New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-12
TRYING TO SHIFT THE BLAME.
,rURpHYAND FLOWER UNEASY
EFFORTS TO wHITEwAsH THEM IN THE
MATTER OF THE TROY TRAGEDY.


soMr-FLowERs DOUBLE RESPONSIBILITY
THE ROSS FAMGIYs STANDING IN THE
coMMUNrrY-wAs THERE PLOT TO
MURDER THE BROTHERS?
rro, March II acknowledgements efforts
are now being made by various members OF the
Derocr,tic State Committee to shift from the
shoulders Of Governor Flower and Senator
Murphv their share OF the responsibility Tor ths
murder of Robert Ross and for the many poiltVal
crimes committed here on last Election Ddy III
the interest OF that faction OF the Dehocra''c
State machine Of which both Murphy ana flo"er
are members Every newspaper hereaDou's over
which Murphy or any OF his friends nave co"'roi
has been vainly endeavoring to show that-o"'-
side Of the murder OF young Ross-the e'ecuo"
was the most quiet held in many years ana t""'
the trouble which eliminated In that Tragedy anu
the attempt to assassinate two OF the DrotheFS
of the murdered man was brought about Dy 'ne
Rosses themselves. Not only have newspapers
hoor trying 70 create this false impression. but
two of Mr. Murphy's closest friends po'h ~
whom are associated with the Democratic state
Committee. of which Murphy is chairman re-
centlv prepared a statement Of what they wanted
cont ont for consumption By the Democratic read
Ing public. .,
Th,, statement. which was carefully withheld
From, the Republican ana ndcpcnien, press, WIS
nr.pared IN Albany by Charles X. De freeSt ana
samuel R.,rdsley Mr.. D. Frcest Is on" oi sen
ator Murphy's abcst Neutenanis. lie Is '"'
brains Of the Murphy machine here. ana mas
stored his patron safely through many p'"N'"
/ storms Mr. De Frecst is the secretary Oh the
/ Railroad Commission, which place was S-'"Icu
for him after the last election. Wheh IL Wd@ So"
,ba. The Assembly was Republican ana that ne
would no longer be the clerk ~ that House. 10
mako the place for him Democrat who had
sorycl the Commission long and fatniuN WAS
forced out. Mir. Bcardsley is one of the Kli.rofd
c,,,,oissloncrs. Together these two mon on last
+ wednesday night prepared q statement "i """'
/ ,boy wanted the Democrats ~ the Hill-MurphN-
r,l,rcr strlpe in this state to believe in r"HaFt
/ ., tb. murder ~ Robert Ross. That statement
i WAS FAR from the ;ru-h. II the words "i 'il'-'
I ,,no were eyewitness TO the shooting can "'
believed; bar 1t did not have the desired e"'c''
f,r ON IT'S face Il Vas apparent that able as Dotn
,,. r,o t,~.ast and Mr. Bcarlsley are. they made
= moor showing out of an extremely weak case
ROSWELL T. FLOWER DorHLY REsfoNSl'LH'
Roswell r Flower IS doubly responsible for the
shooting OF Robert Ross. In the hrst instance
ne delayed action on the bill which was sent 10
| him pr,vfdng for non-parisan b'ard Oh
election inspectors until the excitement was III
! white hea; both In this city and IN Aoany' h'S
| objections 10 the measure were petty Again.
ar.er he had blun;ly refused the request of the
| ,o,or,,,,eo ~ ministers who called upon him to
recA rnat he sign the bill, he advised the course
| ~ action which resulted in the death u Robert
Ross While the Rev. Or. Haynes OF this city,
was appcalng to him. In behalf of law and or
der and as spokesman for more than score
- clcrf>vmon one 81 whom was Murphys own
rrlest. 10 sien the bill. he was Interrupted by
the Governor. who asked:
Haven't YOU rot watchers2'
The response was IN tho affirmative.
"Wcl then. II ropcaters attemp, 10 vote let
the watchers drive them away" was the reply
which he Governor snapped out
Tho parallel between Grivcscnd and Troy IS
perfect. as FAR as Mr.. Flowers conduct IS con-
ccrned Previous % tho November election Nc
Kane was defylnc the law and making prcpara-
tions 20 commit crimes against The ballot on
Election Day. Although knowing Of this, the
Governor practically did nothing to prevent the
carving ont of McKane's designs. and on Eer-
tion Day he could not be found when messages
wcr. sent to the state capital appealing to him
to send the military to GraTosend /, preserve
the peace after the Sheriff Of Kings County had
failed To- do his duty. Murder was not COM
nittcd at Gravcyond. although it might have
been. for the conditions there were similar to
what they were here on last Tuesday
WHAT MURPHY HAD AT STAKE.
The success II Mr.. Whalcn. the independent
Democrat and Republican candidate for Mayor,
meant both political and n monetary loss 70 the
Troy boss In political way 1t meant the loss
OF the police force AMI several Offices of great
importance about election time, and with n
Mayor opposed to him thrrc undoubtedly would
have been considerable financial loss to him.
There is probably not "A public franchise In this
city in which Murphy IS not interested-gas, cleo
tric lighting surface car lines and 80 on. all of
which pay the city nothing to lessen the burden
Of taxation.
The reports Of colonization spread "a the cleo
ton grew nearer and on Monday night II was
,, seen that there much truth in them. Gangs
Of tough-looking men found refuge in various
liquor shops and dives. the prOpretors OF which
are known TO be friendly TO Murphy, and early
on Tuesday morning they started for the polls
using the names Of Republicans ana lndepeh,
dents to vote upon. These names were furnished
. TO them by the ward workers who previously
had examined the registry lists TO learn VINO
, had registered. II was while driving one OF M tne
worst OF the gangs of rcpeaters from tne pollihe
! place in the Thirteenth Ward that Robert Ross
was shot by a man who IS said to have been
the leader Of the gang: Many people declare
that the man who fired the fatal shot was a
certain Bat Shea. Bat Is Il shortening OF
the word Bartholomew.
: Bat Shea Tor some ttne mas pecH lvohcu uPoi
, | as a tough character. and a handy man 10 hay,
around on Election Day, when work or an un
usually vicious kind was to be done lie was
! | under indictment for false registering or ialst
| voting at previous election ana TIE warrants
: | were in the hands OF the Murphy police seVera
p davs before the election. They did not serve the
4 warrants. although they could nave zone u
| easily for Shea was around his usual haunt'
| previous to the election. His services were
o | needed for Election Day, and they were used
4 | With him were Jerry" Cleary and John Ale
- | Cough They were thought TO be ASSOCIATED
) leaders. and back Of them were a dozen or so o.
Il the toughest men Troy or this neighborhood car
| produce-and that Is saying a great deal IheS
l. | are the same men who year ago went uoWi
| to Lansingburg and captured that little VilIlge
. | For such methods OF carrying elections Murphy
= | is responsible Consequently he is responsible
| .,rt th.