New-York tribune., 1884-11-25

surprised, in view of the fact that Mr. French and
myself were permitted TO hold over without question:
although the Mayor now says our terms oil oiice sS
pired some time ago. Now, when MIR frencn anu l
were appointed the then Corporation Counsei ea,e
opinion that we were appointed for SIX wears. J..
was in consequence OF this opinion tnat we WY
permitted to hold over and were not moes,eu un,',
the present time. am informed that there, WIS whSs
q caucus of statesmen held at the Victoria iio,e.
yesterday at which were said 10 he present Sehaui
Frederick s. Ubbs, Clarence w. Meale Foi,cc jus jus
tice Jacob NJ Patterson. Robert q. McCortl, toii,e
Commissioners French. aud Aldermen say les hnt,,,
man, Miller, Waite, Pearson aud Wendell am ,o,'
s m" ,Hss ,cs SSs y % tS Hi s
the Aldrtmph today u q part " was en,s" ,,,i,"a
meeting that desired TO retire i,om me io,,se ne
Hoard aud was willing 60 have sN.Aldelman ssn Ms-
tiave appointed ,ny sneeesAof, There wac, III Tact
No truth IN that statements setsa' otsnsss ~ sn"ae vi,
ept knew that Mes nel I'VE, NV o'''D"sh n, ,hs con-
French knows did not wish ta resign, Wv W. ''i
trary recently told tho MAYER that Whh re,,'''m
willing % serve out tho remainder oi NY ,"'m amnsa
accordance WIN the oplhien ~, @ VeaTs which
Andrews that was appointed Tor hh Noa,s,i W"h w. hw
opn0n has been, up to this time, aol"''soo" '" w
tho Mayer ~, ra.o, came into
Office / waited ON him aud stated that IN eonse-
ouence of iii health aud pressing business .nI"s M
ments desired to resign ana was Willis @ @ "a
ON condition that he would appoint my huuoos'o, '"
be named by me- ] said would name man Mno ao
would be acceptable tony associates ~ tn1 oc
Board and to himself lhs mayor his refusal
on the ground that he wished me to continue n .,io
place. A second time met hun and renewed nS uId
proposition to resign. He then said that II would
give him several names from which to make q selec-
ton he would consider the matter. | declined 10
do this. repeated that would give hm one name
and If that shOud not prove acceptabe 10 Nun anu
nv colleagues in the Police Board | would name
another man. lie declined this proposition and re-
quested me TO name my candidate. nnen sant sIt
him the name Of eX-Aldernan John McCiavc; out
he declined to accept him. | then arranged his
business with view to remaining, anu ihy hcalti.
had somewhat improved. expected to serve @ out
my farm, ,nts L
posed that ended the matter.
LEGAL ADVICE TO DE SOUGHT.
"Not long ago Mayor Edison Sent for me and toid
ne that he was ready to accept my resignation ana
would appoint Mr.. McClavc as my successor told
him that my health was restored. my business affairs
arranged, and that would serve out my term My
colleagues also wished me to remain because OF the
illness of Commissioner Nichols. This was the eX-
PLANTATION | sought to make before the Board oi
Aldermen to-day. had been informed by several
members that had the right to be heard as was
one of the heads of q Department of the city gov
ernment and that had not been consulted win
reference to this action. shall take legal adyice
and If find III It have been illegally displaced
will contest the matter III the courts. nave not
fully determined what wi do
" | saw the Mayor just before the Board of Alder
men met and told him that had not been consulted
with reference to this action. He replied that he
supposed il would be satisfactory to me. SAID very
decidedly that it would not; that had not been
consulted and did not want any one appointed IN
INV place understood him to say that he had not
sent the names to the Board, and was much sur
prsed when Oh. entering the Chamber of the Board
| found them considering the nomination of Mr.
French. | am astonished thai my appoin tment for
six years should have been questioned at this late
day. | have been repeatedly recognized by thc
Mayor and the Board of Estimate and Apportlcn-
ment."
