New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-23
DOWN ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Mr.. HEWITT REPRovEs THE OFFENSIVE PAR

TIsANsuIP OF PURRoY AND CROKER
The Mayor put on his paint yesterday and
wrote letter to the Commissioners Of the Fire De
partmcnt about offensive partsanshlp" 1t was said
that Mr.. Hewitt Is seriously considering tho question
OF prefcring charges against Commissioners Croker
and Purroy for violating the rules of their department
and summonIng them before him for trial In the
original draft four lines Of the following letor were
erased with blue pencil, and Mr. Hewitt refused to
satisfy the curiosity Of reporters as TO what they
contained. 1t is supposed that they conveyed threat
Of trial and removal from Office II the political activity
complained OF by Mr. Hewitt be continued, but that
reflections regarding the Governors probable attitude
in any attempt to remove such good friends of his,
caused the erasurc This is the letter:
To Henry d. Puroy Richard Croker and Flt1ohn Porter
Commissioners OF the Fire Department.
Gentlemen: 1 informed by Mr. Francis b. Thurber
wcllkn citizen, that on Saturday two hremen In
uniform called his Office with paper pedging signers
oyte for Mr. Grant for Mayor and solicited his sigma
ture Mr. Thuber in his letter to that he thinks
this is all wrong and that public empoye should be
permitted TO influence Of his Official position for
against any candidate. In this opinion Mr. Thurber is
unquesonaby right I remind you that the Both day
August last you Issued circular to the members oil the
uniformed forcc the following effect
"It shall DO the duty OF every officer and member OF
the uniformed Of this department to strictly conform
rule which fobids him to be delegate or repre-
sentative to member OF any political or partisan con-
yenton, whose purpose the nomination oil canddac Tor
any political oAce."
Notwithstanding the PRONUNCIATION OF this rulc learn
that Mr. Purroy and Mr. Croker, who do not wear the
uniform OF department. but who should from their po
sito as Commissioners example TO the uniformed
force have both been members OF political conventions
whose purpose put In nomination candidates for
political Office This was violation, not OF the letter.
but spirit OF the rules The same violation OF the
sound principle upon which this circular based Is
still continued possibly in Ignorance your part that the
noufp d orc 70
political candidates. After the receipt OF
this letter however, there Will be excuse for the con-
this things in the department. In regard
to which request that you will take immediate action
ABRAM S. HEWITT, Mayor
Mr.. Hewitt received a letter yesterday from H. A.
Beck. No CSC East Elghteenthst.. who says that
the proprietor OF very respectable beer saloon In
writer that he had been twice assessed sio by tho
Tammany people for their campaign fund.- He fell
becae II he should get into trouble the Tammanv
would scc' the Excise BOald and his case would
dismissed.
is SHERIFF GRANT ELIGIBLE FOR MAYoR9
The serious doubts advanced recently regarding
Che nelgibnIty of Sheriff Grant the Office of Mayor
have been revived and considerable concern has
been manifested among Democratic lawyers the
subject Tho provision of the State Constitution
ating to Mr. Grants Is found in Article X, Section
/, and Is as follows
sheras clerks OF counties including the register
clerk Of the City and County OF NewYork
shall be chosen by the election Of the
respective counties In every three years. and
often vacancies shall happen Sherihs shall hsd no
other office, and shall be ineligible for the next three
years after the termination OF their Offices
W. Bourke Cochran, sheriff Grants legal adviser
and friend, said last evening:
There Is nothing at all In the objections raised to Mr.
Grants eligibility to the Mayoray The section Of the
Constitution that point plainly makes the Sheriff In
eligible TO reelection but It cannot be construed TO mean
that he is Ineligible another office. The for the
provision that when the constitution adopted
the Sheriff was the returning officer OF the elections
owing TO the changes In law the Sheriff longer
In this capacity The reason 81 the Inv having
ceased the law itself should also Is good legal