New-York tribune., 1899-02-16
VARNUM TO BE SURROGATE
HE WILL AID IN THE INVESTIGATION OF
THE OFFICE.
,,opr. r,sc, os,.Rrs OF mIsMANAGEMENT AP-
PARENTLY IN sTORE-sTATEMENT
by MIR. FAIIOWS.
rBy rrLsGRArH TO THE TRrruNE.l


fBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRiruNE.l
Albany Feb Ex-Governor Roosevelt ended
the contest over the post Of Surrogate Of New
! York County to-day by appointing James NJ
| Varnum to the office which made vacant
| by the resignation OF John II. V. Arnold. In an
nouncing this appointment the Governor said he
| believed that General Narnum was man OF
ability and integrity and would make good
Surrogate He added that yesterday In New
York he consulted the General about the aifarS
Of the Surrogatc's office. and had since written
him to keep in touch with the Assembly com
mittee headed by Mr. Fallows which mas Deeh
making an inspection Of the books OF the oiilce'
Mr. Fallows the Governor said. had done an
admirable piece OF work 1t was maximum ol
result with a minimum OF expense.
In the Governors opinion, a further investlga-
tlon of the methods Of doing business IN the
Surrogate's office was needed, and Mr. Falows
and General Varnum would, therefore, 60 on
with it, The Surrogate would probe everything
that looked like corruption in his office. ana
would cut out the abomlnable spot without the
least reference to whom it might affect
Assemblyman Fallows stated later that the
Assembly committee had never discontinued us
work The force Of thirty clerks at work on the
books OF the Surrogato's Office had been some
work had been steadily pressed. some serious
defects in the management of the ofilce hau
been discovered: enormous charges Tor inventory
appraisas had apparently been made. Inc COM
mittee would probably begin TO take evidence
soon about these matters. The purpose ol the
investigation was to shape remedial legislation.
Many New Workers acquainted with the CITY
needs expressed pleasure yesterday when the an
nouncement Of General James NJ. Varnum's ap-
Monument 20 the Office Of Surrogate OF New-York
County was made Governor Roosevelts choice OF
a successor to Surrogate Arnold was particularly
satisfactory to acquaintances OF General Narnum
whose estimate Of his character and ability made
them feel sure that he would correct abuses in the
SurrOgdtes office
General Varnum is fifty years old and New
Yorker by birth lie educated partly III tnlS
CITY and was graduated from Yale and iron the
Columbia Law School before he was admitted 70
law firm Of Narnum & Harrison. At No 62 Nllllam-
ST. lie was elected TO the Legislature In lsis ana
he the Republican candidate for AttorneY'5'
eral OF the State i'm 1889. He also was a candidate
for Judge of the Superior Court in 1890. From 1870
TO 1859 he was a colonel in the National Guard on
the stan Of Governor Cornell. In 1894 ne was com
missioned by Governor Morton "a Paymast ter-tien-
eral Of the state. with the rank or brlgaher-Heh-
erai In 1891 he chairman OF the Republican
State Convention at Rochester. lie is director OF
the LAWYERS Title Insurance Company and trus-
tee and counsel Of the Real Estate Trust Company.
fio is n member Of the Rar Association Union.
Metropolitan and Century clubs and has been one
of the Governing Committee Of the University club
and also a member OF the Union League, Rcpubi-
can. Players and other clubs.