New-York tribune., 1879-03-28
SMITH NJ. WEED ACCUSED.

SMITH NJ. WEED ACCUSED.
EX-wARDEN WELLS SPEAKS OF REMARKABLE
CONVERSATION WITH Mr.. PIIsBURY-THE LAT
TER ADMITS THAT He REMOVED WELLS AT THE
INSTANCE OF WEED.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIeUNE.I
ALBANY, March 27.-The examination of
Louis D. Psbury the superintendent OF Prisons and Of
Others concerning the charge that Warden Wells, Of
Auburn Prison. dismissed, and his place given TO
William ]. Moses in December last for political reasons,
began to-day before Senate committee consisting OF
Senators Pomeroy, Mccarthy and Jacobs The room in
which the examination held crowded with SEN
atOrs and Assemblymen eager to hear the testimony.
Mr.. Psbury apparently greatly distressed by the
inquiry, and looked as II he had not slept for many
nights BY his side sat Smith N. Weed, the great
South Carolina cOparcener, who is accused this
OF having forced Mr.. PsbuIy TO remove Mr. Wells IN
der TO reward Moses for his in the Democratic
mtteo last Fail, that the committee might he organ
lied in the interest of Mr. Tlden. The superintendent
was also bolstered upb counselHenry Smith. few
feet from the group sat Leonard r. Wells, athletic
looking man, the removed Warden The hearing OF
tmOny lasted for three hours The gst Of 1t all
follows: Mr.. Pilsbury fatty denied that he
removed Wells for political reasons. Mr. Wells
quoted conversation with Pisbury in which
the latter said that Smith NJ. Weed demanded
Wess resignation on behalf Of the Governor
and Controller. Smith NJ. Weed denied having directed
PlsDury Wells The ex-Warden,to to strengthen
his testimony, read two letters from Plsbury in which
the latter said that there not the least fault to DC
found with his (Wess) mana cement OF Auburn Prison,
but that nevertheless lie felt compelled him.
Mr.. Wells's testimony listened to with almost
breahess attention by the committee. The most i'm
pOrtant portion as follows:
was suddenly summoned TO Albany by telegraph.
in the latter part of November last by Mr. Pisbury.
My resignation had not been asked, nor had cause TO
suspect what the for the sending Of the tee
gram arrived in Albany a Sunday morning and
went to the Penitenary. My first question Of Mr.. Pills.
bury was, Why have you sent for mel" He replied,
am In trouble" said, What is the trouble nowi"
He said, am full Of trouble; no sooner get out OF
one scrape than am in another" made the remark
Is it relation TO the charges which the Governor
holds over you ! Those settled they nOtP He
said " Yes" 1 said, What is itp He said, "They
want Auburn Prison" / sald Who wants Auburn
Prison ." He replied &" I received a dispatch from
Smith NJ. Weed yesterday directing me to come 10 Al
bany. came here and he notified me that must get
your resignation 1 replied, 4 cannot remove Mr.
Wells he is Of my best officers then said these
words: Does the Controller ask it, Does the Gav-
ernor ask itP He said Mr. Weed responded Z" am
authorized to speak for them; II you do not
believe it you can inquire Of them" He said
that he went to Controller .Olcott to have
q talk with him. and after conversation he asked
the Controller II he knew anything about the matter,
ar, ne saId ne ala I; with
approval and he said it did. Says he :" think can
secure Mr.. Wellss resignation" Mr. Pilsbury then
paused in his conversation and said, You tell them
they can't have Auburn Prison" I said " You have
told what they want now, what do you want -
He replied, " have not yet told you what want" /
replied. There is only one way OF securing Auburn
Prison. and that is by your removal" ~ Will not
resign" he replied "h you do not resign L won't re-
move you" he replied said Very we'll" We then had
general conversation, arguing that by removing me
he would weaken HIS cause but by retaining me he
would siren ghen himself judged that he would not
remove me. and did not want him to do 80, but
felt that it was due outside pressure Towards
ing he sat down and wrote my removal said TO him
Why areyOu compelled to do this Z" He replied: The
charges against me suppressed with the under
standing that should do what was required OF me-"
asked Mr. Pisbury who they wanted the place for he
answered william j. Moses. then asked him II he knew
Noses replied that he had asked them II Moses was
honest and capable and had told them II the man was
not he would him they replied that II Moses
was not so he could him he then said to me-
must remove you lose my own place" Mr. Wells said
I'm conclusion to the committee: understood then and
believe now that removed for political reasons
didn't care SO much the removal as did for the
report that removed for one reason, when really
was removed for q far different one"
PuSBURY's APOLOGIES.
The correspondence from Pilsburv TO Wells was
paratiyely brief In letter dated November 49, 1873,
Mr. Plsbury said: You take tho wrong view about
resignation II is different from my case, in which
charges had been made that not rue as to yo no
charges are brought against you II Is simply ques-
ton as TO whether with the existing feeling between
yourself and departments OF the state Govern
mcnt 1t is for the good Of all that you should do 80
feel under all the circumstances, that must make
change not that there Is the least faut 10 De tOuhd
with your official management hut for the sake OF mar
mony and because others have become hrmly con
WINGED that the public interests VIII suner
from the personal feengs and animosity now
existing at tho prison and In Auburn.
therefore still think that it is best for all parties that
Won send in your resignation to take effect December l."
In letter dated November 25, Mr. Pisbury says; 81
r.turned from New-York Saturday night. To-day
wrote Won before the feeling against you is very
strong, and it IL utterly hpO3SiDo 70 & nav poavo @
mort confidence and cooperation OF both the Governor
and Controller to succeed IN my own dntcs resret.
exceedingly. But they have been lhOrHea m ynat you
have repeatedy declared in Auburn ana New ORR tha
you did not care Cor the place ana mS ieoy 10y h no I'VE
il any time Your resignation mas not ye Dee re-
suppose It viii reach me me before tne oth
By this mail forward MI Moses Ms appointment
THE sUPEPEIENDEl'T's EVIDENCE.
superintendent Psbury testified that the removal Of
Warden Wells was made for political reasons what
oyer but s,mpy from desire 20 have harmony between
the prison officials and the State officials at Albany lie
had consulted with Smith NJ. Weed about the removal
and with no other person. He had handed DIS iesiga
tin Of the once of Superintendent of state PflsOns TO
the Goven0r an the 9Th 9th OF October last and it
was still i'm the hands Of the Governor Ills resighatloh
was gwen solely for personal reasons n,,,.,,
him of the annoyances he had because ot trouble De-
tween Wells and Undehil, the clerk mt Auburn Prison,
n" M Weedl recommended Wells's removal a. II
woud relieve PlsDury from the charge Of nepotisn-
wells being Psbury's cousin.
napie Wanning tilted he knew nothing OF any con
ed change In the warden of the prison until after
~ had heen made The committee adjourned 10 Thurs
day afternoon.
SITTING BULL OTERRATED.
Cuc,co. March 27.-General Sheridan, who