New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-10

ASKED TO REMOVE
THE SHERIFF.
Late yesterday afternoon Sheriff James A. F1acx
sent letter 10 General John Cochranc chairman,
and Thomas (. Gilroy, secretary of the Tammany
iiall General Committee, resigning his office az
Grand Sachem OF the Tammany Society and his
membership in the Tammany General Com
mittee 1t cannot be said that Mr.. Flaclx's action
took any one by SURPRISE for the fat of Richard
Croker had gone forth and it was plain that
the Sheriff could not long Withstand the over
whelming sentiment of the organization In his
letter Sheriff Flack SAYS:
In connection with a suit pending In the courts OF
ths city IL has seemed proper try side Of tho
taken Oh TINS circumstance on account of my political
connection herewith, TO reflect the Tammany Hall
organization ana society," Of which latter / am tho
While am willing to wait patiently for my vindi-
cation by the courts do think thar the Organization
shou, curing the pchdency OF tho case be left In
position that 10 can be assailed over my shoulders
On On relection, nave concluded " sever my con-
nectlon with the Organization until such time as
trial can be had.
l, therefore tender my resignation as Grand sachem
or tho society and as member OF the General Com
mttee TO take effect from date At tho same time 1
would request my friends to suspend their Judgment
on the merits OF tho Itself until they put In
possession of all the facts.
At the request of Evarts, Choate & Beaman,
counsel for Mrs Flack Judge BooHstaver, of the
Court of Common Pleas yesterday gave them per-
mission again to inspect the papers in the divorce
suit, Of which they obtained copies on Thursday.
They will examine the originals this morning.
Judge Bookstaver, who is sitting in the Special
Term of the Court of Common Pleas during the
temporary absence of Judge Beach, whose mother
is i'll, said yesterday that he would start on his
vacation soon Judge Beach returned which
might be early next week.
After consultation with the various chiefs Of
the Tammany Wigwam, Chamberlain Richard
Croker declared that Sheriff Flaek must go, and
that his shadow must not darken the wigwam
again. John Kelly did the same thing with the
Tammany Aldermen who were suspected of being
" boodlers," and he positively nfuAed to allow one
of them to be renominated on a Tanmany ticket
His successor Mr.. Croker, is vigorously strug-
Cling to follow in the paths walked by Mr. Kelly.
To a number of reporters Mr. Croker said yester-
day: If there was any conspiracy in connection
with getting the divorce for Mrs. Flack, the Tam
many Hall men connected with it will be expelled
from the organization Should the exposures in
the case prove that Mr.. FlaclI is guilty, he will
be expelled from Iammany Hall. We cannot
afford TO shield him, and had it been known that
MIR. Flacks private character was what it is said
TO be, he would never have been County Clerk or
Tammany Halls candidate. Ii it is shown also
that Referee Aleeks is in the onspiracy, he
will have to leave the organization, and will
lose his place in the County Clerks office.
Clerk Jarvis is not now member OF the orgapza-
tion His dismissal was secured by me when
his connected with a disreput.ble
affair some time ago. No guilty man shall escape.
| do not believe in actirg upon rumors but let
the truth be known, and no matter whether the
Sheriff. Judge Mcneil any other member of
the organ ation is found guilty of entering into
this conspiracy, he shall be made b suffer.
| have known Sheriff Placl for twenty years,
and always considered him to be an upright and
AN honest man. When these stories first came
out, / asked him about them, and he said thar
everything was all right. But since there hnve
been further developments in the case he has
not made satisfactory explanation. The Tam 3
many Hall organization should not be charged
with the wrongdOngs Of one man,
Mrs. Fack kept herself from sight at her
temporary home in Eighty-ffth-st. An officer
from the Eighy-eighth-st station keeps close to the
house, and. it is said has orders to prevent
any attempt to enter it by force Sheriff Flacks
son has been trying for the last two days to see
his h bnr %ohs bSc: St & sT kept from dong 50
The sentiment among the men OF prominence
in Tammany Hall as TO the action of Mr. Croker
in practically compelling Sheriff tlacks res gna-
ton from his high position in Tammany circles
was marked with great unanimlty. There was
little division of opinion among them, and while
most expressed deep sorrow for Mr.. Flack. and
hoped that he would be able TO show that he had
been wrOngfully accused. the feeling was gen
cral that matters stood no other course was
open TO hlm All seemed glad tha6 the Sherlh nad
retired Of his own motion. and had not waited the
further degradation. of expulsion, which would
certainly have followed his refusal TO resign.
The fact that he had failed TO make any defence
of his conduct also weighed heavily against him.
Among the leaders who gave substantial express
sion TO these views were Congressman Frank L.
McQuade of the XXlTd: Assemblyman Edward
y lIagan, Of the with: Civil Justice Peter
MITCHELL of the Vth: Coroner Daniel iianly, OF
the XIIth: Police Justice Charles Wede, Of the
XXIIId: ex-Rpgister John Reilly. of the AlNth;
Deputy Commissioner B F. Martin; Of the Win;
Excise Commissioner Edward l. Fltzmorlck, or
Wi. L4 salr Of fba
Daniel F. Mcmahon Of the XIXth, and Henry
Mayor Grant, when told of the Sherif's letter
of resignation was oath to speak of the uouDc
of his associate On the Tammany 0ckeo-
81 think that all this has come rom haVlnss
bad advisers" he said All that was needea eu
this matter. The whole affair should have Deeh
conducted in the light Of day. inc at,emp' ID
conceal is at the bottom Of the mischief a.,
Mr. Flaclls eSgnatiOn as member or uiie
Tammany General Committee carries WIN 10
deeper and more bitter humiliation than his smpiGe
retirement from that body IT means ms aep2I1 pph1v
District a place which he gained after long eho,e
and of which he was especially proud. hisauy ha;u.
the question Of who shall be hs successor = v's i
eagerly discussed in the district 1n2,e pes5 IN
formed in such matters think that John r. Nar, ar
roll clerk of the Seventh District Court who has
stood next TO Mr. Flaek in the dnlhin dnIGehce no
welded will be advanced 10 the leadership
The air was full Of rumors last night Indicative
Of Greater trouble 10 the Sheriff than the loss Oh
mere political prefermeht. 10 IL sdlu or $50.
ally believed that charges have already been pre-
nared against him for presentation 10 the 10Y
prnor Pro- ftbe ultimate purpose OF which is Mr.,
Frack's removal from the Sherif's office, \
democratic politician Of high sta1dPs nd hsers sSa tSs ss
~ a1ore have been drawn and signed, and are
on their way TO the Governor Mr. Hill may walt
for further developments. but he cannot reinse
to consider them. His own future, pontcaIy'
would he nj stake if he did. ON the other hand
10 covernor would have nothing 70 lose by re.
moving FlaclS for he would have the appointment
of his successor
WY I4yD IND IMPROVEMEET COMPANfs