New-York tribune., 1889-12-21
D. L. GLBBENS IN DISGRACE.
SUSPENDED FROM THE MANHATTAN CLUB.

NONE OF THE MEMBERS SEEN DENY 1T. AND
oNE POSITIVELY ASSERTS 1T.
Club-men are now discussing an interesting piece Of
gossip relating to well-known member Of the Man
haitian Club an official holding place of no little i'm
pOrance in the affairs Of the city, whose behavior of
late has been of such character that his fcllow-mem
beers have been obliged To administer the discipline
which the rules Of the club provide in such cases
and to suspend him from the privileges of membership
for six months lie is none other than Comms-
sioner Daniel L. Gibbens of the Board of Electrical
Control. lie is the youngest, latest, and in many
respects the freshest member of the now historic
commission, and when period of cffervescing CON
vvialty overtabes him he is apt to do and say things
which in camer moments he might wish to forget and
no doubt does regret.
A Tribune reporter who started out to verify this
report about the Commissioner had great difficulty at
first in striking bedrock" owing to the persistent
recence Of members of the Manhattan Club generally
and of those who took part in the accusation. inves
CATION and sentence of the Commissioner Frederic
r. COudeIt, Manhattan governor, whose high stand
ing both at the bar and In club life would any
statement made by him to be instantly believed, posi-
lively refused to talk about it.
IL am deeply chagrned,' he said, that such
scandalous reports can be circulated about members
OF the Manhattan Club. Yet they seem TO percolste
through the very walls"
Dock Commissioner ]. Sergeant Cram is another
Manhattan Club man and governor also. No doubt
he has fellow feeling for Commissioner Gibbons both
as a brother official and Tammany Hall man, ana
Mr. Cram, like Mr.. Coudert also much grieved
and couldn't for the life Of him imagine how stories
OF this kind get about"
How about Commissioner Gibbens's suspension
from the Manhattan Club for conduct unbecoming
gentleman ~ Mr. Cram was asked.
Now, my dear SIR" the Dock Commissioner re
Piled you know / couldn't possibly tell you any
thing about it, II wouldn't be the proper thing, you
know Then. as though realizing that he had made
more of an admission than he intended and PROB
ably recoecng his recent experiences on the witness
stand in the Dock Department investigation where nc
had also given unwilling testimony, the ComhliS
sioner bethought himself Of business elsewhere anu
made a quick exit through the door OF the HohHlah
House Cafe.
Judce Leicester Home of the City Court also showcd
signs of horror when asked about the subject am
one of the governors of the club" he said "lth d
frightened look as though puzzled to kno" no" .no
secret had escaped such close mouthed Douy' We
are under especial obligations TO reveal none o 'o
proceedings / would not dare to take the response
biity of answering any questions on te suD'e0'' anu
/ insist that you must excuse me-"
II was observed however that none OF the members
approached would risk denial of the report ana tle
conscious looks could only be taken as strongly con
frmatory of the report that to Mr. ODDehs hSu oeo"
meted out the punishment stated. -, T.. o.
Another member of the club found who Is not
so extremely sensitive about the Avolabnty Oh cruz
secrets. The story is Just about as you d III
this member said, land MIR. GibbenS himsen Woulu %
not deny it-at least lie would be very 1o0sh 70 uo 30
He somehow got imbued with the idea that when out
for a lark he could do whatever he pleased at tne
Manhattan Club, and 1t became hecessds
10 Teach him a lesson The charges were preferred
against him by two well known members ana lncIuoeu
drunkenness conduct unbecoming gentleman,
and the use Of gro. improper Language 10 other
members OF the cluS and the specifications minutey
detailed his bad actions more than one recent oc
casion A majority of the Board OF Governors listened
to the testimony and passed Judgment against Com.
missioner Gibbons. Among the governors present
were Judge Charles II. Truax President j.. EDWARD
Simmons of the Board of Education: John Hone, jr,
Commissioner J. Sergeant Cram, Frederic r. COudert
Justice Leicester Home and Cyrus Yale
Now that the story is 10 become PUBLIC, think
that Mr.. Gibbens will be lucky If some Onicial cog
nzance is not taken Of his conduct. The people OF
New-York realize the importance OF the Board OF
Electrical Control and the power II has for good or VI
over the lives and property of citizens, and they
don't care TO have II made up of men OF ths KIND
Unless Commissioner Gibbens makes some radical
changes in his way of comporting himself, he must
make up his mind to look for another job"