The Washington herald., 1907-01-09

New York, Jan. S-Attorney General
Jackson has seized all the ballot boxes
containing the votes cast in the mayor
atty contest in this city in the election Of
November :, 1905. Every box has been re-
labeled and resealed. The attorney gen
eral took possession Of them by virtue Of
an order signed at O'Clock last night by
Supreme Court Justice Peter A Hend-
rick.
Deputy Attorney General Rathbone and
a staff Of assistants started out at mid
night with the orders, and their methods
were sensational enough To get at the
Staten Island ballot boxes, for instance,
they tried To force their way into the
vaults of the Staten Island Savings Bank.
at Stapleton, where they We're stored, at
O'clock IN the morning. and finally sue
ceeded in gaining access at daylight.
HearsGs Counsel I'm Charge.
Before noon the attorney general was in
possession Of the ballot boxes stored in
the Manhattan Storage Warehouse, at
Fifty-second street and Seventh avenue;
the North Side Storage Warehouse. at
1f9th street and Third avenue. the Bronx
the Eagle Storage Warehouse. in Fulton
street, Brooklyn; the Globe Storage
Warehouse, in Long Island City, and the
Staten Island Savings Bank, at SJapleton.
These places have sheltered the ballot
boxes and the ballots since William Ran
dolph Hearst inaugurated his contest.
Clarence Shearn. Mr.. Hearsts personal
counsel, directed the seizure Of the ballot
boxes
This move" said Mr. Shearn to-day.
rs very simple matter. 1t is not in
any way extraordinary. The attorney
general has taken possession Of the ballot
boxes stored in different warehouses
throughout the five boroughs His au-
thority 10 do this is unquestiOned The
men started out at midnight. and the
work OF resealing and Telabeling has been
completed.
McCIellan's Lawyer Sarcastic.
f. /. Richards. counsel for Mayor Nc
Clellan. gave out a statement to-day IN
which he had this 10 say about the at
torney generals new move on the ballot
boxes.
The news Of the night raid on the
ballot boxes in the Staten Island Savings
Bank only confirms our judgment Of the
methods, purposes. and official ideals OF
Attorney General Jackson He has. over
night. added chapter to a work which
could be properly entitled How 10 Prac-
tice Law with Mask and Jimmy
of course, I'm the custody Of Hearst
they Will be safe and inviolate. and. OF
course. too. ii would be presumptuous for
Mayor Mcclellan 10 protest against such
custody. or even TO suggest that he
should have had notice of such a pro-
ceeding."
Wants Tax Graft Investigated.
Albany, y. Y, Jan S.-Startling de-
velopments are promised as the result Of
"A letter written by Gov. Hughes to-day
10 State Comptroller Martin H. GIvnn.
asking for the amounts paid attorneys
In connection with the collection by the
comptroller's office Of taxes under the in
heritaHce tax law.
There has been a combination of New
York City lawyers for years which has
succeeded IN mulcting tie state of sew
eral hundred thousand dollars through
fees ana otherwise for alleged services in
connection with securing taxes for the
State
Gov. Hughes letter is i'm line with the
disclosures regarding counsel fees paid
legislators for doing little or nothing. and
the investigation is 90 be extens ID also
to the corporation tax bureau. Of the
comptroller's Office. The fact nat this
rotten financial administration OF affairs
has been going on for years under Repub-
lican comptrollers did not deter Gov
Hughes from taking up the matter when
mis- attention was called 10 it.