New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-10
BILLS VETOED AND SIGNED.
MEASURES DISPOSED OF AT ALBANY.
SOME or THE covrKNoR,s REASONS PRESENTED
THE ELM STREET WIDENING ELL

frRoM rnn nrCrIAn CORRESPONDENT OF The TRBuNn

IsM
APPROVED.
frgoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
Albany, May D.--Govcrnor Flower to-day wrote II
rather humorous veto OF A,s"mbyman Dlnk'lSp'i
bill 10 establish another cemetery IN the town OF
Newtown. Queens County, The Governor also vetoed
Il bin prescribing IA certain cure for lnttIp'raHce'
IN yetong Asscmblyman Sulliyans bill authorizing
the Board OF Claims Ia hear and determine the Claim
Il John Roberts against the state for false imprSoh
mcn,, Governor Flower says:
This bill Involves IA Som"w hat novel claim against
the state. In 1877 John Roberts was convicted oi
burglary In the first d"gr.c and sentenced to I'm
pri,Dmn.nt ai hard labor M state Prison for the term
81 twenty years. ON october II, 1875 lie was par
uon,d ~ Governor Robinson. who Nald 'here was
grave doubt ns To Ia. guilt OF the prisoner. Upon
lhi, ground OF his innocence. and IN order 10 secure
from the state some pccnnary redress ior Ms un!"
lm,onm"mt Of ar"' o nniars thu ,I Board " Of
Claims and prove his right 10 compensation. IL wiz
be- that this presents an interesting ana noan now,
to every honest and lawabiding citizen that all ul
inst Imprisonment involving dl'eT Mosa a' n
equity en,itic him to Just remuneration at
the hands Of the STATE. ana even ,, g,'. dom
prn,nton for the personal loss sustained. Yet has
no, been the policy of the state TO rccomprnse lnno
such bin as this to become IL law would be estab-
fishing precedent OF doubtful proprety. Not , only
dicion " the Board OF Claims. but II wond ield TO
"A strange mixture of legal powers In that tribunal
,.rmining such a claim would BE- the Innocence OF
The claimant or the Injustice OF his conviction ana
Imprisonment. The criminal trial must OF necessity
be- gone over again and AT time probably when eVl-
dcnce would De- hard Ia collect. IL would puzzle any
court moreover, to estimate the amount OF damages
which such "A claimant might be entitled TO, Tor IL
would be almost impoSslbl" 10 d"termlhe the moi'N
value Of a false imprisonment .
II this bill were become a law there would be
n number Of similar bills brfor" the next Legislature.
and there. IS no telling what such departure from
established state policy would lead 10. he qlps-
ton> presented are too serious 10 warrant he Ill al
lowing the bill To become Il law. -
g., v,ruor Flower this afternoon signed the Elm
street Improvement bill The title Of Tie bill should
be- An act authorizing the Board OF Street Opening
az New York city To widen any street or avenue, or
cnlarg. any park In that city, 1t Is the greatest
MEASURE affecting sew York which has become "A law
IN. present wear Enormous rs the power
granted 10 the chiefs of Tammln' llan In IN" BIZ
ostensbiy passed for the DOCK Department. am
known Ms the Marginal Wharf b!ll, the Elm street
Improvement bill confcrs much greater authority To
rNrcnd money for II touches every acre OF and on
Manhattan Island and affects all real estate vallis
MIR Flower received strong protests against IN" bill
lint he paid no heed TO them after Mayor Gilroy had
asked him To sign H.