The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-07
NO ONE DISTURBED BY MACK.
~DEADER THAN HECTOR" rs GEN.
BINGHAMS COMMENT.


s,He Uses His Constitutional hight OF Criti-
cism 10 Insult" Says the MayoF-F1ro
COMMISSIONS O'Brien Ridicules Neigh.
borS ~stOry-Yarn About Kip Denied.
'Deader than Hector" was Gen. Bing-
hams comment yesterday when the out
pourings Of Mr.. Mack's charges were
brought to the Commissioners attention.
Mr.. Mack's charges may be divided into
Ave counts. He alleges that Mayor McClel-
Ian, Fire Commissions O'Brien and Gen.
Bingham are In q plot to form a ring, ulti-
mate purpose unknown; he charges Gen.
Bingham with deliberately setting out
to break a clvi war veteran, George Hop
croft, and also to punish those policemen
who voted against the Mayor by fixing their
fines before their cases were tried; he also
says that the COMMISSIONS does not tell
the truth when he says that his, Mack's.
resignation was demanded. Finally, MIR.
Mack says that Mr.. Neighbors, a stenog-
rapher appointed during Commissioner
Partridge's time, was retained in the Third
Deputy's Office because John H. 0'Brien
feared that his dismissal might interfere
with some legislation then pending at
Albany in which Thomas F. Ryan was inter
ested-all this because Mr.. Neighbors had
a brother who was a secretary to Elihu
Root.
All Of these charges were placed before
the Police Commissioner by the reporters
at the daily interview yesterday.
"I am very sorry to read that Mack says"
aaid Commissioner Bingham. "All 1 will
cay Is that 1 could produce sworn evidence
to the truth of what | said on Monday.
namely, that his resignation was asked
for"
%Mr. Mack says that you ordered the
transfer of George HQpcroft from the
chief inspectors office to that OF MIR. Mack
40 that Mr.. Mack could find charges against
him. Is that true?"
I've answered almost all Of Mr.. Mack's
charges, it seems to me, There's real
nothing further to be said about all this
talk of Mack's. It's a lead issue, and 30 is
Mack. | will, however, deny his charge
about Hopcroft absolutely. It's all tommy
rot and without foundation said the
Commissioner.
Mr.. Mack says that you started out to
break Col. Kipp.'
"It's a pity that the city of New York
should lose the services of such a scintillat-
ing BRAIN was the r~ejoinder.
@Mr Mack also says that, now that he has
opened the eyes Of the police force. they
ought to organize for their own proteo-
ton"
Charming sentiments from an American
citizen" was all the Commissioner would
say.
aMr. Mack says further that the attitude
on election day of every delinquent who
came before him for trial was discussed
He lies" said the Commissioner.
"Mr. Mack says now that he didn't say
called him a damn fool
He says il you had done 30 he would
have emptied an inkwell on YOU"
Red or black ink?" inquired the General.
Further statements of Mr.. Mack's max
ing we're put before the Commissioner,
but he had little to say except in the way Of
repeating denials which he made on Mon
day. He added:
5As a result of all that has been spoken,
my judgment is that I didn't get rid OF Mr..
Mack a minute too soon for the efficiency OF
the department"
Mayor Mcclellan and Fire Commissioners
John H. O'Brien had very little to say in
regard to Mr.. Mack's charges.
1T is the constitutional right OF every
citizen to ~criticise the Mayor" said Mr..
Mcclellan, land Mr.. Mack has simply used
his constitutional right to go out Of his way
to insult me-"
Commissioner O'Brien declined to be
Interviewed, but gave out the following
statement:
In the first place Neighbors was simply
a stenographer, and not the secretary to
Mr.. Mack. I can we'll understand the agony
of suspense in which Mr.. Root and Mr.;
RYAN awaited the decision of the Third
Deputy Commissioner in the matter OF the
retention OF a 81 200 stenogra pher. For Mr..
Mack to have in his hands the future OF all
le gislation at Albany and Of the Federal
Government al Washington was a great
responsibility.
Il did not know that Mr.. Neighors had a
brother and that his brother was secretary
10 Mr.. Root until Commissioner Mack told
re 50. II Mr.. Neighbors can control the
Legislature at Albany and the Secretary of
State at Washington and Mr.. Ryan in New
York, I will gladly give him a 81 500 a year
mace"