New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-17
GOVERNOR FLOWER REFUSES
THE REQUEST OF THE COMMITTEE OF
SEVENTY DENIED.

SEVENTY DtNlED.
THEY WANTED HIM TO HAVE THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL OR ONE OF HIS DEPUTIES TAKE
CHARGE OF THE PROSECUTION OF
ELECTION FRAUDS HERE. But AP-
PARENTLY HE DOESN'T FEEL
LIKE sNt'BBING FELLOWS.
The Committee of Seventy, through its execu-
tive committee yesterday asked Governor Flower
TO direct the Attornee-General Of the state 10 be-
gin an investigation Of election frauds and OF
offences by public officials in this city next month
with the aid Of a special term Of the Court Of
oyer and Term!ner.
Governor Flower refused. for the apparent rea-
son that he did not wish to aid in administering
a snub 10 Distrct-Attorncy Fellows.
Among the members Of the Seventys Executive
Committee who met in one oi the rooms Oh the
Chamber Of Commerce early In the afternoon
were Charles Stewart Smith. Gustav H. Schwap'
John i. Townsend Lewis L. Delaiield, Geheral
Horace Porter, Charles c. Beaman, Joseph
iarocque w. Trayers jerome and Frahcis NJ
Scott After talking over the situation ior
nearly an hour the committee passed the foiIo"-
ing:
Resolved. That the Governor be and hereby is re-
qucstei require the Attorney ieneral III pttSo. s
or by Of his deputies. TO attend "A court 81 -
and TernIner duly apponed 20 De hs,u ,b III 49, ani
FOR ne city and county OF New 20 our U ord isi
anI to appear I'm person. or by deputy, peiorc tli
and rondnctng in such court and before such Grand
Jury the following criminal action ana pFoceeu'"s'
Flrst-Au criminal actions and proceedings lnvolv-
lng or relating to crimes committed wthn the clty
chlse and violations Of the Election Laws @ ann T.,
Second-An criminal actions and proceedings IN,
yoyns or r.ains to 'hr n thu m city and
county OF New-Yorls; and further
Porter ard Charles G. EcamAn b. appointed com
mlttee 70 wllt on the Governor and present to MIN
the foregoin resolution, ani take such turthet ac
lion AS NAV b. deemed necessary 10 carry out the
objects contemplated ty SAID resolution.
Mr. Iarocoue had been at the Windsor Hotel
where Governor Flower was staying, in the fore
noon and had made ARRANGEMENTS FOR meet,
ing with the subcommittee. It was believed
that Governor Flower would b. likely In grant
the request embodied in the resolutions. FOR me
reason that Il would give to him an opport"hl'y
to retire from the Governors oilire WIN some
prctcnsions 70 claim that he had d'nr SOM
hing for the better government ~ the CITY IL
ras. the Governor should direct The Attorney p
General o. act il was said O. p" ne t-Sr" ~
the Committee - SEVENTY that ~" Attorney
General might s.iec, " Travcrs Jerome rs the
deputy to conduct the investigation. MI jerome.
as one = the counsel for tn" L"Now Commute"
was believed O. be- w.li qualified 20 carry on ih'
work which Mr. cor would have - lay down
az the end ~ tho year
General porter Sir Iarorquc and Mr Beamin
went :, the windsor Hotel shortly aiier ! r. m
and wero nie,itied 10 Governor II w"rs room
uitl. later II was ahpu' '.Jp 3. ul wh'n 'h'N
lr;i tn" h'toi T. number ~ nc~sp"%nrr per hr,, u'rm
who were waiting 10 500 tn" Governor, me thr''
I..iapnf.s from the Commute" + seventy Do
riinef - state tho result ~ th"ir interview or
4, make any comment upon the Governors ac-
tlor They said that the Governor was pr'ih-
ing "A statement IN The subject
THE GOVERNORS STATEMENT.
About three hours later the Governor gave to
ne newspaper men the following statement Of
The conversation he had had with the delegates
and his reasons FOR refusing Ia give the desired
orders to the Attorney General;
Tho Governor referred the committee 70 In'
meinorandum which he had ATTACHED 40 ms re-
piora - tho law under which ~" CON ''n'''"
quest Was made. In that m"morandum ~" ntn fn
,alci attention to hc dra',c ,hHi@S, ,Su, the M au
thoriiy conferred by tho Law up"h 'tt 1'pErl , h
might lead 10 great ahnee. and should 'h'''''''
'fhe nstrct-Attorney." continued the Governor
~ a constltuiionai Office. charged with th" i"y
or prosecuting offences AGAINST The Ian T. he
does not perform his duty ! remove him
upon snsFTS hs G'|r svs Ho" there are s6mc
tines instances ghcrc b rsason 9" ,n' ~
the pressure OF huainess In his ONCE. II misht y"
advisable to exercise the authorty coniIrIrr w ny ny
deputy TO appear for the purpose OF trying tio
spr'niiIh ,," %, ,f,orney G.neral's Office should
clearly bc made by tho District Attorney himself
That was The case In Kings County year ago
chan unon The application Of the District Attor-
nev directed the Attorney General 10 app"ll'
,Ion ~ Lection Offenders Moreover. the exercise
OF authority IA that case was under th, orc Nv Nv,
,ric, Attorney ana thereby recognized the prin-
ciple OF local scf-goyernnent. The new law undeg @
made Excludes the Dis,rict-Attorney from sny
n MhSeye S rcas,ion is i npon the A,oTnc
General II Is therefore more important thht ~"
power which 1t conveys should pc 'ohSerN"''''F
~ asked the committee whether District -Attorr-
nyyllrotion ~ They said he had not-that they had
communication with nm thrn arHSu ,iornsy
they had any Proofs ,n" proscte o The Eases re-
fcrrcd to In their application. They replied tha,,
Confidence that the Distrct-Attorney would do
his mn duty in ths m"i,er diG mol ISf f,I,y 'i rroc
the election offenders IN, tlHs 'ounty "st s,.ni in
Insy n - ,hc% had any charges Of incompetence
or neglect os duty 10 prefer hfaihs' IN. ., y,
Aitornry II was their duty 10 present thcln 10
mo and I would give them prompt roi..i'rttlon.
Eut said that ex opt WIN IN, PS'I'rt N ~ i,,is
nosti,n or refusal his part 20 faithfully prose
cute the cases could 1o, Jmy ,pp rbnrge OF
the prosecution. II thc plsirct,Aitornry mas no,
done VIII not do III, his I dg h bG r. his neglect
~ iuty is proved but IN the absence oi me cor
anpcarancc OF the Attorney-General and thereby
e',rnnnt the Disirict-Attorrcy "nirelv h1 l" ~,
,,hor, a henring and arains the spirit of the
Gnnstltntion 1t would be dcmoralizng to the non
est discharge Of official duty , -,
81 look upon these election offences ana me
,r,i,dmiustration of law I'm this city as or nrat
i,nnortancc and think these lrals should nave
nrnccdcnce over other cases WIN thht tlrw am
i,t,ng if n IL desired to appoint ON" or more ex
,rn"rT,rarv terms OF oyer and Terinincr Tor the
prosecution OF these cases
Governor Flower was asked about report
that efforts were being made to have District
Attorney Fellows resign In order TINT another
Democrat might be appointed IN MS place peiore
Mr. Morton takes ohc"
a., ,,, ,,otbiny about that" was the Gov