New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-25


THE GOVERNOR TO THE scANDALoUs
WORK RK-coNFEssIoNs MADE TO THE AS.
sEMBLY INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
some FACTS FOR THE coNsID
GRAFTON OF VOTERS AND
TAXPAYERS
In every campaign there are amusing features,
and the one in this State is no execution 70 ths
rule. Ii has several humorous phases but the
most ludlcrous unqucstionably is that presented
by AttOrney-General Tabor in his helated and
theatrical attempts to secure the conviction of the
Assembly ceiling contractors This is q largs
State In its SIX or seven millions of peopls
are represented all grades of intelligence. IL is
possible that among all these persons. Mr. Tabor
may find few credulous enough to believe in
the sincerity of his efforts, but il seems hardly
probable 1t is difficult even 90 imagine any
well-infOrmed man, outside the lunatic asylums.
so simple and so stupid as not to be able to see
through Mr.. Tabors bit of farce Certainly no
citizen will be deceived who is at all familiar
with the facts of the and Mr. Tabors relations
to the persons involved in the scandal
NOTHING LIKE IT SINCE TWEED.
In his argument before Judge Merwin at Utica
on Saturday, against the motion for the dismissal
of the order OF arrest in the case against Snaith.
Sullivan and Andrews, the Attorney General de-
clared with an imposing flourish that he had
proofs which would convict the accused OF the
foulest conspiracy that has existed since the days
of Tweed" lie did not present his valuable
testimony, but he was frank enough 10 inform
the court where he obtained it, The sources
of it, he said, with refreshing candor. were publlo
documents, and the results of the investigations
tuf conn mi To- of fba
which the defendants were parties" This is
indeed an interesting statement The reports OF
the investigating committees were made over
SIX months ago. No man in the State WAS mora
familiar with them than Mr.. Tabor, and yet ho
never felt called upon 10 consider them
seriously or act upon their recommends
uonS until he found that his
denomination was endangered and his reelection
apparently impossible. There is nothing in ths
Committees findings that Mr.. Tabor did not know
within twenty-four hours after they were pre-
sented, and yet three weeks later he went as a
guest of Snaith and Sullivan on a yachting excur.
sion. lie gladly accepted their hospitality alons
with Controller Wempe and other Democratio
leaders, though he knew then as well as he does
now that they were guilty of the foulest con-
spiracy since the days of Tweed
POPULAR INDIGNATION AROUSED.
OF course Mr.. Tabor must feel tho absuriity of
the position that he has taken, and the utter
utility or his efforts To deceive anybody in the
matter. Ills action simply shows the desperate
straits to which the Democratic leaders have been
reduced and the effect, at last, upon the party
managers of that popular indignation against the
shameful course of Governor Hill in refusing 10
repudiate the Democratic officials implicated in
the ceiling fraud. Could anything be asked mora
sfrlkingy illustrative of the difference between
the two parties in this State TO day than is afford
ed by the way in which each side has dealt with
the scandal? Without going into the details of
the wretched affair, for they are familiar in gen.
eraI way at least to everybody, it may be worth
while to show the actions of the Democratic off,
cias who now have the eTrontery to seek re-
election at the hands of the voters and taxpayers
whose trust they have betrayed.
sHEEHAN's ABJDcT CONFESSION.
In the first place, it should be borne in mind
that Assemblyman Sheehan, Governor HIPS Achates
and the law-partner of Attorney-General Tabor.
is more responsible than any else for the pac.
ing of Charles b. Andrews in charge Of the work
Of repairing the ceiling He was the first to suggest
Andrewss name formally in the Assembly, as it
was his motion that the bill for the appointment
OF a commission TO repair the ceiling be referred
back TO the Committee on Appropriations with
instructions to report the bill with the name of
Andrews or Perry. This was the first suggestion
on the official journal that Andrews should have
charge Of the work In his testimony before the
Assembly Investigating Committee Mr. Sheehan
admitted that he had paid no attention to his
duties n member of the committee appointed
to supervise the repairs lie declares that be had
attended only one session from June, 1888, to
| M no Sbo
claim on February 25, 1889, when writhing under
the scoring he received from the report of the
investigating Committee: God knows that we
members Of the Ceiling Committed have enough
to bear'
NEVER INSPECTED THE WORE
The examination that led the Inundated AS
semblyman to make this confession was in part as
follows:
Q.-Do you suppose that there was resting upon
you an obligation as an officer Of the state, and
especially committeeman undsr this act to looh
after tho welfare OF the state A.-Yes sir.
Q.-And you did not do this dutyf A-Ae never
had meeting aier that, 50 that l might be able to
do my portion OF II.
Q.-But you never came here (Albany)i A-No,
Q.-You never looked into the accounti A.-No,
Q.-You never Inspected the workl A-No. SIR
Q.-lou nevcr did anything after tho committee
adjourned al the call Of the chairman, did youi
A-NO, sir but We were never called together again.
50 that had 40 meeting.
Q.-But do you think tnat you individually as a
committeeman performed your full duty ~ statet
A.-POsslbly not
The men who are directly responsible for tho
bad work and the manner in which the State
was defrauded are: Charles b. Andrews Demo.
craft Superntend mt Of Public Buildings, appointed
in 1888 by the Capitol trustees, who were, at
that time, Governor Grover Cleveland, Lieutenant
Governor Hill and Speaker Chaplin, the present
Mayor of Brooklyn, now seeking reelection az
Il Reformer; John Snath, the contractor, moi
known TO have any strong political preferences
but ready to 90 with the party that will serve
best his purposes; Timothy j. Sullivan, the sub
contractor, a leading Hill man, Of Albany, and