The sun., 1905-12-29
ALL WAITING FOR THAT SLATE
TALK ABOUT GEN. BINGHAM FOR
POLICE HEAD PERSISTENT,

Murphy Friendly, but In the Dark
Mayor Mcclellan said yesterday that his
slate was not yet completed. "Its in the
oven baking and think I will leave 1t there
for n little while longer. A good hard
enamel will tend to keep the finish on the
slate he remarked when it was suggested
to him that hie delay in announcing appoint
ments was keeping many people on tenter-
hooks.
Does the extra baking mean that there
is q chance Of the enamel orachng2' the
Mayor was asked.
"A good hot fire never hurts the baking
the Mayor answered enigmatically.
Then, becoming serious the Mayor said
that the slate was not made up and that
the compiling OF it was giving him great
deal Of worry. He added that no one would
be happier than he when he got rid OF It.
MY relations with Mr.. Murphy are OF
the peasantest Sort" the Mayor said about
published story Of a quarrel. Il met
Mr. Murphy last night because am seeking
aid and advice in making up the slate.
Mr. Murphy made no demands, but ! listened
to suggestions just as I listened to sug-
gestons from Senator MoCarren when he
called upon me to-day
"All things being equal would you give
preference to an organization candidate2'
was asked.
"All things being equal, why not2 Any
good recommendations which l receive
will be carefully considered
The Mayor declined to say whether or
not he had even tentatively made up his
mind as to the man he would appoint Police
Commissioner. He intimated, however,
,l,t 10 4 lo, -, -
to announce tho names of his appointees
on Saturday.
For some time 1t has been reported that
Mr. Murphy desired the appointment OF
Thomas F. McAvoy to be Police Com
missioner. This may have been true at
one time it was said yesterday, but it was
learned last night that Mr.. Murphy has
really desired the appointment of ex-Police
Commissioner James j. Martin as the
successor of Mr., McAdoo Mr.. Martin
was at the Manhattan Club last night and
said
Il wouldn't take the place Of Police Com
missioner if anybody should hand it to me
on a diamond platter"
new twist in the Police Commissioner
ship turned up yesterday when the Sulli-
vans. Big Tim and Little Tim, expressed
the opinion that John II. OBrien. Mayor
McClellan's secretary and prospective Fire
Commissioner, would make the finest kind
of Police Commissioner. Big Tim and
Little Tim, it was learned, so stated their
belief on this matter to Mayor Mcclellan,
but Mr. OBriep said to his friends, the
Sullivans. "No, thank you" Mr. O'Brien
seemed TO be well satisfied with the place
of Fire Commissioner. The talk about Mr..
Martin and Mr. O'Brien, however, COM
plicated to certain extent the situation.
Thomas F. Byrnes's friends continued to
insist that he would make first class Police
Commissioner, while other people said that
Of all the candidates named up to this time
Gen. Theodore A. Bingham seemed to have
the call. 1t was not to be understood
from any gossip that was heard concerning
Gen. Bingham last night that the matter
Of his appointment has been settled but it
seemed to be in the air that he is being very
favorably considered. Gen. Bingham is AZ
years old, was graduated from West Point
in 1879, and received the degree of B. A.
from Yale in 1895. He was in the Engineer
Corps Of the army, was Military Attache
at Berlin and Rome, and was in charge Of
the public buildings and grounds at Wash
ington from March 8. 1897, to May /, 1908.
He is now on the retired list.
1t can be stated that City Chamberlain
Patrick Keenan,, Commissioner of Correc-
ton Francis j. Lantry, and Park Com
missioner Kennedy of Brooklyn, whose
retention has hitherto been a matter of
some doubt, will be reappointed. dele
cation of the Pris on Association called yes
terday on the Mayor and asked him not to
keep Commissioner Lantry in Office. They
asserted that the Commissioner had failed
to make needed improvements in the insti-
tutions under his care.
The Mayor told the delegation that any
faults in that direction should be charged
to himself and the Board of Estimate for
not making the appropriations that Com
missioner Lantry had asked for for those
purposes The delegation also asked that
a penologist and not criminologist should
be appointed.
Il rather fancy the Mayor remarked,
'Lantry would feel hurt if he knew he had
been called criminologist.'
The Mayor would give no hint about the
Dock Commissioner. Some one remarked
that Mr.. Featherson's carrying out of the
Staten Island ferry plans had undoubtedly
secured t he vote of Richmond for the Mayor,
and that Featherson had therefore politi-
cally acquitted himself well,
And is political qualification the only
qualification public official should have?"
retorted the Mayor.
An effort to ascertain il this meant that
Featherson was to go lapsed somehow
into a conversation about the very re-
markable weather.
The guessing match as to the Mayors
appointments continued last night in the
Democratic Club, the Manhattan Club and
Tammany Hall, and some of the guessers
went on to say that they were mighty glad
that Patrick Keenan, is to be retained as
City Chamberlain, and added that from
what they had heard fair guess would be
on the following selections
For Charities Commissioner, Robert w.
Hebberd
For Commissioner Of Gas, Water and
Electricity, William B. Ellison