The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-10-12
is IT GILOERSLEEVE F?
Parkhurst's Latest Letter Revives
the Vandewater Story.
Mr. Golf Says That Affair Was Very
Creditable to the Judge.
But All Attempts to Connect the Two
Stories Are Unavailing.

The letter read by DR.. Parkhurst last
evening at the City Vigilance League
meeting in the Lexington Avenue Baptist
Church, apparently duplicating a proml-
nent criminal Judge of this city in cor
rupt bargaining, was the subject of
general comment in political circles this
morning.
| This is the letter:
My Dear Sir was formerly a nattendant in
Judge who is a member OF Tammany Hall. | was
compelled to pay $50 OF my salary to a relative
Judge himself-was made in my house and before
witnesses. l am willing to testify before the
Lexow Committee. as you so desire.
DR.. Parkhurst said he had referred
this communication to Mr.. Goff and
that the matter would probably be
thoroughly investigated by the Lexow
Committee. He refused last night to
give the name Of the writer of the let
| ter.
The incident. however, recalled q story
which was circulated during the cam
paign OF 1889, when Judge Henry A.
Gildersleeve was running as the can
didate of Tammany Hall for the City
Judgeshp against Judge Fitzgerald, the
present incumbent, who was nominated
on the anti-Tammany ticket. 1t was
familiar to all politicians, and was taken
up by the newspapers at the time.
SO far as 1t affected the integrity of
Judge Giidersleeve, however 1t was
| failure. and the explanation made by the
Judge himself knocked the story into
| cooked hat.
1t was to the effect that eighteen years
ago, when Judge Gildersleeve first went
ON the bench in General Sessions, he Sc
cured the appointment as one Of the
Vandewater, the husband of one of his
neces,, and that as return for this
favor he exacted a promise from Van
dewater that should pay $40 a month out
of his salary to Elmer ID. Gildersleeve.
a brother of the Judge, who lived at
Poughkeepsie.
he had paid regularly for long time,
but when he became i'll and was I'M
able to perform his duties. he stopped
the payments and was removed
The similarity of this story, which
was widely exploited in the newspapers
at the time, to the charges made in the
letter received received BY pr ParkhTrst led
it was the same Identical case, and that
| Vandewater was the writer of the let
| A reporter of 1.-THE Evening World"
called upon DR.. Parkhurst this morning
and showed him some newspaper clip
pings printed in November. 1885, and re-
| ferring to the Vandewater case and the
charges which he made against Glider
| sleeve.
DIR. Parkhurst seemed very much sur
! prised to hear of the case and read the
slips carefully. When he had finished
he said:
Il do not know who the Judge is that
| is referred to in the letter received by
me yesterday, and 1 cannot say anything
sSssa sss l9s1sT to Mr. so and ny viii
was. it signed by vandewater?" he
Now you must not ask me any more
I must absolutely refuse to talk. I am
very busy this morning, and hope that
hurst to name the writer of the letter
were unsuccessful He had sent it, he
said, to Mr. Golf, and the matter was in
the hands of the counsel for the Lexow
MIR. Con- arrived at his office at II
o'clock this morning, and the story about
brought to his attention. and he was
asked as to its possible connection with
the letter received from DR.. Parkhurst's
mysterious correspondent.
| II have received the letter from DR..
Parkhurst," he said, together with
other papers. but must decline to say
| anything in regard to the writer"
II will say this. however. and say 1t
very alphabetically, that SO far as Judge
| Gildersleeve's connection with this Van
| dewater matter is concerned, 1t reflects
the highest credit upon him as a man
| and only shows his goodness of heart.
| II Investigated that story at the time,
when l was in the District-Attorney's
office, and the facts are simply these:
Judge Gildersleeve secured the position
as a court officer or attendant for Van
| dewater,, who was married to a relative
OF his Mr.. Vandewater was not a man
who properly provided for his wife and
family, and knowing his habits the
$50 g. month from his salary for the
support Of his family, and that he should
pay the money to his Uhe Judge's)
brother.
"Vandewater was compelled to do this.
and when he would no longer stand to
his agreement he was removed. or
course, he kicked about 1t. and tried to
make 1t appear that Judge Gildersleeve
had been a party to corrupt agree
| story was absolutely without founda-
ton. Judge Gildersleeve is an honora-
| BILE man. q
at is true that opposed him when he
ran for reelection. but 1t was only be-
cause my sympathies were enlisted on
the other side in favor Of Judge Fitz-
gerald, who was one of my Oldest and
most valued friends and besides that,
our political affiliations were the same.
II may say, too, that when this Van
dewater story came up,and 1t was sug-
gested that campaign capital be made OF
IT. i opposed II with all my strength,
knowing its falsity, and being unwilling
that any underhand or mean tricks
should be resorted to in the canvass. As