New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-29
Warden Clancy, at Sing Sing,
After Long Talk with the
Ex-senator, Makes Many
Wild Statements.
WRITES HIS RESIGNATION
Sick of Whole Business He
Says, After Quoting Convicted
Man as Declaring sigma
ture Is Mine" but Con-
tents Exaggerated.


made public a letter purporting to
have been written to the states Chief
Executive by ex-senator Stephen J.
Stilwell, Of The Bronx, from his cell in
Sing Sing prison. where he is serving
a term Of four years for extortion. In
this letter, which Stilwell yesterday
admitted bore his signature, an offer
TO expose the system Of boss rule and
the venality existing in the Legislature
was made.
The publication Of the letter caused
StilwelPs counsel and former legisla-
tive colleague, Senator James D. Nc
Clelland, and Stilwelrs former law
mariner. Eugene l.. Brsack. both DEM
ocrats, to hurry to Sing Sing. A re-
porter for The Tribune reached the
prison with Brisack. At 3:15 O'Clock
Warden James NJ. Clancy, formerly one
of Stilwells neighbors, said that Still
we'll branded the letter as "a lie.'
"Stilwell will not be interviewed
said Clancy. "Stilwell says there are
things in that letter that he never
wrote. He said: I wrote an applica-
ton for a pardon. That letter is In a,
book. The signature is mine, but the;
letter is a thousand times stronger than,
mine
Warden Clancy was asked II Stilwell
would be permitted to see the news
paper reporters in person. He replied:
"Stilwell said: why should I make a.
statement now, when everybody is call
ing everybody else liar? I don't like
talking from within prison walls
against men who can speak from plat
forms. I will make my statement af-
ter election"
The reporters pleaded with the war
den to ask Stilwell to particularize-tol
point out what portions Of the letters
he branded as forgerfes. But the war
den insisted that Stilwell would have
nothing further to say until after cleo
tion.
Writes Out Resignation.
For three hours Clancy was with
Stilwell in the wardens Office. At the
end Of that time, after newspaper re-
porters had been denied permission to
interview Stilweu, Clancy wrote out his
resignation as warden, when one OF
his interviewers suggested that his
attitude, particularly with reference TO
his attack upon John A. Hennessy,
might be construed as part Of the Tam
many plan to discredit Hennessy.
When former Governor Sulzer was
told last night Of what Stilwell, through
Clancy, said. he declared:
There's nothing to 1t. The letter Is
In Stilwelps own handwriting. It's
genuine-every bit of It,"
The Stilwell letter, together with an
interview on the subject with exGov-
ernor Culzer, by James Creelman. was
published in 1.-The Evening Mail" Of
yesterday.
The knowledge which l had Of the
corrupt workings of invisible govern
ment at 'bany gave the Stilwell case
such an Importance that I could not
allow it to drop" said Mr.. Sulzer, as
quoted by Mr.. Creelman. Nor can
that case ever be dropped until Still
we'll is brought out of prison to lay
bare the whole dreadful situation pro-
duced in Albany by the boss system.
1T was common talk In Albany that
Mr.. Murphy had instructed his Marion
cites in the Senate to save Stilwell by
splitting the Tammany vote. The peo-
pie should not overlook the fact that
twentv-seven members Of the Court OF
Impeachment voted to acquit Stilwell
and to impeach me-"
Mr.. Sulzer went on to say in the in
terview that Stilwell was told in the
Tombs that the Governor would be re-
moved and that Mr.. Glynn would par
don him II he held his tongue; but
that. finally, impatient Of delay. Still
we'll began imploring him for a pardon
in return for full confession. Mr..
Suffers reply, according to Mr.. Creel-
man. was that Stilwelps confession
must be made first, and that IL he aided
the administration of justice the people
undoubtedly would intercede in his be-
half. but that the pardon could not
come first. Whereupon Mr.. Sulzer was
told by friends of Stiiwell that Stilwell
did not dare to confess in Sing Sing
through fear of assassination.
The Stilwsll Letter.
The Stilwell letter follows:
"Ossining. Aug. l6, 1913.
ITO His Txcellency William Sulzer.
Governor Of the State OF New York.
"Sr: | hereby make application for
executive clemency and pardon, as I
believe 1 have been amply punished for
the alleged offence; have lost my r-o-
fessional position, and my business and
opportunities have been destroyed, OF
themselves severe punishment; and.
therefore, with the punishment I have
received, l believe that justice has been
satisfied
| 'True I have been promised by the