Evening journal., 1911-09-20
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The II Dent" That Blasted
Great Expectations
By Holland.

One of the ablest Democrats Of mis-
time, man. too, who possessed a per-
sonal magnetism that had gained for
him great popularity, was John I.
Hoffman. He was twice elected Gov
ernor of New York state and before
his election as Governor was mayor
of New York city.
Mr.. Hoffman was first elected Cow
ernor in 1868. and it was then said
that this election would undoubtedly
lead to his nomination for President
in 1879. Governor Hoffman was fully
aware all along that influential poll
ticians Of his party in the State were
planning the capture of the Demo-
cratic national convention of that
year, so that his nomination would be
assured, and felt convinced that they
could, with him, carry the State Of
New York even though General Grant
was again candidate for President.
These politicians of influence. wao
had already brought about the cleo
tion of Mr.. Hoffman as mayor of New
York and as Governor, were the lead
ers of the Tammany Hall of that day,
and their leader was William NJ
CBoss") Tweed.
In the Senate in the State Legisla-
ture Of 1871, which was controlled by
the Democracy, Mr.. Tweed caused 10
be named committee on cities whose
members he had himself selected. He
was himself a member of that COM
mittee. That was the committee which
had authority to report favorably or
otherwise measures relating TO the
government of New York city. Shortly
after the session began Tweed offered
a resolution which authorized the
/ commissioners who had authority over
the construction of the new county
court huose in New York city TO audit
bills without limitation for expenses
incurred and to add the same 70 the
tax levy, which was then made up in
! Albany. It was the measure which
made the gigantic county court house
frauds possible. All of the wise poll
ticians realized that there was some
! important joker behind this resolu-
ton, and although some effort was
made to limit the amount permissible
for the county court house commits
/ clDn " duully utNcIlutltSb MCc4
/ forced the resolution through the COM
mittee by four votes out of five.
After that was done came the cru
cial and what proved to be the fatal
moment for Governor John 7. Hoff-
man. A Senator went to Mr.. Hoffman
and urged him to use his influence TO
have this measure defeated.
Governor Hoffman looked steadily
and sternly at the Senator for a few
moments. He took the resolution up
and read it over and over again. Then,
turning to the Senator, he asked:
DO you mean to impute dishonesty
to the county court house commissions
ers of New York, who are sworn pub
lie officers?"
The Senator replied that it seemed
to him unnecessary to impute any dis
honesty since the measure on its face
was dangerous grant of financial
power.
Again Governor Hoffman asked
, do you mean to impute dishonesty
to these public officers?"
The Senator was silent.
We'll" said Governor Hoffman, ris-
| ing from his chair, Il don't; and be-
cause / don't, I won't interfere in this
! measure.
How different his own history and
that of the Tweed ring would have
been had Governor Hoffman said, Il
| do impute dishonesty and l will inter-
fere" For, by reason Of this Measure
- which the Legislature passed and
{ Governor Hoffman signed, bills large
! ly fraudulent to the amount of six mil
r lion dollars passed the county court
> house commissioners and it was the
= disclosure of these frauds that led rc
the overthrow of the Tweed ring in
5 November, 1871.
. Governor Hoffman's Il don't" cost
b him all his political future. 1t cos
y Tweed his leadership and his liberty
3 and brought him to a prison cell. Il
. cost Richard B Connolly, the comp
$ troller of the city, his residence in the
Y United States-for he fed to Europe
e And it cost A. Oakley Hall, who was
a mayor of New York when the TweeC
e looting was going on, the Unitec
n States Senatorship, which it had Ions
e been his ambition to secure.
i Copyright, 1911, by z. j. Edwards. AL
q rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell o
"The ChildIike Fad of an ex-PreSi