New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-01
ANSWER TO HILLS ATTACK.
FAD ACCESS TO RECORDS, But TRIED
TO DECEIVE HIS HEARERS.

Immediately following David B. Hills first
attack on Governor Odell on account of the
Governors alleged connection with the firm Of
w Matthews Co as a creditor of the firm,
the Republican campaign managers have been
keeping tab on Mr.. Hill They soon discovered
that Hill was Juggling with the figures purport-
ing to give true statement Of the sales of the
concern to the State institutions. Mr.. Hills
agents, on direction of Governor Odell, had the
freest access to the books in the State Con-
trollers Office, so that there was need for
Xr. Hill to juggle the facts unless he had been
disposed to mislead deliberately those who go
20 hear his speeches.
Mr. Hills propensity TO juggle the record fg-
ures was particularly noticeable in his speech
az Staten Island on Thursday night The Re
publican State Committee last night issued
statement reviewing Mr.. Hilrs lapses- 1t said:
In an attempt to make the people believe that
the purchases since 1901 had increased. Mr.. Hill
read table purporting to give supplies bought
by many institutions for the State. There were
seventeen I'm all. OF these thirteen were dupli-
several institutions from quantity Of tea pur-
chased in { lump and which was included in
the original statement of the amount of supplies
from the Gatthews firm. He also attempted TO
further juggle by giving the purchases, as he
says, for the year 19O1-'02." In this he has
put the hgures for almost two years.
The amount he states for the year 1So1-'0Z'
about S44eo
Governor Odem said in his speech at Syracuse
that the following we're the transactions of
J. ". Matthews & Co.. with the State institu-
tions:
F4rst-A contract made in 1901 for tea at a cost
Of about $1,000 in round figures This was Joint
contract for supplying. needed. the institutions
under the State DEPARTMENT Of Lunacy -. e..
the year 1901 amounted to 1886 go and in 1902 20
Thirc-The sales 10 the Matteawan asylum for
lal amounted TO s5S7s e. and in 1902 s2s4l oS.
Fourth-The sales 10 the Poughkeepsie ins.itu-
ssnting a contract for four which had been award
o as result 9[ GomPeSe I've DIGS noy @ adf a9 of fo %G @
Institution were 1859 81 49,, ,o,,
Fifth-The sales to Sing Sing Prison for 1901 were
&s5, and for 1902 $3.50
The total amount of all these sales exclusive
Of the tea contract is S25 643 O6. and. including
Che tea about $4,000 for the two years. Mr..
fIin has attempted 10 lead the public TO believe
that this covered The period extending over one
year.
All the points in Hills attack have been COM
pletely answered by afidavits. so far as the
Governors relations with these institutions are
concerned Mr.. Matthews has made an affidavit
that the Governor is not a stockholder In the
firm Of J. ". Matthews & Co: that the stock
held by him belongs TO Mr.. Matthews, and Is
held 70 secure loan made by Mr. Matthews
personally.
n n. IlebbS, tnleI clerk OF Ine flScal super
visor, makes affidavit in which he states that
not single dollars worth of goods has ever
been purchased, as alleged by Mr.. Hill. from this
firm for any of the charitable institutions of the
State
Commissioner ". L. Parkhurst of the State
Commission in Lunacy has made an affidavit
IN which he states that the only contract made
by his department with the Matthews company
was the joint contract. referred to above, for
tea
c. z. MoGarr. secretary of the State Commits
sion in Lunscy. has verified a statement made
by Governor Oden as to the amount of sales
made by the firm OF J. ". Matthews & Co. un-
der competitive bids, 10 the State hospitals at
Mddletown and Matteawan.
ahidavit substantiating MIR Matthews's state
ment that his business with that institution
had exended over long period Of years
Dr.. Allison. Of the Matteawan asylum, has
made an afldavit substahtiating Governor
odel's statement as 10 the amount Of goods pur-
chased for that institution
These af1davits dispose of Mr.. Hills entire
supported charge made in the closing days OF a
campaign, and the figures from the books which
are available at Albany, show that Mr.. Hill
cannot successfully maintain his juggle that
the sales have increased during the last two
years.
The following are the records, and make this
point clear: