The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-09-10
SHARP REToRT BY GAYNOR.
When He Withdrew Acceptance of Sum
mons to Aldermanic Inquiry.

New York, Sept, .l0.-Mayor Gaynor
late yesterday withdrew his acceptance
OF the invitation to appear to-day be-
fore the aldermanic committee which
is inquiring into the police department.
In a ,caustie letter to Alderman ii. Ii.
Curran, chairman of the committee, the
mayor declined to appear unless sub
poenaed or notified to do so, adding that
he could not "enter into any petty and
partisan inquiry and asserting that in
his efforts to lift government up he had
never allied himself with any one who
was not himself above reproaeh."
II do not see how / can expect the
police to be honest when they see ON
every hand that even the aldermen OF
the city are taking graft personally
or enabling corrupt go-betweens to do
So declared Mayor Goynor.
The letter followed remards said to
have been made this afternoon by Al
derman Curran regarding the mayors
honor" after the latter sent word to
the waiting committee that he did not
care to go before them to-day, as had
been arranged, and said that he would
tomorrow. His honor was to have ap.
peared to-day by invitation but it is
stated tonight that if be fails to pre-
sent himself tomorrow, he will ge sub
poenaed.
Mayor Gaynor's letter to Alderman
Curran was in response to one from
Mr.. Curran under date of September 3,
IN which the mayor was invited to APP
pear before the comittee. The mayors
answer to-day follows in part:
II have called attention to the miser-
able grating carried on by the members
of the board of aldermen in respect to
the licensing of news stands. and the
like, throughout the city. BY an ord-
nance of your board the bureau of H.
censes cannot grant these licenses ex-
eept on certificate of approval of the
alderman of the district in which the
license is granted. | have now for more
than two years been calling the atten.
tion Of the board of aldermen to eases
where aldermen refused to grant these
permits unless the licensee pays heavi
ly for them. Sums Of $500 and $3.50 are
commonly paid, and there are about
Z 600 of the licensed stands. The meth
Cd by which this is done is that the al |
dermen in place Of dealing with the III /
censee personally and handing the GER
tifieate over to him personally, as the |
law and official duty requires. refers |
such license to a go-between, who holds I
It and refuses to deliver it TO the IL !
,ensee until it is paid for.
II have no doubt that the aldermen
who do. this share in the extortion mon
". | do not see how | can expect the
police to be honest when they sec on
very hand that even the aldermen of
he city are taking graft personally
II enabling corrupt go-betweens do
o. ! cannot ally myself with YOU in
my effort to investigate the conduct
i any official or any department OF
he city government. My attention
as also beenNcalled to the fact that you
ave of late several times published
tatements with regards to your visits
0 this Office. which are very far from
eing truthful l.
If the committee wants any facts
! me, let it subpoenae me or notify !,
he to attend, and | win do so and give
ueh facts. Beyond that | shall not
o. cannot enter into any petty or !
artisan inquiry, and it is now plain ]
hat that is all you purpose to make = (,
Alderman Curran tonight made pub
c letter he had written to Mayor I
aynor, notifying him that the commit
se would proceed with its investigation )
ito the police department and declared
no attempt to divert or intimidate it
IN succeed" Alderman Curran further !,
lformed the mayor that he had in
ructed his attorney to bring suit for :
bel on the ground that the mayor had
lade "maliciously false statements
gainst him. 9