The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-20


Hooker. through whose influence the SAID post
master was appointed 10 his position. the sao MISS
jeffrey having performed no services ana
Whereas The said Warren b. Hooker In com
pany with one Lester +. Stearns. mas cons'iucteu
a building In the nelghboring city OF Dunklrk ana
has through his influence with the said George W.
Beavers late chief OF the salary and allowance
bureau OF the Post once Department. secured
ten year rental contract with the united oiates
Government at 5000 per year, although these ngh
public oficiais previously rented these same quar-
tcrs with the same equipments for N,s5o, again a.
$500 and finally for the sum mentioned above; anu
whereas One John A. Link. barber doing pusi-
ness In the said city OF Dunkrk was carried on 'he
rolls Of the post once In the said city OF DunkIk'
rendering no service TO the Government with the
knowledge and consent Of said Lester r. Stearns'
State Tax Commissioner, and presumably with inc
like knowledge and consent Of his partner. warren
b. Hooker: and
whereas, These ana other matters have been
called TO the attention OF BENJAMIN b. oden Jr.
Governor Of the State OF New York by the puoisheo
report of the Post once Department and by the
letter Of o. e. Jones Of Jamestown NJ Y. and by
repeated publication In the public press OF the state
and
whereas. The said Benjamin D. odeil. Jr., as
Governor. has dsrega rded these charles and mas
insuted the patriotic integrity of this State by eie
waiting 10 the Appellate Division OF the supreme
Court In the Second Judicial Department the SAID
warren D. Hooker and has refused 10 consider the
charges which have been publicly made by the Nep
York Tribune In regard TO the said Lester r. Steans
as State Tax Commissioner although these charges.
like those In respect TO the post once matters ABOVE
set out. have never been denied or explained oy
either the said Warren B. Hooker or Lester +.
Stearns: now, therefore. be It
Rssored. That We the Republicans Of the town
Of Ponfret and village OF Fredonia. In mass meeting
assembled hereby demand reform In the Repuo-
lican party: and be It further
RESOLVED That we will neither recognize nor
follow the leadership Of the said BENJAMIN b. odeh
or any other man who stands sponsor for the sys-
TEN OF grating represented by the said Warren B.
Hooker and the said Lester F. Stearns and be II
further
Resolved That we will give OF our time and en-
ergies TO bring about thorough reform In the Re
publican party, both In Chautauqua county and
In the State of New York, and that 10 this end we
will not hesitate use influence 10 defeat at the
polls. II necessary, the nominees OF the party who
are In sympathy and accord with the said BENJAMIN
B. Odell Warren p. Hooker and Lester r. Stearns
In the debauchcry OF the judiciary and public ad-
inisration OF the affairs OF the State ana natlon
and be 1t further
Resolved That we denounce as unrepuolican and
unpatrotc the scrvile attitude Of the local Repubi
can press which, while denouncing Perry s. Heath
and George W. Beavers. has had only apologies Tor
the said Warren 3. Hooker and the said Lester F.
Stearns both of whom have been able to secure
valuable contracts and ofcial graft for their rea-
tves and henchmen through their relations with
the said Perry S. Heath and the said George W.
Beavers: and be II further
Rtsoired That we deem It the duty Of the bar Of
Chautauaua county to take action In this matter
at once in order that the vigorous denunciation
uttered by the Rev. Or. Smalley OF jamestown In
his pulpit may not legitimately extend to the pro-
fession which their conduct has disgraccd: and be
II further
Resorsd. That charges be preferred against all
those guilty OF crime or misconduct In public once
through the proper channels: and be It further
Rtsolred. That we demand that the Republican
county committee call special meeting OF repre-
senta,ivcs of the Republican party In this county
for the purpose OF reading Warren B. Hooker and
Lester F. Stearns out OF the party TO the end that
we may enter the coming Presidential campaign
free from the handicap Of their presence within the
party: and be It further
RtsoIred, That copies OF this preamble and reso-
lutions be sent to Theodore Roosevelt, President
of the United States, and the Postmaster General
and the Attorney General.
President Roosevelt, the Postmaster
General and the Attorney General had no
Jurisdiction over Justice Hooker or Com
missioner Stearns. Governor-C Chairman
Odell had direct jurisdiction over Commits
sioner Stearns, and although the charges
against both Justice Hooker and Commits
sioner Stearns were filed with him he took
no action.
Last spring the president Of the State Bar
Association appointed a subcommittee
OF the grievance committee Of the State
Bar Association to investigate the charges
preferred against Justice Hooker, and on
May "a all the members OF the sub-commit-
tee met at the st. Charles Hotel In Dunkirk,
N. Y, TO proceed with the investigation.
The members OF the subcommittee are:
E. W. Huffcut Of Ithaca, chairman; r. C.
Boscome OF Fort Edward, secretary; s. c.
Huntington Of Pulaski, John Desmond Of
Rochester and R. H. Desmond OF Albany.
Frank w. Stevens, president Of the James
town Bar Association, appeared in behalf
Of the prosecution, and Arthur c. Wade of
jamestown and ex-Congressman Laidlaw
Of Elliottville were Justice Hooker's at
torneys.
Chairman Huffcut announced that the
following witnesses had been asked to
testify: F. c. Magic, former postmaster at
Dunkirk; F. B. Barnard, the present post
master; A. E. Moore and H. h. Taylor,
former postmasters at Fredonia; E. P. Ball.
a ticket broker in Dunkirk. with residence
in Fredonia; Maurice Hooker OF Fredonia,
a nephew OF Justice Hooker; Chauncey
Sessions and F. R. Green Of Fredonia.
The subcommittee had several sessions
during the summer months. which Justice
Hooker attended. and when the foregoing
witnesses gave testimony. On Sept. is
Chairman Huffcut directed the attorneys
to submit briefs.
Frank Wayland Higgins, Governor
Chairman Odell's candidate for Governor,
is a neighbor of both Justice Hooker and
Commissioner Stearns. Did he ever utter
one word Of protest or opposition to this
system OF Odellism?
M MT ono,