New-York tribune., 1885-01-02

ment na to that Office but it was deemed best by the
Tammany leaders to fill the yafa9cy tSat avor KIRK
rendered the position to Corporation Counsel La
combe but the latter replied that he preferred TO
| receive his appointment from MayorGrace' M"9oi
| Kirk then appointed Colonel Wood. g.,
| Colonel Wood is about fifty years old, ana ios
the last three years, since he became tne iSivth
the Talnmany Hall delegation from the AAlssshd
Assembly District he has been actively luehtiHou
with city politics. He is brother-nlaw OF .h MI,
Ss@ apG fso oTs poc the
on the Hudson River Railroad above High Dtiukof
Mr.. Wood first held pnblic ohee as Uo,iuc'''R Rc.
| fore moving to this city he lived In Brookiyn
where lie was elected for one term to the Assembly ~
| broadway and during the terms OF once on
! Messrs Andrews and Lacombe he was lreaueh'S uo
| employed US special counsel to the Corporatioh'
STARTING THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT
| CONSIDERABLE FRIcTIoN-RvAL CLAIMANTS Fo"
| oFFICEs-PHAsEs OF THE SITUATION.
Among those who fingered in tho Mayors ONCE
! for an hour or two after MAJOR Grace had entercu
| upon the duties of his Office was a man OF SNORT
| stature dark complexion, and wearing glasses WHO
was an object of much interest to many OF the poi
iticians 1t was Adolph L. Sanger, the
newly elected President Of the boaro
of Aldermen, who claims that he was
| Movor during the interim between
the expiration of Mayor Edson's term at midnight
! and Mayor Graces accession at noon. He said to a
|
TRIBUNE reporter;
| "AsPresident of the Board of Aldermen became
| acting Mayor at II o'clock last night. ala not
take any oath of office as acting Mayor, Tor that
| was not necessary. The President of the Board OF
| Aldermen has frequently been called npon 10
act as Mayor during the absence ot tte Cniet Mag
Istrate of the city from any cause and mas not
been customary for him 10 take an oath OF oihro
before doing So This morning. appSdI9fseaI ppd feeI f.
Henry l.acombe Corpor tion Connse, ana ieei rs
| sured that he is entitled to the Once
MR.. WAITE CLAIMS AN OFFICE.
Alderman Charles B. Waite who was yesterday
chosen TO preside the Aldermen In the absence
of President Kirk. sitting on sofa with Aider-
man Jaehne when the reporter approached him and
asked whom he regarded as the present President
| of the Board.
Il am President of the Board. replied Mr.. Waite.
president Kirk having given mp his position when
he became Mavor it loft me III the position OF Pres
idcnt of the Board to which had been duly elect
ed. have taken counsel on the subjec' aud am
sure am right" =.
| Alderman Jaehne said that he recognized Mr..
| w ate as President of the Board.
| Alderman Waite said that he did not know
whether any measures would be taken to declare
| him and the other members of tho board III con"
tempt for disregardIng the injunction Against tax
| knew nothing about the law governing the ease
but he had the advice Of counsel which he Thought
was sound aud had acted In accordance with IL.
MAYOR GRACg's FIRST OFFICIAL AcI
The first official act of Mayor Grace was the ap-
polntment of Richard ]. Morris 'on "a his secretary
aud of William L. Turner as CHEZ clerk. They were
both sworn into Office by the Mayor and entered
| Immediately upon their duties. Mr.. Turner gave
! 81 900 bonds. rs required by law Mr. Morrsson
has been closely identified with the political i'm
terests of Mayor ,o Grace and msanaSia,d
STsiunte% mas eT'n st Manhstta co,sr a,'s
lumbIa Law School, aud ~ u member OF tho bar.
He was the secretary of Andrew II. Green, when
Mr. Green was Controller. and WAS subsequently
supervisor Of Tie cB Rcoord, president oi tho ~
! cise Board aud counsel to the Police Board. N"
was for several years the leader of the ANth As
sembiy District delegation III the Ianmany iia'l
General Committee and was closely associated ~
polItios with Johu Kelly Since Mayor trace and
Mr. Kelly had falling ont four years ago
when NJ: Morr,son7 p,siom IN fra ams hin h,
| by Mr Kelly on the ground tAat he had forced the
| nomination Of Mr.. Grace on IampIaDy Hall, lie mas
| been engaged In practising law.
Nr Turner - young lawyer. He was educated
! at the College of the cry OF Ncw-iork Although
a Democrat he has taken no active part IN poliics
! Besides making these appointments aud gaining
upon the Police Couiml7rlonefs 10 Pf"'cct MI, La
c0mbc III the possession OF his Office as Corporation
Counsel, the only official act oil the new Mayer wa'
| ance at Police ilcadqnnrters from / y. M. 10 10
! u. N. vario'ls nights Of the ensuing month 10
! take bail in eases brought before thein
PnorEc1iNG Ma. LAcoNn. OFFICE.
Mayor Grace was Informed, a. he APP
! Wood claiming 10 be Corporation Counsel by vir
tue of an appointment hy Acting Mayor Kirk, hal
| applied TO Mr. Lacomb' Cor possession Of his office
| aud had been informed that 1t would
not be given rP to t93bo lm. naEor e oharlGcs ,nGs
| steps for the protection of Mr. Iacomhe and
| Police Commissioners Tench and Port who were
present were consulted as 20 what was best 10 be
done The following letter appealing 10 the Mayor
for protection. was received from Mr.. Lacombc:
OFFICE OF THE COUNSEL 10 TnE CoGron,ros
NEwl YORK, Jan /, lo75.)
| hon. WILLIAM r. GRACE, hoy,r. etc. -.
| SIR: demand was made Of me this morning by
Colonel T. T. wood cia'ng to hold ne Office ct cor,
This department ami OF the books ana papers tneT,in'
Kirk midnight last night and noon today. de-
! clined TO acccdo To his request.
a %Sod na aas @ s y% ami ar az an SSg
may be made to obtain posses-ion Of ths oifce y actual
ton present possession Of you may be able to
afford me. Very respectfully yours. ETC..
Counsel 10 the Corporati"i
On receipt Of this letter the Mayor addressed the
| following TO the Police Commissioners
MAYORS OFFICE, !
NEw-YORk. January ], lSs3
To the Commissioners NJ Police ~ me Cng Of Nem lork
GENrIEuEN: am informed by Mr.. J.. Henry I@combe.
| Counsel to the Corporation. that Mr.. i. T. Wood has
Of the corpoon % oes and OF the books
papers and records OF the Law department; aud am al'
vsed that the pretended appointment under which Mir
Wood claims to be entitled to such delivery II void and
therefore call upon you to detail sufficient force to
assure Mr. Lacombe the said Counsel 10 the Corpora
tOn, In the peaceabo and undsturbed possession OF his
Office and to preserve the property and records OF tile
| city from interference by any person.
| Yours respectfully, WILLIAM H. GRACE, Mayor
| The Police Commissioners proceeded to the Office
| of the Corporation Counsel and after an interview
with HIM gave orders to Captain steers, OF the
Twenty ysixth Precinct, to protect him IN the pos
sesson of his Office. During the afternoon Captain
Steers had force of men ready for service IN the
| Police Station in the basement Of the City Hall.
! 1t was however, tho prevailing belief that
| Colonel Wood would make no effort