The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1907-12-11
REMOVAL OF AHEARN,
On Charges Preferred by City
Club of New York.
MaIadministratlon Of Street Depart.
ment Principal Cause For Removal.
Governor Also AIludes to Grave
Abuses In Administration of Bureau
Of Public Buildings and Offices.

| HbuoCS w VI
Of Public Buildings and Offices.
Albany, Dec. 10.-Governor Hughes
ordered the removal from Office OF
John +. Ahearn. president of the
Borough of Manhattan, New York city,
on the charges preferred against him
~ the City club of New York, hold
ing that the neglect and misconduct
alleged to prevail in the borough pres.
ident's office were for the most part
made possible because of the want of
that administrative care which it was
plain duty of the borough president to
exercise
The condition of disrepair and neg
lect which President Ahearn permit
tied to obtain in the streets OF Manhat-
tan borough, especially those paved
with asphalt, is the principal ground
his action, but he alludes also to
"grave abuses in the administration
of the bureau of public buildings and
Offices" one of the departments of
Ahearn's jurisdiction.
Personal Corruption Not Alleged.
The governor takes pains to call at
tention to the fact that personal cor
ruption was not alleged or proved
against the borough president, that
is he says, 'it is not shown and it is
not claimed that he has converted
public money or property to his own
use Of has personally profited in an un-
lawful manner by his official conduct.
Justice to Mr.. Ahearn requires
the governor continues, that this
should be stated emphatically and
clearly be understood. But that does
not end the matter. A borough presi-
dent as has been said, is removable
on charges. And without attempting
to state comprehensively what con-
duct bearing upon character or fitness
might be regarded as a proper subject
| of charges, it is clear that charge
will lie for breach of duty.
There may be, of course, technical
breaches of duty or omissions of sucn
| relative inconsequence, that although
public obligation may not have been
strictly, It has been substantially, per-
formed and removal from Office would
not he justified. The gravity and CON-
parative importance of the breach OF
duty Is a matter for the consideration
- thA AAn tAl tha 81
removal But II there has been NAL
administration in matters seriously
affecting the public welfare and gross
breach of official obligation, the duty
of removal is clear, albeit there Is no
proof of peculation or personal dis
honesty"
Taking up first the charges of NAL
administration in the highway depart
ment the governor says in part:
"The evidence compels the conclus-
ion that Borough President Ahearn
has failed to perform his duty with
reference to the streets to a degree
that Is entirely inexcusable. Until
recently, when the sharpness of com
plants and investigation led to a re.
organization of the department, the
streets Of Manhattan were permitted
to remain in shocking condition OF
disrepair. 1t is not a case Of occas.
ional neglect or of lapses which might
be overlooked
Continuous Maadministration.
"0n the contrary it is case of
continuous maladministration relieved
only by spasmodic efforts under the
pressure Of criticism. 1t is not nee
essary to go back to Mr.. Ahearn's first
term. but it is sufficient to consider
the wretched condition of the streets
during the year 1906 and until the
spring of this year, the responsibility
for which rests upon the borough
president"
The governor says he is not I'M
mindful of the large amount of dis
turbance of the streets, due to the
multitude of necessary openings" the
damage by bonfires, or of the excuse
biased upon the confusion of author
lty due to the defects in the charter"
and obvious as may be the import
ance of remedying them In order to
get the best results. there is limit
to the eXtert to which they may serve
as an excuse for bad administration.
And in this case, after making full al
lowance for any possible embarrass-
hent which they occasioned to the
borough president and for the extent
OF interference with the pavements by
the causes above mentioned, the con-
clusion is irresistible that in the main
the bad condition of the streets has
not bee due to any other cause than
to the failure of the borough president
TO do his duty.