The sun., 1896-06-09
Anhaltcn, LnndvoSt.

To-day the hearing OF the DAMsES charges
will be resumed before former Judge
p rrERTsoN, and, in view OF the scandalous
disclosures already made at previous hear
ings, some color has been given to a rumor
that the Landvogt DAMsES, to escape the
humiliation OF summary removal from the
office OF Sheriff, would resign (resigni-
REM, and thereby relieve this county Of his
official presence, and save the State con-
siderable item OF expense. In Plattdeutsch
resign Is translated literally as "to be re-
signed" and the same word is used for re-
sign and remove; therefore person like
DAMsEN. who knows only Plattdeutsch,
could, without the services OF an interpreter
and chart, see no distinction between
being resigned and being removed; but
there Is an important difference, and
It is much to be hoped, for the
reasons which we will here recite, that
through no misunderstanding of the mean
ing of English or German words DAMsEN
will resign the Office which he now holds with
a stronger grip than any he has been able
to fasten upon prisoners committed to his
custody. Article y. of the Constitution Of
this State gives Governor MORTON summary
power Of removing derelct or incompetent
Sheriff at any time during the latter's tenure
by giving to such officer a copy OF the
charges against him and an opportunity of
being heard in his defence" Both have been
afforded DAMsEN, or rather both will be, for
D,MsEN has received translation of the
ei...rges against him, and before the closing
OF the ROBERTSON hearing he will have an
opportunity to state his defence Should
the DAMsEN hearing take its ordinary course
and DAMsEN not resign meanwhile, it is
probable that the findings of Judge ROBERT
Son will be submitted to Governor MORTON in
the month of September, following tho rule
In the DAVIDSON and in the BECK case.
A Governor, in the transaction of his pub
lie duties, is accustomed TO proceed with
caution and crcumspection. In the BECK
case, where Governor FLOWER removed, on
charges much less serious than those filed
against DAMsEN, the Sheriff of Erie county.
more than three months elapsed between
the appointment OF Commissioner to take
testimony and the filing OF the latter's re-
port. Should DAMSEN now resign, the Gov
elEor would appoint n successor to hold
Office until the 3lst OF December next, a
new Sheriff being elected at the election of
this year, the amended Constitution (under
section of Article Kill making an ex-
ception In its division of State and local
Office wncTr vacancy has arisen. A
Sheriff in Office is not eligible for rculcc-
tion, and therefore the appointce of Gov
ernor MOTION would he restricted to n
few months time in which to inaugurate
the changes made necessary by DAMsEN's
incompetence and derelcticn.
1t is not to be supposed that Governor
MORTON will appoint as DAMsEN's SUCCESSOR
any person not thoroughly competent and
qualified. but the task imposed upon such an
Rppontee between June and December, 500,
would he an onerous one. He would be COM
pelled first of all to clear the Office Of DAM
SENS whole crew of incompetents. lie would
have to fill the vacancies so caused by the
appointment of individuals who would not
bring the public service in New York into rid
icule and contempt. He would be obliged, in
the public interest, to make choice of quail
iled auctioneers. of process servers speaking
English, and of computers familiar with
American and not Danish money. He would
have 10 straRfiten out the affairs of the Office,
to find domicile for SHAD ROE and job for
RUMPF, TO have the Sheriff's books examined
and Secopied in English, and to seek by the