New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-23
, ooK1NG TO THE GOVERNOR.
,rprB11cAN LEADERS HOPE TO FIGHT
VAN WYCK's POLICE DEAL.
,-.p.1. TRACY AND OTHER COUNSEL TO BE
CONSULTED. But 1T is NOT YET KNOWN
WHAT COURSE THE GOVERNOR CAN


WHAT COURSE THE GOVERNOR CAN
BE INDUCED TO TAKE.
~. Republican organization camp in the Fifth
....rua Hotel was greatly wrought up yesterday.
~.,nuary action of Mayor Van Wyck In remov-
i police Commissioners Hamilton and Philips
me ornonting 10 succeed Mr.. Hamilton Jacob
49, who voted with the two Tammany members
:, ,he Board 10 retire John McCullagh as Chief Of
~ was the sole topic of conversation 1t was
-, Yesterday morning before the gathering In
s.ra,or Platt's room broke up. and the tired poll
s,o,s still In doubt about what TO do. went TO
~ The conference led to no decision, and early
,srdav morning II resumed. All day the
sdes, kind of runnors were afoat, but they led TO
nothing
,,a,o,es.e- secretary OF the County Committee.
soro Iemuel E. Quigg. president of the committee.
,o e at the Virginia Hot Springs gives some idea
- the organizations possible attitude toward Mr..
o. and his appointment The telegram read;
.u,ave Il understood that Hess is Democratic
.ontee responsible to a Democratic Mayor and
s, Re does not represent the Republican organ
,otop also that the organization feels honored by
.,o conduct Of It's representative, Mr.. Hamilton.
r1asorate on the gambling feature Of Tammsnys
performance.
~ Mancheste' gave out the telegram and
,,a,ned that Mr.. Quigg meant by the last sentence
,,o, Tammany Hall found it impossible to keep
,,asees that gambling houses and other like places
s,ould be open after election while McCuliash was
C-,,s. and that 1t had taken this means TO Gust
MN and at the same time TO secure police man.
ogeuent that would allow everything to run wide
open
II vas hardly 10 O'Clock Yesterday morning before
,ocaI leaders and Republican organization gen.
orally began to flock TO the Fifth Avenue Hotel
Among those who came in were FREDERICK 5. Gibos
Prank S. witherbee. Clarence w. Meade. Collector
BidweI. Postmaster Van Colt John Sabine Smith.
Lou Payn. George r. Manchester. Edward Lauter-
bach and many others. General Benjamin +.
Tracy was not there. He. 1t learned. went out
on Long Island yesterday TO remain over Sunday.
Thomas L. Hamilton. who removed Po-
lice Commissioner by the Mayor was on hand. i'm
perturbable and smiling He said that II he had L
IL TO DO again he would act just ne did
he had had a long talk with General Tracy before
the latter went away and II is understood that the
General Is studying the charter and the situation
generally TO see just what premises the Republican
organization has in possible action to have the
Mayors action annulled.
II well, perhaps. for Jacob Hess that he
wasn't on hand For twenty-four years Hess has
always been on hand when anything going on
and in all that time he has fed al the public crib
Is a Republican of!'ce-holder When he was
dropped out the first of this year II for the
first tine in all these years that he had been out
OF public office. and now il seems he has found
way to get back. The organization men ex-
ceptionally bitter In their talk about him. Span
iard," ''Traitor." "Tammany Hall Democrat and
other epithets were hurled at the mention OF his
name Mr.. Hess up at the Gilsey House con-
,entsdly smoking cigar and not AT all worried
about the outlook apparently. When asked about
the matter. he said serenelv that he had received
a offer Of the place and that he took It.
Moreover" he added pugnaciously, you fellows
sneer all you want to. but went TO the Police
Board uncommitted. and am not committed now.
and won't be-
But" was suggested. you seemed to act Just as
e1pected?'
We'll" he admitted slowly. Il think when man
3 a member Of the Police Board he is expected to
do pretty much what the Mayor wants"
WAITING TO HEAR FROM GENERAL TRACY.
Senator Plat started for Washington at O'Clock.
after consulting with all the local leaders. Before
going he frankly told those with whom he had
talked that he was all at sea He does not expect
make any move until he hears from General
Tracy and has secured other eminent legal advice
to the best plan 10 follow. The general opinion
yesterday seemed to be that nothing could be done.
Senator Platt and many OF his followers admit that
they have no idea what stand the Governor VIII
take They would like 10 have the Governor sus-
pend the Mayor summarily and prefer charges
against him. Some OF them would like TO have an
extra session Of the Legislature convened and law
passed egislating the present Police Board out OF
once and comforting the appointing power on the
Governor or the courts. Mr.. Plat contented him.
self by saying that the only person in whom was
vested the power OF disciplinng the Mayor was the
Governor, but ne could not say what the Governor
would do
Governor Black was in the Adirondacks yesterday
spending Sunday with Neutenant-Governor Wood
run. Louis F. Payn. after consulting with Senator
Patt started for Albany TO meet the Governor on
the latters return from the Adirondack and con-
fer with him about what was best TO 90. Even
Nj. Payn is in doubt about what the Governor VIII
do Until General Tracy and other counsel have
reported fully and the Governors attitude is ascer-
tanned, the matter will remain in suspense.
JOHN SABINE SMITH RAISES A POINT
John Sabine Smith, who was in the Fifth Avenue
Hotel In the evening stated that his opinion was
that the Mayor had been guilty OF violating the
Bipartisan Police provision. There seems TO DC
no doubt" said Mr. Smith, that the Mayor had
the right 10 remove Commissioners Hamilton and
Philips | believe that right was conferred upon
hin arbitrarily. and no one can question that act
II was the retirement Of the CHIEF or Ponce tlat
was a violation Of the law That distinctly proVloes
for a bipartisan commission 10 make changes ana
removals. When Mayor Van Wyck removed TWO
Republican Commissioners and then appointed one
he did not have bipartisan board There were
only three members of the Commission al the time
OF the act and that Is not a bipartisan board
NOW the Mayor might have said wheh tlis
charge was made that he had removed TWO Coih-
m!ssioners and appointed one. and intended 10
appoint another, but that the Commissioner was
hasty and acted without consulting him he can
not say that now as he has approved the acuo''
Why. under that scheme he might have gone aIohs
indefinitely with three-headed Board ana oohc
almost anything he wanted to. 1t would have been
Just as legal think. on this basis, the action
can be proved unlawful, and therefore void' ana
the Mayor can be held strictly accountable.
Congressman Qulgg Is at Hot Springs. in VII
einia He will be consulted at length about the
matter however. and when Senator Platt returns
from Washington. the end OF the week. the
whole question will be taken Up and carefully gone
over. Sfted down TO tho nnal issue. however. IL
seems that the sole hope CT the organization Hes