New-York tribune., 1909-10-29
POSERS FOR GAYN0R
ONLY ON HIS RECORD.
Barnard Committee WantS to
KnO1c about TenementS.

In view OF the fact that n number OF
charges brought against Judge Gaynor IN
the course OF the campaign have not been
denied in as much detail as the members
OF the Barnard Campaign Club believe Is
due their Importance, Albert b. Kerr, presl-
dent Of that organization, has written to
the Tammany candidate for Mayor The
letter is addressed to him at the Demo-
cratic headquarters, in the Hotel Cadillac,
and was sent by registered mail. 1t opens
as follows
You have repeatedly said that you are
willing to stand upon your record stripped
bare as you put it, OF every pretencTe and
disguise. Accordingly we take the liberty
Of asking you the following questions.
Question is as follows:
It has been publicly stated that you are
the owner and landlord OF number OF
tenement houses situated in Myrtle avenue,
Navy street and Fulton street, brookIS .
that the conditions which you allow 10 eA-
list In these tenepents are contrary 10 law,
q menace to health and disgrace 10 ths
neighborhood; that to-day there slaIlu
against your name eghteen i,1, ,o " "
you evaded the order OF the tenement
House Department directing you to place
fire escapes on one Of these tenemehts, anu
aid NOT finally comply until a suit was
brought against you; that to-day, o"lHs ~
your refusal to obey other orders OF tho
ETenanent
contain rotten and foul smelling plumplng,
dark, unventilated rooms, broken skyhghtS
and windows and damp, crumDHnS WallSi
that such conditions are breeders OF tuper-
c,lIosis. that the people who I'll these
houses pay to you in rents upward OF %'9O
q month. ,.;a,, ,,,,
stand?
The second question referred to the Iact
that Justice Gaynor. up TO July :, owned
II
ton Beach Racing Association on property
that had been owned by it. as told ex-
clusiyeIy in The Tribune on Sunday. and
TO the charge that he met with men inter
ested In breaking down the anu-racetrack
gambling bill.
The third question tells of the statements
Of Justice Gaynor that he did not know
where Tammany Hall and the Tenderloin
were, and adds:
It IS Of little Importance TO the voters
Of New York whether or not you knew
what the Tenderloin section was, or
whether you did or did not know where
Tamnlany Hall was: but 1t is OF the ut
most Importance that no candidate Tor
high Office should attempt to gain strength
by making untruthful and hypocriucal
statements
Is this part of the record on which
you stand?
by Mr. Kerr is as follows:
IT has been publicly stated that while on
the bench of the Supreme Court you de-
nOunced Tammauy Han in no uncertain
terms. You said that the reason for the
election law of 1897 was that municipal
government had settled into the control of
dishonest and criminal persons who were
mere politicians by trade and without law
ful occupations, and who had no interest
in government or politics except TO OBJ
tain opportunity to enrich and aggrandize
themselves, by loOting tha public treasury;
and in the same opinion you continued:
I'm this way they are enabled to nomi-
nate and elect to high office, not them
selves, but individuals Of better name and
fame, willing, however, to be their mere
tools when elected and to place allegiance
to those who put them in honorable office
above official obligation and duty to the
community"
Is this a part of the record on which
you stand, or has the action Of Tammany
Hall in thus selecting you as It's candidate
for high office resulted in reversing your
opinion Of the aims and methods Of this
organization?