New-York tribune., 1890-03-28
FL4CK GOES OUT.

C1acl,'s resignation has come at a good time
for him. lie has freed himself OF condition
which vastly aggravated his offence IL was
becausc he held rich office and a powerful po-
litical place that he was able to work the men
who secured his divorce. 1t IS no secret tha'
one man wanted to be Judge OF the Court Oh
Common Pleas, and the suspicion Is Shrewdl!
entertained by knowing persons that an
other of the alleged conSpiratorS had So
Iicitous eve upon Judge BradyS seat IN
the Suprcme Court. To serve Flack was
in each instance to serve private ambition.
rlac,k was the Grand Sachem of Tammany
Hall a man of commanding influence in the
council, of that all-powerful organization.
His desire to get rid of his wife was eager and
absorbing. To accomplish it for him was 10
earn his gratitude and support. lie was thus
able to make willing tools OF men VINO Wou'u
never have run such risks and committed Such
scandalous follies for private citizen. Nha'
they did they did for the Sheriff, the polltical
boss the man who had influence and power
Forced by Just judge and an honorable jury
into = situation in which these conditions nc
longer sustained him, but actually added to hi
roriIs and cmbarrassmcnts Flacl has had the
GOOD sense 70 cut loose from them and to come
hotoro tho court 10 receive his sentence. rely
ing only on its mercy. Judge Barrett Will uh-
doubtedly consider this circumstance. thouEh
;,s value when the motives behind 1t arc
fairly analyzcd Is slight. The letter IN when
he surrendcrs the shiicvalty, written prcSnm-
ahlv bv his counsel certainly not by himself.
ia clearly plea for sympathy. II charges all
his woes to the newspapers. i have been
most inhunanly and cruelty prosecuted ne
saws "hv sensational and partisan newspapers
Just what "partisan" means seeing tha' 'hc
press of the city was unit on the suh]eot Oh
his rascality. scarcely understahd p"'
nrobably his counsel thought It sounding sort
Of word. We submit. however that the SEN
tence would have been more effective han they
added " ghoush, malignant. mendaciouS anu
hosc" \ sentence describing the press as
sensational. partisan. ghoull-h m'is
nant mendacious and base" would not only
bavc boon a relief to FlackS feelings h0iC
wonld have afforded a vast amount of comfort
10 the friends Of sharp. Jaehne BuddenS'N
Ward Most. Ives and every other Scoundrcl
whose crimes have been uncovered by the press
The misfortune about Fack's resignation Is
that il throws the appointment OF his successor
into the hands of Governor Hill, where 1t VIII
I
of course be made TO serve personal ends lhls
is unavoidable but particularly unfortunate JUST
m the time when efforts are being so resolutel!
made TO clean this filthy Office. II Is barely
possible that the Governor, having TINS sl'ua
ton in mind may think 1t more prohtahle 70
name n good man than bad one. lie mas
been known 70 be virtuOus when sure that
virtue would pay. and he may incline to re-
card this as such an instance. 10 appoint u
professional politician would he a blow IN the
face of reform and would multiply the embar-
rassmcnts already numerous and heavy IN fhe
way of making the Office what 1t should be ID
the administration of justice. But whatever
| Hill NAV do or fail to do, the people OF New
| York must learn, if any permanent good Is 10
come of these exposures the lesson OF individual
responsibility. They must realize that II l.
of small avail 10 sweep out nest OF vermih
| here and there so long as they permit the eA-
istence of associations organized for pubhc
plunder Eternal vigilance and the constant
and conscientious performance OF duty are the
price of honest government in New ork