New-York tribune., 1906-12-27
OPEN WAR ON LANTRY.
BRING TREASON CHARGES.
Members of 18th TammaHy Club
WOuld Dust Mcclellan Leader.

AT a meeting last night Of members OF the
Democratic organization Of the 18th Assembly
District. thirteen charges were filed against
Fire Commissioner Francis J. Lantry. Tammany
leader of the district and a Mcclellan man.
These will be presented tonight at the annual
meeting of the executive committee OF Tam
many Hall. The petition. which is signed by
$50 Democrats. asks that the Commissioner be
Immediately removed as leader he has failed
to support candidates Of the Democratic party.
and that under his control and management
the organization in the district has become de-
rnoralized.
For the last week Democrats who have been
identified with the organization have been
working on the petition and have circulated It
among the residents OF the district Five hun
dred and fifty names were obtained and all
were in favor of forming new club. A move
in this direction was taken. which resulted in
the meeting held last night at No. 151 East 42d
street.
Thomas Eagan. a Murphy follower
chairman of the meeting. Most OF the time
spent in enrolling members OF the new
club. The petition. which will be sent to-day
to the executive committee of Tammany Hail.
was discussed. and the charges against the
present leader were read. The names the
petition represent all of the twenty election dis
tricts of the Assembly district
says that while Commissioners Lantry was leader
of the district he failed TO represent il
in the executive committee Of Tammany Han
and failed to support the regular candidate OF
the Democratic party for Governor. Although
a delegate at Buffalo. the petition says. Mr..
Lantry refused 10 take part in the convention
and thereby deprived the district OF proper rep
resentatiOn.
NO SUPPORT FOR CANDIDATE.
In the first charge the petition says that he
established "a sO-Called Democratic headquar-
ters'' at 5Oth street and Third avenue. At this
headquarters. IT is alleged. there was no indi-
cation whatsoever that the Democratic party
had a candidate for Governor The charge
continues by saying that the Commissioner
caused to be transferred to Riker's Island a
keeper of the Jefferson Market prison because he
had tackled up in "the so-calIed headquarters
a photograph of the candidate OF the Demo-
cratic party for Governor.
The second charge reads that the only indi-
cation that the Democratic party had any can
didates the pictures displayed OF Martin
NIcCue candidate for AssemblyTnan. The third
charge says that the Commissioner ignored calls
for meetings during the campaign.
In the fourth charge. II is alleged that the
leader had sample ballots spread through the
district which instructed voters how TO vote
against Mr. Hearst and the fifth alleges that
the Commissioner caused the transfer OF a mem
ber of the Fire Department from Manhattan
TO Brooklyn because Of the fireman's loyalty to
the Democratic party.
The Commissioner in the sixth charge Is ac-
cused Of having one of his Iieutenants go 70 a
house and urge the voters to vote against Mr.
Hearst In the seventh charge it Is alleged
that one of the captains in the district openly
declared that he against the Democrats
nd ryad TO cas- bal
lots for Mr.. Hughes. The eighth charge men
tiOns another district captain, and Is practically
the same as the previous one.
In the ninth charge il is alleged that during
the counting OF the ballots captain OF dis
trict insisted upon throwing out twelve votes
cast for Mr.. Hearst and the remainder OF the
ticket. and only prevented through the
aIertness OF the watchers of the Independence
League
MANY WORKED FOR HUGHES"
The tenth charge says that many Of the dis
trict captains of the Commissioner worked for
the election of Mr.. Hughes. and the eleventh al
leges that McCue. the candidate for Assembly
urged voters to cast their ballots for Mr.
Hughes. and that the candidate only once dur
ing the campaign mentioned the name Of Mr.
Hearst
In the twelfth specifca ton II is alleged that
on Friday preceding Election Day there was a
parade il the district and that no banners or
cards bearing the name of Mr.. Hearst were car
red. and the thirteenth charge alleges that on
the evening before election the leader had made
no effort 20 obtain watchers
In ending. the charges said:
Said Lantry was dislOyal to the Democrats
party and the organization OF the 10th Assem-
bly, District. by Of the said Lantry's aC-
tiOns has become demOTalized and weakened.
although the district was formerly a Democratic
stronghold Your petitioners therefore pray thar
the executive committee of the Democratic Re
publican organization will take such action in
the premises as will seem TO them lust and
proper with a view To the removal OF said
LaDtry from the control and management Of
the organization of the district and the organi-
zatiOn of the party in the said district imme-
diately.
Unless definite action was taken by the exeGu-
tive committee tonight. IL was announced at
the meeting last night. new club would be-
formed and steps Immediately taken to Oust the
Commissioner from the leadership at the next
primary fight.
WINES & CHAMPAGNE FOR NEW YEARS.
Deweys Wines always give satisfaction
II. T. Dewey & Sons Co. 13S Fulton St. New York
-AdyE