New-York tribune., 1908-01-27
BACK ON TRIAL TO-DAY.
HISTORY OF NOTED CASE.
One of Bitterest Fights. for Reform
an State for Years.
fpv Te,esranh 10 Tn. tribune. ]


,-,aI tor,orropy of Arthur W. T. Back, former
chairman of the Republican County Committee OF
Rroone County the finishing touches VIII De put
IN one of the most bitter yet interesting factiona
political battles reform waged within the ranks
Of the Republican party in this state in years. AS
ono Of tb. urinary results the indictment of for
mar county officials Colonel George w. Dunn. for
merIy chairman of the Republican State Commlttee'
has regained control of the Broome County Repuo-
lican organization which had practically slipped
from him year ago
In exposirg a colossal system of graft, the SER
vices of three high state officials have been en-
listed Governor Hughes, Attorney General Jack
son and Controller Glynn have been interested III
the fight and ex-senator Edgar T Brackett OF
Saratoga had short but active experience IN the
case,
As the result of the investigation into good roads
affairs in Rroome County A. W. T. Back, former
Republican county chairman, has been indicted
eight times for forgery and grand larceny DdVip
r. King. former county treasurer, has oeen III
dieted for misappropriatng county FUNDS; Jasper
Smith county superintendent of poor, County
Treasurer King, and A. w. t. Back as clerk OF
the board of supervisors and custodian of county
buildings and grounds have been forced 10 resign
Colonel Dunn has returned to his old place IN the
Republican party in BrOome County, ana tte
Offices made vacant through resignation and III
dictment have been filed with his supporters
Back was forced yield his control of the Ke-
publican County Committee and retired as chaH-
man in favor of State Senator Harvey d. HlhInah
the leading supporter of Colonel Dunn
One wear ago Back in complete control or the
Republican organization in Broome County The
Board of Supervisors, Overwhelmingly RepuoHcah'
was completely under his domination. He con-
trolled all except one of the county officers ana
had he been in control of this one MS do"Iiial
would probably have been deferred indefinitely.
Favora BILE to the Back control were County Judge
Robert S Parsons Jasper Smith, Superintendent oil
the Poor: County Treasurer David b. King ana
Sheriff John Patterson Back himself completed
the system by holding the Offices of clerk OF the
Supervisors county custodian and chairman OF the
Republican county committee. The only county
official outside of this combination was DISTRICT
Attorney Clark who performed the function OF
ushering his associates in unceremonlous style
DEAL FRUSTRATED BY HINMAN.
For several years Back had been the ascending
star in the Republican sky in Broome County IN
the fall OF 1906 he undertook broad poiluca pro-
cramme but it more than he could accom-
plish He went to the Republican State Conven-
tfon at Saratoga with collection of delegates VINO
were pledged to overthrow Colonel Dunn as state
committeeman and put Back in his place Inc
deal was frustrated by Senator Hinman, who there
made his first big against the Back adherents
Back also developed plan to place County Judge
Parsons on the Supreme Court bench, but once
more he was blocked. and Henry B. Conan and Al
bert Gladding obtained the only vacant places IN
the 9Th Judicial District.
MAJ, 1,- preventing his denomination for the Senate
While the latter had the delegates peoged TO him.
attempts were made TO get majority OF them 70
repudiate their instructions, and this nearly sue
ceeded
Then began the war of retaliation, which has re-
su1tad in the complete overthrow of Back politi-
caIIy and his indictment on eight counts Nhat-
ever politics may have entered into The hcepoh ol
the investigation completely LOST slght OF III
the face of the astounding revelations which fol-
noticaI charges as the facts themselves spoke
loudly. ~
The trial OF Back Will begin tomorrow Distrlct
Attorney Clark and John B. Stanchheld, former
Democratic candidate TOT 1oVeIhoi' VIII O0 nv
prosecuting officers
The war started about year ago, when two
Bfnghamton newspapers not under the Back con
troll began asking for statement OF his Sood
roads expenditures After several weeks Back SUD
r,itted a report which considered vague ana
+, ,eu,snaners asked for further information. To
appease this agitation the Board of Supervisors
under complete control of Back appointed COM
mittee to investigate the matter Three men traV-
elIed around the state. performed superficial ex-
animation and reported to the SUPERVISORS blaI
nothing wrong.
MATTER PRESENTED TO GRAND JURY.
In AnriI 1907 the one available man in the county
administration the district attorney presented the
matter to the grand jury and began delYing lnto
Backs official history. 1t took months. and before
a
an agent to begin a state investigation. This was
in Julv On August 3 the grand jury made a report
and returned seven Indictments against Back Dur
ing the thickest of the fray Mr.. Clark became sus
picous that records being removed from the
courthouse by night and called upon the chief of
police to furnish police guard 10 watch the offices
OF The county treasurer and superintendent of the
moor This continued, night and day. for ten days.
until Clark had obtained all the information he and
the Controller wanted, Throughout his investiga-
ton the district attorney had been hampered in all
WAYS by the Board of Supervisors which refused
TO give him information, and finally he had to get
legal orders and have them served on the chairman
and other members to obtain papers and records he
wanted.
| The report of the Controllers agents not
completed until this month 1t contains wholesale
| charges of misconduct and corruption the part
| of several former officials.
Just after he was indicted Beck presented his
resignation as clerk of the Board of Supervisors
but these men believed in his integrity and
rejected it on August IS. few weeks after this
County Treasurer King was arrested a charge
of misappropriating county funds. The Controller
submitted evidence 10 Governor Hughes which
prompted the Governor to order King to appear
days before the date of his hearing. Two days
later Governor Hughes appointed Walker +
Sherwood County Treasurer, and the
| day Jasper Smith. Superintendent of the Poor.
| signed. and Back resigned clerk and custodian
This time Backs resignation was accepted by the
Board Supervisors, and that afternoon his bail
was raised by Supreme Court Justice George f.
Lyon on the application OF the District Attorney
He could not meet the Increase at once and
spent that night in the Broome County Jail
The position of Mr.. Clark rendered diff
cult because of the fact that he had announced
himself as a candidate for reelection and he was
prevented from doing any campaign work by the
investigation he conducting. To accentuate