add
! fuel to their wrath.
DIsGUsTED BODY OF ALDERMEN.
The Republican members met in caucus in
the office of Dstrict-Attorney Phelps General
Arthur and Mr.. Cornell present and endeav-
ored to persuade the refractory Aldermen to submit
to the decision. At p. m, the tmesfor the Board
to meet no decision was reached The Board met
and Immediately adjourned for two hours Tho
Republicans went back to the Distrct-Attomey's
office and again discussed the nominations, after
which they met i'll JOINT caucus with the Antl-Iam-
many Aldermen. As II was evident that no united
action could be reached IL was agreed that the
nominations should be laid over until Friday This
was the disposition made OF them when the Board
met again at y. III.
The Tammany Aldermen held a caucus and
agreed that they could not afford to assume re-
sponsibIlity for any of Mayor COopeTs nominations,
and that for the present they would vote unltedly
against confirmation.
Aldermen Jacobus Burns and Perley on the Re-
publican side were dissatisfied with the n0mlna-
tons. while nearly all the Antl-Iammany Alder
| tl. FN.aH .f
publlcans it claimed that the Mayor had not
redeemed his promises made before election, and
that ne was willing 10 cOnc"de 60 tho party that
furnished more than twO-thrds of the votes that
elected him to office only small share OF the pat
ronage which rightfully belonged 10 It. Ii was
claimed that the leaders who assumed to control
the Republican party were satisfied with less than
the party would accept, IA consideration OI the ap-
ponment of one or two OF their personal followers.
Stephen B. French, Jacob Hess and Cornelius Van
Cott the only Republicans on the Mayors list
OF nominations yesterday. lie nonlnated demo-
crat for the vacancy the Dock Department, re-
fusing the Republicans any representative. lle
promoted "a Democratic Tax Commissioner 10 the
Presidency OF the Tax Board thus refusing tho
Republicans any representation IN the important
Board Of Estimate and AppOrtionnoht, oi hich
the President of the Tax Board Is, ex-oitlcO,
member. He refused the Republicans n Inspector
of Weights and Measures, any officer IN tho
Building Department 1t being understood that
John McCoOl will be made deputy IN case Dir. Nc
Ayoy Is confirmed.
All the Republicans were not satisfied with any
one of the nominees selected from their DaEy. Mr..
French is said TO be resident OF SIl0.k County,
which he has long represented on the Republican
State Committee. Although he mas resided moro
or less in the city for number OF years, and
Appraiser when General Arthur was Collector and
A. b. Cornell Naval Officer yet he is personally un-
known to the Aldermen. lie was strongly objected
to because he was nonresident aud was regarded
as the personal representative Of the two assumed
leaders of the party. Alderman JacODus thought
Gilbert J. Hunter should have had the place. AL.
derman Burns wanted Henry j. TremaiUe and
other members had their preferences but no one
favored Mr. French Alderman Perley was not
satisfied to see his brother Implanted by Cornelius
Van Cott as Fire Commissioner, although the latter
Al