New-York tribune., 1908-03-13
ASKS MAYORS REMOVAL
BINGHAM ACCUSED ALSO.
Pmkhurst Society Tells G0rerno'
SUNDAY Lac Vas Not Enforced.
TBy Telegraph TO The Tribune

~.
o-o, r,o,p office of Mavor Mcclellan aud Police
Commissioner Bingham Of New York Cl1y were
6led with Governor Hughes here to-day pV 'he
Society fer the Prevention of CRIME through uie
Rev DR. Charles l.. Parkhurss. president OF the
society Tie charges that the Mayor anu tue
Commissioner failed TO enforce Sunday cosns'
With each copy Is inciosed nst OF saioolis vi
places where agents Of tie society say they louho
the law violated on several Sundays from Deceloer
8 20 March s.
Governor Hugher received pr. Parkhurst in his
Office and they held brief conversation. Copies
of the charges will he sent to the Commissioner
and the Mayor at once, Dr- Pafkhufst saio 'iie
Governor told him.
.rwe are not irving at present for strcter sun
dav laws" said Dl Parkhurst. 'but we want the
present laws carried out. We have also sent copies
of the complaints and charges TO the state ooaio
of Excise"
The present action by the society is the after
p,ath of the so-caIed blue law enforcement
of Sunday. December S. when New YORK CITY
theatres closed and the Great Nhle way
was dark except for the cafe lights Dr. Park
hurst and his associates found about seventy
saloons in Harlem doing business. and on every
Sunday since. they say. The formal charges aver
that closing of the theatres shows the pohce
can enforce Sunday closing of saloons If they really
Try as hard as they did in keeping the paoioeh oii
the box offices.
Appended TO the documents filed with Governor
Hughes are copies the letters written by Dr-
PaIkhurst TO Mayor Mcclellan and General blhe-
which published at the time, called upon
Commissioner Bingham 10 enforce the law, ana
when he did not reply the clergyman wrote 10 the
Mayor asking him to make the Commissioner act
The Mayors replies Were merely acknowledgements
OF having received the missives although in one it
said that the same has been brought TO the
attention of the Police Commissioner.
The charges are written in almost Identical Ian
guage. although those against General Bingham
logically first. The society asks Tor MS re-
moval provided in Section go of the greater
New York charter (Chapter 3IS Of the Laws OF
1897 as amended. on the ground that the pubic
interests require removal because he had not
obeyed the provisions of said charter ana OF ''e
laws of the State OF New York
The complaint continues say that this was be-
cause he failed enforce the excise law and prop
erly inspect the saloons
Mayor Mcclellan is also accused of official neg
lect OF duty and his head is sought as PROVIDED
for in Section 122 OF the greater New York char
ter Chapter SzS of the Laws of 1897 as amended
The differs from that given in the Bingham
complaint because the Mayor is charged with not
obeying the statutes requiring him TO be vigant
and active in causing the laws of the state TO pe
executed and enforced!
From this point on the charges are the same
They forth that December s 1897, the COM
missioner and the Mayor. acting in harmony
with him. effectively closed all theatres and places
where public shows given" in New York city
This closing continued until the Board of Alder
men passed a per1nissive ordinance
II is charged the excise laws were openly and
notoriorslv Violated. with the knowledge of the
Mayor and the Commissioner. without any rea-
sonable. proper effective effort or action by
either enforce the law. 1t is further charged
that General Bingham did not try compel his
subordinates 10 enforce The excise law 80 dis
cipline them and that Mayor Mcclellan did not
, take effective measures 10 compel the Commits
sioner enforce law.
The complaint declares that thousands of per
requested the Mayor and the Commissioner
/ to enforce the law Hence each is charged with
-fnefficiency and neglect with violation of his
oath obligations of Office and with failure to
perform the duty imposed on him
Appended each complaint is copy of an ap-
| peal to clergymen made last January. list of
saloons where the thirsty may get drink in Har-
lem on Sunday and halftone illustration of
window display OF sample half-pint TASKS of third
rail" purchased by the side door
When Mayor Mcclellan was seen last night he
seid: Il have absolutely nothing TO say at this
time, because before replying publicly to the
charges 1 wish to study the specifications. may
have something TO say tomorrow after reading
them
A friend Of the Mayor said last night that the
Mayor had kept a complete record OF every COM
plant of alleged non-enfOrcement Of the excise
law For week has known that the charges
against him and the Police Commissioner were
forthcoming. There Is q typewriter record or
every complaint sent to the Mayor. and in each
instance the complaint has been turned over to
the Police Commissioner. with request TO en-
force the law. Commissioner Bingham in turn has
in each instance turned the complaint over TO
police inspector with order to enforce the Law.
General Bingham. seen a the Hotel IrOquois, No.
~ West 44th street, when asked about DR. Park
hurst's charges. would only Il knew that the
charges were being prepared, and that they were
fled. Further than that l have nothing now 10
say"