New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-26
HITS QUEENS OFFICIAL
Charges Filed with Dix Against
District Attorney Smith.
HIS REMOVAL CALLED FOR
Accused Of Using Office for
Political Purposes and Fail
ing to Do His Duty.

Albany, Nov. 25.-Charges that Matthew
j. Smith, District Attorney of Queens
County, has failed to take part in any
important criminal trial In the county
other than as a spectator, but has left
the prosecution Of such cases to minor
employees, have been filed with Governor
Dix. with the request that the Governor
remove the District Attorney from Office.
The charges were fled by Samuel Piser.
Governor Dix has given District Attorney
Smith until December TO answer, and
has notified him that he may have a per-
sOnal hearing on that date.
Included In the charges are allegations
that the District Attorney used his office
for political purposes when he became
chairman OF a political faction; that he
uulawfully seized the books in the Sher-
ifs office, that he executed false certln-
Gates IN connection with payrolls in the
District Attorneys office; that he failed
TO prosecute forfeited bail bonds. ana that
he failed TO prosecute pending charges
against several persons named.
At the last election Matthew J. Smith
Cassidy ticket in a county which has a
normal Democratic majority Of 10000 lie
was regarded as Cassidy's District At
torney. During the direct primaries last
September, Cassidy, while not appearing
openly in the fight managed his ticket
from his clubhouse in Court Square. OPP
posite the Queens County Courthouse.
Smith appeared as chairman Of the cam
paign committee. Sheriff Thomas NJ.
Quinn, formerly an Independent Demo-
cTdt and an independence League man,
was an enigma during the campaign. His
friends were wondering whether he would
90 with the Cassidy ticket or with the
regular Democratic ticket
The fight centred on the rival candidates
for Sherift-GeOrge Emener, the regular
Democratic candidate, and Andrew Goetz,
who was a deputy employed in the
Sherin's office in Queens. Under Sheriff
John M. Phillips supported Goetz and the
Cassidy ticket, and pressure was brought
10 bear on Quinn TO throw his influence
on the side of the Cassidy ticket Instead,
Quinn came out for Borough President
Connoly's ticket in an interview in the
newspapers not long before the primaries.
About 4 o'clock that afternoon, after
the closing hour in the Sheriff's Office and
after Sheriff quinn had gone home. Dis
trict Attorney Smith issued a subpoena on
Sheriff Quinn for the books containing a
list Of appointees as deputy sheriffs. I'm
der Sheriff Phillips, who was in the office.
turned the books over 10 Smith. When
Sheriff Quinn arrived the next morning
he found the books were in District At
torney Smiths hands.
Sheriff Quinn was getting out list OF
deputies who were TO look after the polls
at the coming election and without the
books, he said he could not scnd out no.
tifcations TO his deputies. HIS attorney
James F. Barry, went before a Supreme
Court justice in Brooklyn and secured an
order directing the return OF the books.
The order was served and Sheriff Quinn
regained possession Of the books.
Charges were preferred against Under
Sheriff Phillips for turning the books
over TO Smith, and he was removed from
office In subp9naing the books District
Attorney Smith said he was acting en-
tirely within his rights. He said he had
an affidavit from a man who served as
special deputy sheriff at the previous
elections declaring he had received no
pay. The supposition was that Sheriff
Quinn had received the money for his
special deputies from the city and had
not turned It over to his men.
THE Sheriff, however, showed proofs
that his bills for these services were held
up by the auditing department Of the
Controllers office, which had failed to
pass on them, and the whole sum,
amounting TO $500, he said, had never been
turned over 10 him.