New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-15
THE MAYORS PETTY TYRANNY.
OUTRAGEOUS ARREST OF A COACHMAN.
DISPUTE OVER CARRIAGES AT THEATRE

WHAT WITNF SSES OF THE Aff NIX SAi'
There was a case of outrageous infringement on
the rights of private citizen and an arrogant
assumption OF authority on Monday nisht, in which
Mayor Giroy figured prominently, and the sell
respecting citizens of this city will not soon lor-
got or forgive it, John +. Dwight. one OF the
lcst-known and most respected residents OF liar-
lem. gave dinner TO small company OF his
fr;crds at his home No. 33 Mount Morris-ave.. on
Monday night. after which the party went to
hear T. H. Scth,rn in "Cartan Lcttcrbar' at
the Harlem Opera House in One-hnndred-and-
twcnty-ffth-st, near Seventh-ave On coming.
out Of the theatre after the performance Mr.
Dwishts party which consisted of three women
and three men, stood the sidewalk in front
of the theatre while their carriage drove UP.
AT that moment Mayor Glrov. who. with his
wife. also had attended the theatre called for
his carriage, which promptly drove toward
the theatre entrance IN an opSo+te VI
rcc'oa frsm that taken by the Dwight
carriage and came c.ose that the toEIlc 81
the carriage passed between Mr. Dwights horses
The Gilroy coachman called ont for the right OF
way. which Mr. Dwights coachman, jeremiah
Mitchell lcoloredj, refused to yield, insisting that
he was entitled to it. Mayor Gilroy then turned
to policeman and, according TO some eyewlt-
nesses, gave pompous wave of his hand and
said Arrest that man"
When seen ny a Tribune reporter yesterday
afternoon Mr.. Gilr0y said that he did not order
the arrest Of the coschman, but he admitted thnt
he ctlled the policemans attention TO the TACT
that the Dwight coachman was out of his limo
and attempted to drive up TO the line from an
opposite direction to that in which his, the
Mayors horses were headed. The Dwight coach
man still insisted to his right Of way, and said
\ .Iot tbc rr1o 10 in i,ia mat
breaking law. You are out OF the line ana
have no business where you are"
Having had his attention called" to the
Dwight carriage by Mayor Gilroy, the policeman,
whose namc is D. T. O'Connor, arrested Mitchell,
and. mounting the box beside him, drove the entire
marty of men and women 10 the police station In
One hundred and-twcnty- -htth-st., near Ninthave.
Mitchell WIS released on bail. The policeman
again mounted the box and drove the men ana
women 10 Mr.. Dwights house in Mount Morris
ave The Dwight carriage is well known in liar-
lem, and the spectacle of a policeman in uniform
mounted on the box beside the coachman, with
party Of well-drcssed men and women in the car
riage driving through the principal streets aroused
much wondermeut. The modification of the party
at being taken to and from the station like so
many criminals was extreme.
Mr. Dwight said TO a Tribune reporter last
night: This is one Of the most arrogant as
sumptions of authority that has ever come to my
notice in the United States. The Gar Of Rlssia
might possibly cause the arrest OF an innocent
coachman but think that even he is too much
of gentleman 10 confc; such modification on
men and women who have in no way offended
him. Jeremiah Mitchell has been ny family
coachman five years, and in all that time have
had no complaint lodged against him. He is a
prominent member OF the coachmens society, and
is thoroughly familiar with all the rules govern
ing coaches 40 public receptions and theatres
Tho rules governing Carriages on such occasions
are as strict as the laws Of the Modes and Persians
Our carriage wae considerably behind that OF
Mr.. Glroy's, hut Mitchells number WAS
ca lrd before that OF the Mayors carriage, and
Mitchell drew out of the line. drove ahead,
turned around and drove up TO the theatre on
trance and narrowly escaped collision with the
Gilroy carriage The Mayor probably supposed
that because his carriage, being ahead Of ours in
the waiting line, had the right TO come up TO the
theatre entrance first. That rule | believe, ap-
piled TO public hacks that stand waiting hire IN
public squares, but the Mayor is mistaken If he
supposcs that this rule holds good in as
scnlblagcs where people Of society come
together On such occasions the carriage,
the number of which is called first, no
matter where the carriage mas poem waiting, HAS
tie precedent, as my coachman well knew. The
Mayors carriage a coach hired for the even
ing and It's driver probably felt too much the i'm
portance of the occasion and 20 drove up TO the
entrance of the theatre soon as the Mayor
called for tie carriage in the opposite direction
70 that which was customary, and the protest OF
nv colorcd coachman seemed to have no effect
on him Nv son spoke to the policeman after
the Mayor had driven oil. and the policeman
seemed 10 be loath TO make the arrest, for he
evidently knew that Mitchell was in the right.
Il was not until tho theatre party, and the
first I heard Of the occurrence was when | was
called ont Of bed at o'clock IN the morning, 10
rive hail for my coachman. You probably re-
nonbcr what terrible night of slush mud and
rain Monday right was Well had to walk
for the carriage had been PIT in the stable by
tht time from nv homo IL Nintl-ave. and one
hundred and d-twcntydfth-st., and back again to
hail ont nv watchman. 1t was Fortunate that |
had the money to fcrnish the bail at that late
honr or Mitchell would have spent the night in
iail 1t certainly is not very Democratic form
Of government when private citizens are put to
thcse inconvenienccs and are compelled to expose
their health when no law has been violated by
them or theirs.
Mitchell was brought before Justice Justice
Burke. in the Harlem Police Court, yesterday
morning but as Mayor Gilroy did not appear
atrains him, the workman WITS discharged
\ man. who said he was an eyewitness OF tho
affair said 10 a Tribune reporter last night The
conduct of Mayor Giroy was Outrageous. lie
evidently does not understand the rules governing
carriages. Everybody who witnessed the. Incl
dom ,vmnathl2ed with the colored watchnan.
Mitchell evidently perfectly familiar with
the ruler When the Mayor ordered him out of
the way Mitchell said I'm not violating any law
and ri not move for anybody. | don't care who
Won arc and from the way the crowd laughed at
his rctort, it was evident that the people were
with Mitchell"
Mitchell is thirty-cight years old and lives at
NO 81 East Observation-Disclosures second-st.
lie is exceedingly indignant AT the treatment he
has received.
DPvVEEV MAN BLOCKS 4 RAILROAD