The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-25
SHAFER AND MR.. SHEPARD
A VERY ANNA TED DISCUSS ION Be
FORE THE Law COMMITTEE

FORE THE Law COMMITTEE
Mr.. shafer Makes a Number or Remarks
which Could Hardly he Construed Us Any
thing Else than Very Decidedly Personal
Tho Common Councils Law Committee
gave a second hearing yesterday to L. b. Shnfcr
and Elliott f. Shepard. the Commissioners who
were appointed to codty the city ordinances
Mr.. Shepard opened the argument with the as
scrton that his codo contained tho ordinances
In force on the lst Of January last To this Mr.
Shaicr replied that his work was mnde In "A
form which was originally approved by Mr..
Shepard. This was admitted by Mr.. shepard.
Then Mr.. Shairr opened his package and de-
manded that Mr.. Shepard should open his
We will compare work here and now" he
shouted. and we shall then SEQ who has been
doing the fine work. Mine was done Ave months
before his. and in the hands Of tho Aldermen. |
never saw his. and If it ia like mine. 1t is
for you TO judge how Il cnmo TO be go" Mr..
Shafcr then reiterated tho assertion which he
madc last week. that Mr.. Shcpard's clerk Of
iered him $4,000 to retire from the Commission
and to give up his manuscript.
In reply 10 Mr.. Shafcr Mr.. Shepard admitted
that his clerk had made Mr.. Shafer tho 81 500
offer. The Aldermen had resolved that $1,000
should DO appropriated for the work. and he.
therefore, authorized his clerk TO guarantee
thHt Mr. Shnfer should not loso anything II he
would retire from the Commission His clerk y
communication was confidential. and Mr..
Shnfrr promised to saw nothing about H. MIR.
Shepard added that what he did was done Tor
the sak" Of pence. AMI that the transaction WIS
made confidential lest MIR. Shater should impute
wrong motives for It. Then Mr.. shop ird
called the Commuters attention 10 the Tact thnt
last year ths Aldermen were indicted and the
city was compelled TO pay $1,000, hecausc the
ordinances were IN Such shnn' that nobody
could tell what they permitted or forhnde.
The Romuu rmpprors." h" continued. wrote,
their laws in fine characters and nut them high
up on tall pillnrs That nobody could see them.
and then conilscated the citig.ns goods. say
ing. There are the laws. You should have seen
Il object 10 this. Under tho resolution. the
gentleman can't 40 into Roman history" Mr..
Shnler interrupted. and Mr.. Shepard replied,
did il 70 Illustrate. thinking that it would
Alderman Matt Stewart bowed politely. and
brow. and said sTSyeiy, The 6o { SSH T
will connne himself TO the subject under dis
cussion."
At this Mr.. Shepard sat down. and Mr.. Shafcr
arose Soon after went into this bus ness "
he said. " was told what Elliott +. shepard's
1.-THE Commissioner will excuse us. but tho
! Commute" cannot permit any personalities
Al1srmen Hyatt INTERRUPTED.
| Mr.. Shepard's assertion TINT I agreed e.
keep secret his clerks Offer ~ money is false. VI
| MIR. Shnfer continued Will call u n lie II tho
| Committee will allow the usn OF that word
| Then. IN milder tone. he added. Perhaps the
| Committee can suliges; another word"
IhereupOn Alderman Hyatt vpniurcd tho re-
| mark that there were moro decorous words.
know there are" Mr.. Shnfcr shouted
but II n dog comes ut you to bite you. n is No
| use TO do anything but hit him on the head with
/ club. twill do no good to throw leather at
| him"
"The Commissions must not indulge in per.
| sonalltics." said Alderman Hyatt,
| Certainly not D." Mr.. Shnfcr replied: but
| say that Elliott T. Shepard can't lind member
OF the bar In this city who will say that he has
| brains enough 10 codify the ordinances"
| Alderman Hyatt again admonished Mr.. Shn-
! fer not 10 be personal. But Mr.. Shaier rontin-
ued: " II the Committee will allow me. III fol-
/ low this young man step by step from the be-
| ginning Of this work; and II YOU will then say
that he Is gentleman. III retire from the Com
| mission"
| At this Alderman Hyatt struck tho table
| lightly with penknfe. and said: " The Com
| mttee cannot tolerate personalities.
| " He says that We can't ngrec." Mr.. Shaiel
| went on. I'm ready 10 meet him and COM
| pare our work Im not afraid OF him. III gc
! into n room naked. and neither OF US shall have
| anything hut a rawhide."
| The Committee cannot permit PERSONAL
| ties" Alderman Hyatt again Interrupted.
| He's giving You tnffy. sugar coated tafly
! gentlemen" Mr.. .Shafer shouted NJ the top OF
| his voice. To-day he gave you Roman his
| tory. Last week he quoted Latin to you. None
| Of you understood 1t, and he had to translate il
| for YOU"
| Alderman Hyatt, indignant at Mr.. shafcr's
| intimation TINT he did not understand the Latin
| language. promptly Interrupted. The Commit
/ tee IS adjourned Tor week.