New-York tribune., 1907-12-24
WAGE WAR ON AHEARN.
Committee of Fifteen Leading Cui-
aens-4ldermen FIayed.


movements in Manhattan in recent years are
,o +r,. trail of John F. Ahearn- If he succeeds
Il, legally obtaining retaining title to the
4,ce of President of the Borough of Manhat-
tan il will be after hard tussle in the courts.
More than that, it is entirely likely that a COM
,nittee of fifteen leading citizens whose appoint
Tel Manhattan last evening. will ask the Gov
ernor TO remove Ahearn forthwith.
The City Club and the Citizens Union held
: Joint conference yesterday afternoon. passed
resolutions enThatically condemnng Ahearn
and authorized the appointment of a committee
cf fifteen 10 cooperate with the City Club in
custiug Ahearn-
Austen q Fox chairman of the meeting, will
announce the committee this afternoon. at
which time also, it is expected, that George
NcAnenv. president of the City Club. will an
,ounce the clubs plans for finally and incon-
1rovertibly dismissing MI Ahearn from office.
Present at the conferences yesterday were
Austen G. Fox. George McAneny, Julius hehiF
cohen. Jacob A Riis. Jacob III. Schi1 henry
Holt John Brooks Leavitr. r. Fulton CItnns'
Alfred F. Ommen. Henry Phipps. James n
72evnoids Charles Sprague Smith hNeret y
Abbott. Charles c Nadai, the Rev Ihomas H.
cIioer John J. Hopper. Lee w. Beatty. George
= ranHeld John H. Pine. Horace t. beiIhhS
Frank Tucker and w J. Schieffelir-
After extended debate, in which there was
,,sri,,,o,,s sentiment in favor OF putting Ahearn
ont IF Office the following resolutions
nv r. Fulton Cutting. were adopted;
Resolved That this meeting expresses M h(s mn
rhatic condemnation of the action OF rb plc rrro
iority of the Board of Aldermen OF uie PJ T,I =
IF Manhattan in voting to 1le reaeIec rer,oval bv
ahearn as Borough President whose rtIiuo ~, o. aIt,
-ha coyernor was the richly deserved pehal'S
of his official misconduct. - ,,,;.,- tho ac-
Resolved That this attempt TO nuilify 1 me a.,
in IF The Governor in delivering this borough
fro17, the maladministration OF IT'S .aI -;.b 10
,Ient John F Ahearn. should be met Mi.I W.. ~
;aoS .eIta. g. reeistance and that committee OF
tftna,1 he appointed by the Char TO !p CoVpoi tbo =
with any organization or lnolNiuu"i0 ~
same purpose IN view
BOARD OF ALDERMEN ATIAChfD'
r,.o,,.ad That This committee be further in
.r-,c,o5 70 consider the advisabilty OF Iecoi Ieo!s
rnending to the Legislature sucn raoods "a 4oarS of
la,ions of the constitution Of the fooa.o .n,;,-a
Aldermen as shall make il more reTreseli'a'iN
and responsible pooN-
As first drafted the resolutions olo ho' 'u-
Horace E Dening because they "e
strong enough ..
..7-,.is man Ahearn asked for an investlsa-
.ion " said Mr. Denling. Inen ne oe0i
take part in il. The facts brought OUT "ele
crave that charges were preferred 10 'iie wv
e-no- Then he had chance to disproVe every
counsel who helped him all he knew the Gov
ernor took weeks 10 consider the neElIs Vi '-i0
case and finally removed Aheafn-
EVERY decent person in New York kno"s
this man was given every opportunity TO ciedi
himself of the charges Every nteliieeht Hiai
sn this city knows that Ahearn is loioticdhS
Incompetent 20 perform the duues Oh his olhee
He held Office as borough president ana oio iol
know that the streets were IN bad cohditloh- n
combination of Manhattan aldermen proceeoeo
10 -vindicate' him, giving this publicly proven
ine<5cjent man who wasted our money d Ie
election to Office Every one knows that we are
having the rneanest and most sordid admins
rrstfon of the borough government
Julius Henry Cohen said that the citizens OF
New York should reply TO the defiance of the
aldermen.
Alderman Sullivan thinks he has got this
CITY bv the throat" said he THAT was his at
ritude in the last campaign in the nomination
% municipal court justices.
TIME RIPE FOR REVISION"
r Fulton Cutting said that the time was ripe
FOR action regarding radical revision of the
Board of Aldermen on the lines suggested by
the Charter Revision Commission.
James B. Reynolds, who said that he spoke
from two years experience at the City Hall in
the Low administration. said that most of the
aldermen used their positions TO punder and
not 10 protect the people
George McAneny said that every intelligent
man knew that not power had been given to
the aldermen that they had not abused.
Mr McAneny after the conference said that
the new committee of fifteen would initiate
procedure against Ahearn- He said that the
committee would cooperate with the City Club
which would take the initiative.
We came pretty near TO agreement on
procedure today said Mr.. McAneny- by
fo--norrow night we shall have our plans ma
tured sufficiently to say what We are going to
do There is no question at all about the law
governing the vacancy in the Borough Presi-
DENTS office The only question is the proper
remedy.
"Ahearn unquestionably was removed Tor MS
,nexnired term and he is the one man who
could not legally be reelected TO his Office lie
pae elected for a term of four years, and the
statute provides for the filling of the vacancy
The statute was not complied with am pretty
.ur. tho Governor takes this view of the case
and the same may be said Of the Mayor ana MS
advisers The municipal campaign is some way
-, b,,, the Ahearn issue will be kept TO the
from, for the next two years. We have the rec
,xs ~, thearn's NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. down IN
,,.or srs xhife and IL will be used with tehne
So. :, III. next munfcipI campaign