New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-06
MR.. VAN AMEE'S RECORD.
HIS LIBERALITY AS A TRUSTEE OF MID
DIETOwN ASYLUM.
WINE BILL WITH WHICH GOVERNOR
FLOWER FOUND FAULT-VAN AMEE's
COUNSEL FEE" IN A LUNACY CASE.

COUNSEL FEE" IN A LUNACY CASE
Albany April (spcciaD. There were some inter
csting DEVELOPMENTS to-day In the case OF william
Van AIMEE. OF Newburg. nominated 10y Governor
Roosevelt to succeed Goodwin Brown as State
Lunacy Commissioner. The Governor sent to the
State Commission in Lunacy for documents
bearing Mr.. Van Amees record
trustee OF the Mlddetown State HomGo-
pathic Asylum for the Insane. Among tho
papers he thus received were two letters witt
ton by Mary f. Mundy. OF West Ncw-Brighton.
containing most astonishing statement of the
expenses an estate in which her husband Nathan
b. Mundy. had an interest. had to pay in consc
quence OF his Incarceration In 1887 In the Middle
town asylum. This estate was that OF Sarah Bar
rett. OF Richmond. Staten Island. Mrs. Mundy
states that the four weeks Incarceration Of her
husband cost the estate tho sum OF S0Ss60 In
lawyers fees. asylum fees medical experts fees
and commissioners fees The asyium resisted
the habeas corpus proceedings which were brought.
ard Governor Roosevets attention was called to
the statement made in the accounting that William
Van AIMEE received as counsel" $40 -.
As bearing upon Mr.. Van Amees disposition to
keep down the expenses Of State institutions some
records OF Governor Flowers administration were
made public to-day showing that Mr. Van AIMEE
was member OF an Auditing Board OF the Mid
detown asylum but did not cut down wine bill
of the institution which amounted to 5000 and
that subsequently Governor Flower had most OF
the truseees before him and demanded expiana-
tons regarding this bill and others.
SENATOR'S ENDORSEMENT OF BROWN.
The letter addressed to Governor Roosevelt by
nineteen Republican Senators asking him to reap
point Goodwin Brown Lunacy Commissioner
was made public to-day. Part OF It follows;
We know he has been a faithful public servant.
that under the administration with which ne mas
been connected there has been great improve
ment In the management CT the state institutions
for the insane. that there has been a reduction in
the per capita cost OF aintenance. an abandon
ment Of the cxtravagant methods Of construction
far construction IS controlled by the com
mission. an adoption of systematic methods or ad-
mnistration greatly to the advantage OF the state
To his work he has devoted the best years OF his
milton
Though continually called upon to antagonize the
ideas OF individuals and boards Of managers, anX-
iOus chiefly for the ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF their par
ticular institutions. he has deserved and received
been connected with his private or official acts.
For these and other reasons we earnestly recon-
mend his reappOntment.
The following Senators signed this letter Tim
othy E. Ellsworth. Nevada y. Stranahan. Nathan
TEL A. Elsberg Henry $. Amber. Hobart krum,
Johnson Charles r. Willis. john Raines, William
w. Armstrong. George Allen Davis John Ford
William l.. Thornton. George Chahoon, James H.
Focter Benjamin Martin Wilcox. Franklin d. sher-
wood and Cornelius r. Parsons
one Of these Senators. Mr. Thornton had no
thought that Mr. Van AIMEE would be nominated
Mr. Van AIMEE has long been personal friend OF
his II * not surprising, therefore, lndl nc j.
now seeking bring about the confirmation OF
Mr. Van AIMEE
MR. VAN AMEE's POLITICS.
The Governor said on Monday that he hal nomi-
mated Mr.. Van AIMEE member Of the State Com
mission In Lunacy partly because he Gold
Democrat. Goodman Brown, whom he Is to succeed.
is Il Democrat The Governor appears TO have been
missed for Mr. Van AIMEE wrote letter Oh
October :. 1875 in which he said he was not Il
Democrat He appears 10 be Republican. and
was 50 declared TO be 10y Senator Goodsell
Monday night
Senator Thornton who is warmly supporting Mr..
Van AIMEE for confirmation. showed the letter in
question TO The Governor this afternoon. 1t IS az
follows:
Newburg October :. 1898.
Dear Sir You ask me whether am a Demo
Ga judge eSe TompSs for S' in '
gress, not only because he represents my views
upon the domestic questions upon which have
separated from the Democratic party hut also be-
cause II would he Il National calamity while the
Ing developed ana enforced II the hands Of Presi-
den; Mckinley should be lied during the last year
Of his term by a Democratic majority in the House
Of Repres, natives under the ridiculous leadership
intend also to Vote for Mr. Goodse and Mr.
Graham. because J cannot vote 10 return to the
jnitci States Senate man who has by his votes
pcfsstcntly msrepresented his state during the
You tel me that the platform adopted 10y the
recent convention at syracuse was so c0nstructed
a. 20 make II easy for those who repudated the
Chicago platform TWO years ago 70 'o-pl''t"u.. tIi7
year with fho party I'm support of the State ticket
/ uo3c" also. that Mr. Hornblower says that he
will support That ticket because IL Is his duty TO
encourage any movement which tends TO break
down he hercsles of the Chicago platform.
do not understand the situation. Inc syria
cusc Convention led no such movement. and eN-
cr ed no such influence. On the contrary. not mug
was more strikir gly I'm evidence than the popular
NV of BRYAN and All that his name implies 10y
atty "a BRYAN end the Chicago platform was made
the test Of regularity. No CANDIDATE OaI"d 10 go
before the Convention whose friends did not 20
about pledging that ne voted for Bryan. the lead
ing candidate upon the ticket could not have bfen
nominal ed # the Kings County deleg2 ton had not
gone about with the familiar hut Still amusing
shibboleih: He voted for Bryan.
This f. entirely in harmony with the action OF
tho party two years ago. when II drove or the
tici,rt ii. nominee for Governor. because n N"S "a
cold Democrat. though in the month Of June pre-
ylous its State Convention had proiesscu adherence
The omission from the Syracuse platform OF an
cxpress ratification Of the Chicago platform do's
MOI deceive &nVbody-a Dove all. tho men wnose
yotes this omission designed 20 c%tch. me
form and not one member Of it dared to propos'
That il should. The New-York Democracy If SIN
niv drifting with the tide OF Demociitc sent
mont throughout the country. The PROOFS lnuluoN
inon every hand that the silver issue Is 70 D."
WISHED IN the front In 1900 with The Democratic
organization OF Nt"~i "'h III '"'' S"iT"'' az" W.
orCrdtiOn. ,-..-. . ,,-..o.r,,
Surh being the case. am no longer democrat
Tho is-ues involved in this election are fstlhctiy
National i'm their scope. their influence ana ,thtr
results The pending campaign Is but pre,Linii,aiS
IN inc camuagn years hence, when the ques-
ticrs which the Democratic party refuses 10 con-
s'dnr settled Dy the adverse result two years aso
must be- again fought out and decidci ,.-,,
must " WILLIAM VAN AIMEE.