The sun., 1897-10-27
THOSE FALSIFIED CERTIFICATES.
George w. Robertson and william II. II. Rly
Accused In n White Plains Court.

Accused In n White Plains Court
WHITE PLAINS. n. Y. Oct. 26.--The first steps
OF the criminal prosecution of the person or per-
sons who falsifed the nomination certificates OF
independent candidates for Office in Westchester
county were taken to-day before Police Justice
John p. Moran Of White Plains. On the sworn
complaint of Robert Coward. Deputy County
Clerk. Justice Moran summoned witnesses and
examined them to determine who 1t was
who falsifed the certificates and what tho
nature of the crime was. Mr.. Coward in
his affidavit says that he verify believes.
and therefore alleges, that ono George
W. Robertson, one William II. II. Ely one John
Doe and one Richard Roe have committed q
crime in the village Of White Plains on or about
the 18th day of October. 1897. in that said per-
sons at said time and place falsely made oath
to and fraudently defaced q certain certificate of
nominatio of tho Westchester County Citizens
League, in violation Of section 419 Of tho penal
code. He asked that W. NJ. Dubois. G. T.
Capron, J. w. Stafford. Thomas H. Fitzgerald.
John w. McCabe. Michael J. Dillon. Edward
Buckhout, and Charles l. Anderson may be
examined under oath to determine who oom-
mitted the crime and what the nature of tho
crime is.
Several of these men, who arc notaries public,
were examined to-day by Henry c. Henderson,
who appeared on behalf Of tho people, in tho
all testified that the nomination certificates bad
been altered after they had executed them. Tho
petitions that had been circulated with tho
names of Z. b. Long for Sheriff and Charles
Hilbert for Coroner bad been altered, and tho
name of w. J. Graney for Assembly in the Sec
ond district had been added. while to petitions
for GraEey had been added the names of Long
and Hilbert. Most OF the certificates had been
delivered to Ely, Robertson. and j. w. Stafford.
j. w. McCabe OF Mamaroneck testified that
Messrs. Ely and Robertson and Notary Fitzger-
aid received the petition he had circulated in
Mamaroneck for Graney. which subsequently
appeared with the names of Long for Sheriff and
Hilbert for Coroner pasted thereon. He had
seen them doing some pasting In the Orawam-
pun Hotel, but did not know whether the GER
tihcate he presented was altered while he was
there or not
Other witnesses will be called. and. IL the tes-
timony warrants it, arrests will be made. There
is no doubt that this will be done. The mat
ter certainly has taken serious urn. w;
the Tarrytown Press Record. and Is also
county bar. being counsel for the village
of Tarrytown. He is O Democrat. George w.
Robertson is President Of the village of Peeks-
kill. and WAS three years ago elected State
Senator from this district on tho Republican
ticket. On Oct. 1S County Clerk Crumb rejected
the certificate of Messrs Long. Hilbert, and
Graney after hearing Justice Keogh then
ordered the names OF Long and Hilbert stricken
from the National Democratic ticket on the
ground of fraud. Messrs. Long and Hilbert
Joined in the petition, and Judge keogh in his
opinion holds that they were not parties to the
fraud and know nothing OF 1t.