New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-02
TUE SHEEHIN 81 .iGGER.

THE SHEIHIN NJ 100 EH
Tw, Sbeehaus have been on show in the
Icyow Committee room This week. Both origi-
nally from Buffalo Onc came 10 This city
several years ago under the cloud Of charges
affecting his personal honesty. Cam" her" ana
drained a. easily and smoothly into a $1,000
official position under Tammany Hall ~ il Ii"
had been born f. The purple. with IN rnqlIe'-
,ionrd right 10 draw his living from ia" tax
PAYERS Of any town hr might graz" win IL
presence or residence. NJ one knt" why ms
person should be- 50 favored. ana under ihr
rigorous discipline 81 the organization which
rules the town ana divides IL plumber n' on"
had The harlihool ~ inquire. with 10 special
fitness for that or ai.y Other Office. II" hrld u
and drew ih. salary until hr SAW another Win
a higher salary AID forthwith dropped M"
that Ia various positions. all lucrai''" ana
none laboriou> hr rs been drawing MONEY
from the city treasury ever since. la addition
thereto he has been a favored CONTRACTOR ana
found In that relation additional opportunity
to tap the public treasury and enrich himself
N ia. expense OF ~" taxpayers. lie has be-
cam. rich TIN. strokes Of honest labor Icy
which this man Increased hiS wealth could very
likely be- counted oil The fingers 81 Oh" hhhL
Coming her. ~ a discovered drfauli"r. ANA
alnassing wealth ~ he has from "rciAl posi-
,ious which could Not IN any legitimate WHY
have. welded H. ia was The most natural aud
logical thing I'm the cOurS" OF such an iuv"-iIga-
ton Of municipal corruption - ihr oil" now ia
progress thai he should be- called upon - pre-"
ducc his books and disclose he sources ~ hi>
wealth This lie has refused 10 d". Refused
not with the. manner II an innocent man or
any pre,cncr Of explanation: bur with 'h' Swas
ger Of a black guard who feels secure aud can
laugh at law and justice"
This j. the Shc,.han who when II committee
armed with The power of III" State l." compel
the production ~ books and papers IN ALL ~
their inquiry proposed 10 rN"rciS" ihai power
70 the extent Of committing The rrcalrltrahi
witness for contempt, answered, with "A con
fcmptuous sncrr. Better try II. Mr.. CON
Commit me" There he same brazcn II
frontery which ulothcr Tammany leader made
monumental twenty years ago when he sn""r'I
In the faces Of his plunderrd victims. "Ncl
what are You going 10 do about ~ And lac
found out Another Shcchan sat there smiling
cncouraccInrnt to his wriggllng brother on The
witness stand He still lives In Buffalo, but.
having uutlivrd his political Usefulness In Eri"
County, IS said 10 contemplate removal 10 this
CITY Invited, 10 doub. 10 This larger field by
his brothers successful career and ia" uncN
amprd rapidly with which he acquired II
fortune from the taxpayers Of the metropolis
This Shcehan is by yirtU" Of his own political
dexterity and by grace of the Tammany DE
mocracy Lieutenant Governor 81 the State. lle
too has the Sheehan swagger. II was oh
exhibition In It's most offensive form in the
Legislature OF 1892, when as presiding officer
Of the Senate he arrogaSt!y usurped functions
TO which he had no right, aud with the bearing
OF despot and the manners OF Il blackguard
trampled upon the constitutional rights OF the
minority. setting at nangh rule and precedent,
and all law and justice. In the execution Of II
conspiracy and crime against the people Of the
State II continued 10 De In evidence in the
Legislature OF last winter, but. thanks 10 The
clear Judgment honest purpose and determined
will OF Charles r. Saxton. HE Sherhan swaggcr
failed Of It's purpose and Shcrhan himself found
his place.
These two sat In the committee room and
with braZcn effrontery laughed In the face of
the committee while they snccred al the SUE
gestion that there was any power in the State
Of New York 10 commit ShcchIn for contempt
Of Its authority. And who are The Shcc
hans that they should thus override the laws
and contemn the authority Of the State of New
York! Whence do they derive The privilege or
living the public treasury and answering the
call for an accounting from the peoples repre-
sentatves with "A staggering refusal and def
ance? There must BE- some reason for the con
iidencr with which Commissioner Shr'han r."
turns answer Better try II" To the proposal 10
commit him for contempt. Is the Sheellan
pull powerful and acmbracing that il
includes not only the Police Department and
system but all the machinery OF the courts aud
the processes Of law Has the organization
that rules this town granted the ShochanS an
unlimited license 10 ride with staggering I'M
pudencc roughShod ever everybody and every
thing that happens 10 stand between them and
their purposes: Are they amcnablc 10 no law
10 no constituted authority; l. the Shcchan
pull In short. commensurate with the Shcc
han swagger: One Thing il Obvious the As
surancc Of these men is born of their belief in
the power Of The Tammany organization TO take
care Of them and grant them immunity. And
not the least conspicuous of the benefits that