The sun., 1895-05-09
ADMIRALERBEN IS ANGRY.
r,s FRIENDS ACCUSE MAYOR
srRoNG ,oF'BAD SAITM

MAvOr, VhoFon
Him Dock kComuissionership.h hut with.
.,.v the OGsr Under Political Press
r,-ce,. Strong ssys che Criticism OF
mi. Appointment OF No=-resiaents Yves
an. Cause OF HIS Change OF Heart.
rr,i, n very few days before the appointment
-, Tim Monks as Dock Commissioner to sue
V..a James ]. Phelan It was pretty generally
San,oscd by politicians that Rear Admiral
,s'nrv rrhop, retired, wns to bo the Mayors ap-
.o,,,.e for that place. 1t Ia not strange that
.nio belief obtained among politicians when 1t
,.tro,vn that Admiral Erben himself shared In
\, and his friends sny that he changed his ar
..ro.ments for spending the summer because
=. ,bopeht he had the promise of Mayor Strong
~ .,no,nt him o Dock Commissioner. As the
,amirsl was not appointed, the story Of his
sr,s,,nce against Mayor Strong has been mnde
public.
Tho friends OF the Admiral assert that the
N.vor sent for the former and constructively
os.red him the appointment as Dock Commits
,ioper by asking him IL he would accept the
r,,ce. According to the story, the Admiral said
\, was not seeking the place, but would accept
:, and he loft the Mayor with tho idea that he
v,a 10 be appointed whenever Mayor Strong
10, ready to exercise his authority under tho
pouer Of Removal bill and cut of tho official
Mazda of tho Democratic Dock Commissioners.
Time passed and Dock Commissioners White
and Cram wers removed and OBrien and Elm
..ein were appointed in their places. Admiral
rrben did not know what to mako of this. his
tJends say, and he called on Mayor Strong for
an explauation. only to be told that the press
ure Of the politicians for tho places was SO great
that It could not be ignored. The Admiral. IL
not satisfied with this explanation. was satisfied
that he knew nothing about politics.and conclud-
,d that he would think no more about the mat
Tar until his name began to be mentioned again
In the newspapers rs tho probable successor OF
Commissioner Phelan. When this, occurred the
hs friends to the use of his name In this connec-
tlon. Soon after he received letter from the
Sna Mut uot AZ nppointed the ADMIRAL because he had
not been u resident Of the city sufficient length
Of time; that his appointment OF non-re:idents
and new residents had been provocativeo of much
adverse comment, and that he could not afford
70 appoint the Admiral for that reason.
should be made public BY Admiral Erben or any
ofhis friends" said Mayor Strong when his at
tention was called to the matter yesterday.
ise from me that would appoint him. ! have
probably told fifty men as much as did Admiral
to place. but none Of tn lem could honestly say
that promised him appointment: have let 1t
be eknown Just what my attitude in this matter
Of appointments is. and there ought to be no mis-
taking It. IL ask man If he will accept an ap-
pointnent if offer it to him. that does not mean
that ne is to be appointed. 1t merely means that
As to Admiral Erben and a Dock Commits
iionership. soon after the passage OF the Power
Of Removal bill asked Gen: Horace Porter to
request Admiral Erben to call on me. as wished
board. The Admiral called on me in response
tothe request. and we had long talk on the
;nSec the result OF WHICH en- was r nat q, a9ia the
definite action in the matter. but us things stood
then the chance of his appointment as
Ina. q Sny othep man That %as as
near as l ever came to promising the
t.me sn @ond not be
point him. wrote the Admiral letter to that
eject addressed to his hotel. tho Park Avenue.
dents OF the city hai occasioncd considerable
adverse criticism. which was specially severe
letter to tho Admiral. which was sent three
weeks ago. | referred to the fact that his short
residence in the city was special barrier to
bis appointment. nnd expressed my regret that
lconld not see my way clear to make him u
lock Commissioner,
The very next day that was in my office
after sending .his letter adm! raj Erben called
On me and assured me that ! was in error in
upposing that he had resided In the city but
short time. He told !ne that he had pever had
Any other place Of residence. and that his anceS-
] Tors before him had been residents Of New York
Adnlira that / was glad to be corrected in tho
matter OF his residence. but the fact remained
WA his actual pnSSlcal reSlucnce III lne CITY Nau
NOT been OF long standing us he had oeen away
:or fully. thirty. years. l told him that
seemed TO be that the Dock Commissioners
caght TO be residents and property owners
! In tho city. and that hRd ! known this before
~oud not have appointed Mr.. O'itrien mem
er Of the Bcard. The Admiral said that he
was property owner. az well as resident of
lie city. Our talk was pleasant enough. but the
Admiral placed - different construction on our
4 Inst talk about the matter than the facts seemed
4 tOwHrran!.
in parting, I told the Admiral that matters
bad assume! such shape that i was hardly
Probable that ! could appoint him. but that.
saOuld change my mind. | would notify him.
That is the story in detail OF my experience
With Admiral Erben in this Dock Department
natter"