New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-25
CORRUPTION IN BOSTON.
DEMOCRATS RAISING ELECTION FUNDS
MYSTERIOUS NOTES TO CITY CONTRACTORS WHO
ARE EXPECTED TO PUT UP THE MONEY FOR
MAYOR o'BRIEN's CANvAss-oNE INVI-
TATIoN REFUSED WITH EMPHASIS.

TATIoN REFUSED WITH EMPHASIS
Boston, Mass, Nov. "a (speclal.-The municipal
contest I'm Boston is Increasing In interest," rs INC
day of election draws nearer, and the prospect ior
Republican victory is bright. Although boston Is
a Democratic city under ordinary circumstances. IL
IS probable that this will bc Mayor oBnehs lase
term in Office Many voters have become dissaushed
with the rule of the ring the City Hall, which has
become more corrupt from year TO year. mayor
O'Brlen has been in Office for five years ho Is prop
ably more familiar with the affairs Of tho city than any
other citizen for he served several years IN the boaiu
of Aldermen before he became Mayor lie has grown
rich in Office and there is widespread bencf even In
his own party that he has held the ohcc rs long as
he ought for the good of the city He Is surrounded
by corrupt and INSCRIPTIONS men who have also
fatened at the city's expense. Bargaining DnDcry
and all that follow their train menace the good OF
the city. Last year Mayor oBrIcn's majority was
cut down from more than 1000 In
1856 to little moro than 1,40O and
It is improbable that the balance viii be found on
the other side of the ledger the morning of De
cembcr L. Thomas n. Hart, the nominee Of the Re-
publicans has had experience in the city government
He Is the president of the Mt Vernon National Bank
enjoys the respect and confidence of the Republican
people Of Boston No faint OF suspicion attaches TO
his name, and II elected, he will bring dignity and
responsibility TO tho Office As matter OF fact tho
leading OBrien supporters realize that serious COM
bination is in their own ranks. Not only are inc
Republicans alert, but the nomination OF Mr. O'Brien
has failed TO arouse the Democratic interest which
was looked for Many young men. usually active ana
pushing are slower than usual in coming to the front
and stand by with Indifference to what tho out
come will be- One cause OF this is that the nomination
was unanimous only In name many city committeeman
actually favoring another nominee. Another Is that
the average Democrat does not believe in six annual
Tho foro man
when annual plurates are on downward slope.
The first two elections In which the present Mayor
ran showed pluratcs which were safe, but one or
them was on the wrong side. In the third year the
foodtice was reached and the oBrlen plurality was
S69e. In 1856 the plurality was 474O, with 5000
votes for Mr.. Mcneil, and in 1887 1t was only
1,457. This downward is not pleasant for these
men TO examine, and the Democrats are plenty who
had wished for new the ticket. But aside
from this there other reasons for the present IN
difference Ono Of them is growing DISLIKE to the
caucus dctaton, which makes Independents so last
and which has lost elections, and the family fights
in strong districts which to be aroused with
so much ease Still others exist, and in all tho out
look is not pleasant Most Of the dissatisfied VIII
vote the ticket the push, the energy the life Of
| former campaigns absent from many
| strong partsans, and apathy prevails In
| some places TO extent which
| IS a Democratic menace to-day The Democratic
| appreciate the SITUATION dro mahiho
desperate efforts TO gigantic corruption fund
larger than was ever before raised Boston. They
are assessing city officials ard contractors right and
left and hope TO receive at least S1o,oOO ior THIS
| campaign alone.
| The work, says The Journal" Is not done at
the headquarters in Westinghouse, Of course i"r
| there the boys gather to talk politics from the ward
and district point of view. But at the Parker House
| there is a little room. formerly the Andrew head
quarters which Is being used for campaign purposes
| and I'm which the finance committee IS supposed to
meet. II IS usual for this committee 10 hs|e an
| independent headquarters at a hotel and so this
does not occasion party remarks. From this room
neat typewriter letters with date and signature IN
| serted by hand, being sent to all pa4ts vi 'ho
| city. One Of them was As follows:
| Boston, Mass. Nov. 20. 1895.
| Dear Sir: VIII You kindly call at Room 49, Parker
House. to-day between the hours OF IL a. m and S:So
| D. IN, on matter Of importancei JOHN H. DEE
| for Committee.
| Mr. Dec Is member of the Finance Committee, and
also of the committee appointed to confer In regard 10
School Board nominations. At Room IL 1t said that
the headquarters for the work OF the latter COM
mittec but this Is not supported by the stories which
two men at least tell of what they experienced when
they accepted the invitation Of the letters and went
there One Of those men is contractor He called
| at Room 10 as requested This contractor, who has
| much city work now his hands. was Informed that
the great sum referred must DO raised, so the story
| goes, and that he was expected to contribute. lie
demurred first, but soon realized his position and
was mulced to the If couple of hundred dollars
second instance, however, IS one OF
| failure TO raise the wind. In this case
| the recipient Of tho letter was contractor
who had been furnishing teams TO the city. When
he called Room 10, he was informed, so 1t Is said
that a contribution to tie campaign fund OF about
80 cents for each single and ~ for each double team
he was furnishing the city, would be the correct thing
| hear he
| wroth, and In language most emphatic told the com
mittec that he would them I'm warmer climate
before he would contribute. He further informed
them that he had not furnished Team to the city for
six MONTHS and that the reason therefor was his
refusal TO submit to a previous assessment In the
spring he had had some teams at Work on The stony
| Rock Improvement but when he asked to pay fol-
the privilege he declined, and further work for his
teams was refused. He had been To the Mayor about
the matter but had received satisfaction.
The contributions which made in the City
Hall for Democratic campaign purposes in the Pres
Dental election only affected small number of the
men who draw salaries from the city. They mainly
touched department chiefs In case at least, the
response is said 10 have been United States bill
of 800, and In others smaller, though often gener
Gus were given The way In which they
were collected, illustrates the Democratic ingenuity
in such matters, and at the time shows how hard
it IS get test cases, although the thing is known
exist The contributions were voluntary" OF course
and indeed some Inhabitants Of the City Hall say
with emphasis but they called for by prOminen
politicians OF the city, and no one was any the wiser
caller steps into the Office and exchanges greetings
when he adds: Z" Mr.. -, don't think you have con
tributed to fund yot' and the money passes. No
| third party Is informed Just such things TOOK plac'
| in the Presidential campaign, and the arrangement
are that they shall take place again IT, indeed, thu
delicate work has not begun Rumor in the City Hal
says that the latter Is the case but that only one
two departments have boon touched yet and stoJ
Is that the sum be raised there and In outlying oi
| ces reaches high as $4,000.
| COMING EAST TO ARRINGE FIGHT.