The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-11-10
Van NYCI IND IHE TRUST
HIS CONNECTION WITH THE AMER
ICAN ICE COMPANY CROPS UP
In NEW YORK
HE ADMITS OWNING SHARES
So Says Attorney General Davis, of
New York, in n Letter to
Gov. Theodore Roose-
Welt.
He ADMITS OWNING SHARES

NEW YORK. Nov. 9.-In connection
with the answer of Mayor Van Wyck TO
the charges against him, filed with Gov.
roosevelt, regarding his alleged improper
connection with the American Ice com
pany, the World today prints a telegram
purporting to have been sent by e. 3.
Odel, chairman of the Republican state
committee, and nominee of the Republic
an state committee, for Gov. Roosevelt,
as follows:
New York, Sept. 29.-Theodore Roose-
welt, Governor of New York, Cripple
Creek, Colorado:- Wire Attorney General
Davies to to be sure not to give out to
the reporters the Van Wyck answer at
this time. 1t must be held until after
election is over. This would imperil our
chances and get us into useless Wran-
gle. 1 have also wired Davies.
w. B. Odel
MT. Odell was asked at his home in
Newburg today to affirm or deny the
authenticity Of the telegram, but refused
to make any statement at this time.
The letter of Attorney General Davies
to Gov. Roosevelt, communicating the
answer of Mayor Van Wyck, the at
torney general says:
The mayor by his answer admits thar
during his incUmbency Of the office, he
has been the owner of shares OF stock
in the American Ice company. He also
admits that during the period in which
he was the owner of such stock, the
American Ice company had contracts
with the city for the sale of ice to var
lous departments of the city and for the
leasing of docks belonging to the city.
III my opinion, the owner of stock in the
corporation is interested within the
meaning of that word as employed in
section 1888 of the Greater New York
charter in a contract between the cor
poration and the city.
ATTORNEY GENERALS ADVICE.
Further on in this letter to the gov
ernor, the attorney general says:
In order to justify the mayors re-
moval, I do not believe that it is neces-
sary to establish a case against him,
upon which he could be convicted Of q
crime under the provisions of section
1888 above referred to, but do believe
there should be clear and satisfactory
evidence of his moral guilt
1T Is of the utmost Importance that
no further proceedings should be taken
in this matter unless you are satisfied
that the charges can be sustained The
mayor of the greatest city In America
should not be Inundated by being placed
upon trial upon charges which are
groundless or which cannot be proved.
Under all these circumstances and in
view of the fact that the charges are
made upon informa ton and belief and
considering the great expense both to
that mayor and the state involved in
such a trial, I believe that before a
commissioner is appointed or any fur
Their proceedings taken in this matter,
you should require the petitioners to
place you in possession of evidence which
standing alone and undisputed would jug
tify the removal OF the mayor.
In my judgment, the mayors answer
should not be made public at this time.
AcT hlI oil n cfo%
allegations are clear and explicit and it
might at once be suggested that the
charges should be dismissed, or that a
commissioner should at once be appointed
and the mayor given a. speedy oppor.
tunity to exonerate himself.
You are powerless to act in this mat
ter during your absence from this state.
YOU cannot appoint a commissioner until
you reach this state and I ara Informed
that Mr. Woodruff will decline to take
the responsibility of appointing one"
A reporter called on Gov. Roose-