New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-17
LEXOW AND THE REFORMERS
A CONFERENCE WHICH FOUR LEADING
MEMBERS LEFT IN A HURRY.

THEY DID NOT LOOK PLEASED. But THE NYACk
SENATOR CAME OUT sMILING-HE HAD JUST
PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONSULTING WITH
PLATT-LExow UNMovED AS TO
THE POLICE BILLs-THE COM
MITrEE OF SEVENTY TO
KEEP UP THE FIGHT.
State Senator Clarence Lexow TOOK part in two
conferences about police legislation yesterday.
The first conference was in the office Of T. c.
Platt. and what went on there may be guessed.
but cannot be told yet. that a secret talk,
and when Senator Lexow left the office in Lower
Broadway he went in haste to his own office In
Liberty-st.. where he arrived about noon. He did
not remain in his office long before he received
notice that he was expected at the second con-
ference al the Downtown Club in Pne-st.
The second conference was partly concealed
under an invitation to luncheon. extended by
Charles Stewart Smith. but the Senator was not
astonished when he arrived at the club and found
that Mr. Smith had also invited Joseph Larocque.
Charles c. Beaman. T. ID. Kenneson, Louis Il.
Delaheld. George l.. Rives and Theodore Sutro.
Messrs. Rives. Kenneson and Delafleld are MEM
bers Of the Committee OF Ten appointed by MIR.
Smith at the Cooper Union meeting to frame
suitable bills for police reorganization The prin-
ciples which the bills should be framed nave
been stated by the committee and one OF them
Is that there shall be no bipartisan Police
Board Another Is that the Bureau of Elections
shall be divorced from the Police Department. 1t
was mainly for the purpose Of sounding Senator
Lexow on those two principles that the confer
ence had been arranged for by Mr. Smith.
THE LUNCHEON AT THE DOWNTOWN CLUB.
The men had a good luncheon. and then they
had talk about police legislation. Before the
talk had gone on half an hour Joseph Larocque,
c. C. Beaman and Louis l.. Delafield left the
clubroom They appeared to be In hurry. and
they did not look happy. They said there mad
been nothing like n conference only quiet little
chat after luncheon. and that they had nothing
more TO say on the subject. The presence OF re-
porters at the cubroom WAS apparently the cause
~ much Indignation the part OF Mr. Rives.
who desired that there should be no publicity OF
the proceedings at the conference. About two
hours later. when the men separated Mr smith
said that IT had been agreed TO let Senator
Lexow tell all that was 10 be told about the con-
ference.
Senator Lexow." SAID he. has been commits
stoned To give out whatever rews there Is MI.
Smith then made hasty exit
Senator Lexow. who seemed to be in an ex-
asked about the conference.
we simply met" said he. and discussed the
police matter in an Informal manner. What was
said does not matter one way or another as re-
CARDS the questions iuSOlved. 80
We're any concessions offered by either side
he asked
There WAS no talk of concessions. replied the
senator. Il have no authority To make any con-
cessions and could not do so. AS SAID BEFORE
We merel, discussed things informally.
.alx. he changed
about the Bipartisan Police bill. senator Le=ow
Indignantly said he had not.
Il stli hold the same opinion on the Bi-parti-
san Police bill and have no reason TO change H.
he said
senator Lexow when asked II he would meet
Mr. smith and his colleagues again. said that no
arrangements had been made for a future ses-
sion Tic senator then w"at To- his Office.
HE HAD COME STRAIGHT FROM HIS ROSS
Later In the afternoon. when the other men at
the conference had told their friends all about
H. and the friends had begun to tell other friends
f, was learned that there had been a direct dis
agreement with Senator Lexow about police leg
lsiaton In the beginning Of the talk senators
Lexow declared that be represented only himself
al the meeting He let the other men know that
he had consulted with ]. {. Platt carrier III tne
day but he made them understand also that ne
did not represent the man from llosa at '"e
conferencc-ai least not IN q way 10 Dlhd MN ~
any agreement Then the talk proceeded WIN a
view ID finding II there COuli ~ any
ment with Senator LeXOw as an individual. ana
il was soon apparent that the Senator was nNea
n his determination 10 stand by Legislation WHICH
provided COR bipartisan Police Board ana tol
keeping the Bureau of Elections IN the lolre
Dcnurffuent He also declined TO agree with IN"
Views of the refOrmcrs about the extent ol p""rI
To be given 10 the Chief Of Police, saying that II
would be- unsafe to allow too much power 10 ne
nlaced I'm the hands Of man. As 10 other
principles which had been declared by the COM
mittec of Ten the Senator expressed hlhlseii as
In agreement with most OF them
To CONTINUE THE BATTLE At ALBANY.
Senator Lcxow- was then asked ~ ne would use
his inlucnc, to delay the passage OF his bliis III
the Senate until the Committee OF Ten could
prepare a police bill and hc said he was willing
To do what ne could an individual to delay
action on the bills. but he said that the biiIs
had been before the caucus Of the RepuDhcah
Senators and he was bound To stand by the de-
cslon OF the caucus. whatever that might pe'
The difference. therefore. resulted IN hotnihs
beyond "A better understanding OF the oppoSitioh
Of Senator Lexow and some o' ms t'.pupnoa' ",.,,
colleagues in the senate 10 the plans OF the com.
mittee Of Ten. Members Of the committee sai1
after the conference that they would go hhca"
and frame the police bills and have them intro
duced into the Assembly, where bitter nsh'
will be made To have them passed in place OF the
Lexow bills - ,... ,
The Executive Committee Of the Committee ol
Seventy held a meeting In the afternoon al 'ne
rooms Of the Chamber Of Commerce. AMONG
the members present were Joseph laro'due'
G Beaman w Travcrs jerome and w harris
Roome Sheriff Tamsen. who had been reques'eu
hv the committee TO attend the session, was
early on hand He asked about the
bills which have been introduced recently III
Albany affecting his powers. Mr. Iahseh "p.
iccts 10 these bills one of them declares that
the Sheriff shall not in future appoint ms own
counsel but that the Corporation Couhsei M sla.i
appoint the counsel Another bill taxes away
from the Sheriff the privilege Of appointing auc
tioneers and another provides that Mr. iaWs,,h >
responsibility shall be increased while his salary
shall remain the same. ,,,
tive Committee at great length
AGAINST THE SHERIFF BILLS
The Executive Committee remained in session
about an hour and halt. statement was 'heh
given to the reporters that while the Executive
co,mittee had taken no special action In regard
To the bills affecting the Sherin once ye. ~
was the opinion Of the members OF the co'n"h'