THE MAYOR THINKS HE HAS DONE HIS DUTY.
Mayor Edison said 81 have very little TO add
to NY official communication to the Board OF Alder
men, Since llI. Frenchs term expired on MAY l,
1888 have received several opinions on the sub
jcct The evidence has been gradually accumu-
latinr from legal strenet hening my belief
finally decided to take the step l have i have
done my duty III the premises.
MIR. MASON AND MR.. M'CLAVE MEET.
Commissioners French and McCave drove to
Police Headquarters about $3.50 p. m. and held q
meeting with Commissioner Porter Commissioner
Matthews was absent from the city. The two
tfcates of appointment were presented and or
dered to be placed OF record. Mr. McCiaye was
elected treasurer of the boald, and the room occu-
pied by Mr.. Mason assigned TO his use. While
the meeting was IN progress Mi Mason sat talking
witha TmBJNE reporter unaware that the Com
missioner. had entered the building. Among other
hnls he SAID: I" | do not wish 70 say at present
what my course Of action viii he in regard
10 the Office of Commissioner because |
10 not understand clearly what my rights are
M information of the proposed appointment OF MIR.
Mr.. McClave has been my political aud personal
friend Tor twenty years yet he did poi consult
with me subject which was 50 closely con-
uprtpl with my interests
Mr. Mctlave eneted the room at this point, ard
NJ Mason iergated ~ part what he h9t ,sail to
the iero;teh W. M aye , sa,d i,at M Gn'N iagk W
the pf1nuspi rlapee, he fist ihtipihtioh he had
of tie matter, he said. was gh SATURDAY at ? " pn
4. hau he Waa called tn thp Natnt's Oilipp, M I.l
sen said he bod decided not 20 ieapr1iht MI
Mas,n aud he was rfN 90 Mat point
athanah Nir Met lave declared that be W0ut nW
Aocepi the place " Mh Maseh wanted IT ahd eoHlh
IA.
What WIS 'he Mayors 'easonf" Nir' Naaea
XII. MoCmye 1aid he considered the Mayors
reason a cnHr Hrdonta matter
WAS II not heoause toad him that he would
slnltiiy himself hy making the appointments and
that could not assent to he p'oposl.ion that my
tenn had eXiiredf' Mr. Mason asked.
Mr., MeClaye hesitaiod uent before he re-
plied: No That was not the reason
Mr.. Mason still insisted that Mr. Met lave lad not
treated him with proper courtesy. Mr Mctlavo
said he would have told him of the proposed change
the Victoria Hotel. Mr. Mason drew from his
pocket list of the persons who were at the
meeting, and grayely read the names of Senator
Robert G. McCord Clarence Meade and Aldermen
Waite Rothman. Miller, Wendell aud Pearson. He
said he thought that any of the men present might
have informed him OF conference in which his III
terests were bound up closely, and he could not
dispel the belief that he had been treated most
shabbily by his political friends.
MIR. MAsoN's IXDiGvA1i0y INCREASED.
When the reporter ieit the room Mr.. McClavc
was still trying TO s0Othc Mr.. Mason's rufled
feelings. The conversation not continued
much longer and Mr.. McClave left the building
with apparent haste, saying that he had pressing
business engagement
Mr.. Masous indignation was inceasod when he
learned that meeting of the board had been held
without his knowledge. Such discourtcsy, he said.
without precedence at Police Head
quarters. 1t had been the custom always for
the out gong commissioners 10 be AT the meeting
when the new commissioners presented their GER
tiiicates of appointment. As he was in the build
ing AT the time the meeting was called he thought
that common polItcness would have caused him to
be Lformed of II. The Ot er commissioners after
ward SAID that the failure to inform Mr. Mason of
the meeting was the result of an oversight ana
that no discourtesy to him intended
MR.. FRENCH SATISFIED.