New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-02
NEW OFFICIALS IN CHARGE.
TROUBLE OVER THE MISSING INDICEs.


CONFUSION IN THE sHRRIFFs OFFICE-H0RDKS OF
PLACE-sEEKyRs.
Tammany Hall took possession of the Sheriifs
and County Clerks offices yesterday. The adherents
and supporters OF that political faction In the Shapes
and forms OF Aldermen, ex-Aldermen, Commissioners
etc. and army OF clerks and subordinate oincias
swarmed through the corridors OF the Court House from
midday to clock At IL o'clock the new Sheriff, Hugh
j. Grant walked into his quarters General Deputy
Sheriff Joel O. Stevens Under Sheriff John Fl. Stevens
Order Of Arrest Clerk Bernard T. Martin and all the new
deputy big ami little fled IN behind him ana mace
themselves at home. Sheriff Davidson was on hama ana
delivered up the keys OF his Office to his successor For
an The politicians swarned in conGratulating the
new officials wishing them many happy returns OF tile
day" Among the callers who trooped back and forth
between the Sherd's office and that OF Mr. Fiack were
President Mooney, of the new Board OF Aldermen Law"
yer Peter Mitchell, Police Commissioner john McClave
Ex-Judge ArnouX, Tax Commissioner Michael Coienai'
Street Cleaning Commissioner Coleman Register Reilly
two-thrds of the Aldermen-elect ami host OF
small-fry politicians. After boiling levee
OF an hour Sheriff Grant and Mr.. Davidson took cao
and went TO Ludlow Street Jail The outgoing Sherin
formally transferred the keys Of the institution ani the
custody of the forty prisoners to MI Grant, assuring
the latter that there were no boariers IN the )a.
After taking formal charge Of tie jail aud shaking
hands with all the employees and tic new Warden Mr.
Heating Sheriff Grant returned TO his Office In tue Court
House. He took mental inventory OF all the furni'
ture and turned the leaves of great many
volumes in pursuit of knowledge appertaninc to his
new duties Like the office of County Clerk FacS the
incomers found it in tOpsyturvy condition, furniture
being scattered around books lying in corners and
under benches, and general scene of disorder Inc
new ,fiicias complained OF the slovenly manner In
which the Office turned over to them MI DAVID
sons said. in their defence, that tho furniture.
desks etc. great part the private property OF
the officials they coud do with them as they chose
GlnpiT Gran
to diminish the number OF employees and deputy
shers him. double their work. and let them earn
comfortable salaries Under Mr. Davidson 1t was SAID
that the places in his gift were 4" farmed out 10
their utmost capacity under the new law making the
Shcr's office a saaIied the enormous fees tlat Mr.
Davidson received are abolished it absolutely neces
sary horde Of hangcron Of the Davidson regime
TO make their living elsewhere.
Sheriff Grants appointments have already been pub
Iished i'll TRIBUNE. Order OF Arrest CLERK Martin
will probably retain Thomas j. Moore as his clerk ana
as deputies David McGoLiga James Brown and Thomas
Crawford.
County Clerk James \. FlacS took possession OF his
new office yesterday Ibe was accompanied By
his deputy, Thomas +. Giroy. and by many OF MS
political friends. and was somewhat dspeased at not
finding his predecessor Patrick Keenan, at hand TO re-
ceive him. The office opened application to the
anor and party entered and spent tho afternoon
in inspecting the shelves. many OF which,
having formerly held the indices removed by
Chief Searcher Leayeraft, were empty The Taiumahy
men were disposed crcise freely the disorder which
they said existed in the Office. Ex-Conhty CIerA
Keenan, when he did greeted with questions
and many of them by pointing out the places
where the records were kept. lie deued that lie had
shown any dicourcsy by not attending at noon saying
that il understood that he was to bo on hdnd AT
o'clock and he declared that tho Office was In perfect
order to turn his Deputy Holmes was
rcappontcd and told to make an inventory OF the con
tents of the-o.fice
rhe disappearance OF tho books used by tho searchers
was the topic Of excited Mr. Flack declared
that he would be ready to provide all the facilities
for transactng Of searching with rApIdi!y
IN the meantime he issued "cari 10 the pubic In
which he said
Clerks Office having been surreputiousy removed from
office. while under the and Ia the custody OF
seriously interfere ia the business OF tue sechers de-
asked unt measures which are now urder considera-
spectfully j. A. FiAck.
The last law-that Of 1ssj-an amendment to the
Roosevelt BILL with reference to searches, says that 1t
shall be duty said clerk County Clerk on receipt
OF order directing searches In his Office to DO made
be made without delay. ami TO cer
tfy correctness of his search within twenty days
from the receipt rcQu,stion therefor aud he shall
DO held legally liable for ali damages resulting from
errors inaccuracies mistake. in his search certified
by him" Mr.. Flack may be compelled to appeal TO the
Legislature for aid in this matter He said that he did
not intend to make any changes until he had bee me
familiar with his duties, but 1t IL likely that he will make
appointments of copying and recording clerks to-day.
II Is hardly possible that any changes Will be made dur
ing present month in the ccrships OF the supreme
Court the law equity anl certificate cerksnips IN
the County Clerks Office. Fac yesterday appointed
d. NJ Doneg an general custodian OF the office, and viii
probably to-day give his deputy and assistant poSers OF
attorney 20 sign his name 10 all necessary papers
NV C,r4c n
o'clock to l receiving the calls OF city officials and
heads OF departments Among the first to call
Robert B. Mooney the new President OF tho 30 trd OF
Aldermen. Before lie left for his home the Mayor
wrote ami dispatched the following letter:
MAYOH's OFFICE. January |. 1SSG
Honorable L. HENRY LAcoMEE, Counsel 10 ne Corpora
s,R: Ny attention has been called to the fact that
ate in the afternoon OF Thursday. December 81 lss3.
there removed from tho Office OF the Clerk OF the
County large number OF indces to the records OF the
Office These records now as am further informed
s.s Sg'1n Eans the the eo5r S0T no
way and Chambcrs-st. The books are recoris
removal place the custody OF Mr. Patrick keenan,,
the clerk Of the city aud county OF New YORK
IL Il represented that the ndces removed have
been made by persons IN the enploy OF successive
County Clerks during the hours appropriated 10y law 10
the public service aud have been for many years stored
call Your attention to these facts and request that
you will take may ecm warranted.
either compel the restitution of the ndccSor TO pros
and County of Ncw-York may have suffered by his
quiescence in their removal. Respectfully
". L. GRACE, Mayor.
Mr.. Leaycraft shown tho letter. and said
hoty ut a faleehOOd thrOu; hout. The books
never made by persons fl the citys employ. They
compiled by employed by mo- My wife and daughter
at their helped in the work. and what did toward
Il was done by Mt home out OF business hours.
The indices cost me ST. 800 year for thirty years Had
IL been that city had any right 10 them would the
Boare OF Estimate and Apportionment have offered
$4,000 for them am not frightened by the Mayors
letter Let him ahead"
Register John Reilly sad that IL was customary when
LAWYERS ID de researches the County Clerks Office
them the Registers Office to verify them. OF
course with tho iudccs gone. his business would be
also intafered with Mr. Reilly thought the
urgent and imports to Ian that meeting Of the
Bar Association would doubtless be held to ask the
Legislature for legislation Oh tho sub
iect.
Tax Commissioner Coleman thinks that a system can
IN ,nhl. lnn ulc in fhreeX ce