The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-11
ONLY POLITICS AFTER ALL
INSIDE HIS CORY OF NEW YORK
CITY POLITICS
Made Public In the Squire Investi.
gatiOn-A Dlsgraeeful State
OF Affairs.

X. ). Newcombe.
Mr.. Squire was the first witness
called and sworn. He testified that be
was appointed Commissi 'ner OF Pub.
lie Works on December 81, 1884. He
had known Hubert o. Thompson
since 1888 and was afterward intro.
duced to Mr.. Flynn. He formed an
intimate acquaintance with Thomp-
son, and at his request went to the
Chicago Convention, HE wanted"
continued the witness, "to use my ser.
vices in securing the vote OF the Massa-
chusetts delegation" He acted as a
60 between between Gen. Butler, Col.
lector Simmons and others, and carried
whatever messages were desired. On
returning to New York he was more
or less engaged in trying to bring But
Ter and Thompson together, as Thomp-
son wanted Butler to support his
nominees.
Lawyer Strshsn-Who washis NOM
inee?
The Witness-Clevelsnd.
The first time the proposition was
made that witness should bs appoint
ed Commissioner Of Public Works wss
on December "a, 1884, in Thompson's
office. Thompson said: ~ think you
al be OF service to me. l said,
"How?" Thompson said: "You are
ware that politics are very muddled
at present. Edson has nominated a
man as Commissioner OF Public
Works whom we don't want and we
have stopped it. Edson won't APP
point me. Mayor Grace has been
with me and has desired me to get be-
hind him and his nomination, pledg-
ing me at the same time that if elected
he would nominate me as Commits
sioner OF Public Works. Grace has
gone back on me, and / won't haveit."
| said: "Let me know what you want
aud l will assist YOU" Thorn oson
then advised me to 90 and see Mayor
Edison and tell him that we had been
school boys together. / called on
Mayor Edison at his house on Deem
Der "a, 1884, and said to him "Mr. May
or, my exCusefo calling must be found
in the fact that | have a message from
Thompson" l told him what Thomp-
son had said, and referred to our old
school teacher, b. E Perry, of Boston.
The Mayor had not yet understood who
Thompson had wanted made Commits
%sioner, and said: "Who is the man ?"
81 was the man." was the reply. The
next day wss Christmas, and | dined
with the Mayor (E SOM, and be was
anxious to know If / would talk with
his brother-in law. l told him that |
did not want TO talk with Col. Wood
or any M elsa. After that, on the
same day, l met Flynn and Thompson
at the Worth House, and after CONVEX
cation Thompson end / went over to
the Hotel Brunswick and entered the
reading'room there. Weitslked about
consulting with Charles p. Miller as
the most plant man In New York, in
case we should require legal advice,
and as a man who had his fDger in
every pie. Then Thompson said: at
seems to me that from the tone Of
your conversation with Edson that
you may secure his consent to your
nomination. But the contamination
OF the act Of confirmation Is what we
are al er. "Now we want q little
writing from you" II don't approve
OF little writings, Mr.. COmmiss ouer,"
was my reply. He said you do rs |
want you to do aud it will be all right.
Now write, December 25, 1887 no,
this is a holiday-make it the 9th or
90 h."
"You don't want a promissory
nota ?"
"No; w,its Maurice B. Flynn, ESQ.
You had better address to Flynn, as
am Commissioner Of Public Works.
You needn't he afraid to write that
which l dictate, for it sban't be of a
or minsting nature"
l said: "Mr. Thompson, this is a
dangerous business, and you are play
ing W tn fire. and after some further
discussion | wrote the letter OF Decem-
Der 26, 1884 (the famous letter of resig-
nation).
Atterward Thompson said: "Now
that's all right; leave the resi- to me-"
| said: you can take it and keep
for reflection in a calmer moment,
but don't give it TO any one"
We then separated and l began a
for Judge g ldersleeve, whom l
wished TO consult. l did Lot find The
Judge until q day or two afttr, how.
ever, and he advised me at once to
have the letter destroyed. Then called
on Thompson at his Office, and said:
II want trait letter" Thompson refused
TO give it TO ma, and Ithen called on
Flynn aud told him | wanted the letter.
He said, "What letter." l told him
snd he said; you're q foolish fellow
to write such a lie ter. Sit down and
l will get it at once" He went of,
and when he came back said that he
could not get 1t, as IL was up town in
Thompson's rooms. l infested upon
1t, aud Flynn told me to call
upon him on Monday, and l did so.
Fiyon haOded me my letter, which l
showed 10 Mr.. Blown, who was pres.
ent, and then / lit a match and burned
the letter up, as l supposed Later /
saw the Mayor, and he said: 81 have
been waiting all day for you" l an-
sVered; "Mr, mayor, II have been
delayed by circumstances over which
had nc control" L was afterward
and confirmed by the votes
Of all those who chose to vote for me.
Msycr Edison afterward asked m If |
bad made any promises or pledges,
and l t)ld him l had made one rather
extensive one, but the letter which
comprised II hsd been burned. Judge
Gildersleeve, Flynn and myself met
once at the Manhattan Club, and
Flynn eaid then that the letter had
been destroyed. Some time after
Thompson called upon me.
When l had become Commits.
Of Public Works aud asked me II
| would reign in his favor. / said,
III GTacs wit appoint you / will get
The next day Thompson called
md eaid that the Mayor had agreed to
him, and | wrote my Iesigna.
slun and banded II b. r. =. Newcombe
With instructors that IL was 10 be
1sed oily in the event Of Thompson's
nOmir alton, l first heard that Ihelet-
or OF December 26th, 1884, was in X
through Lawyer Newcombe,
VINO told me in June, 1885, that
Thorn son bad tod him that he had
4 told Flynn NJ fhtu and ha aasa .