New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-08
MAY GUST BLAKE AS
PRISON INVESTIGATOR
Superintendent Riley, Govern.
or's Appointee, Expected to
Drop SuIzer Man.
REPORT CREATES SURPRISE
Warden Kaiser Of Clinton
Prison, the One Official Blake
Endorsed, Superseded by
J. B. Twombly.

IFrom q STAFF Correspondent Of The Tribunal
Albany, July John B. Riley, State
Superintendent Of Prisons, II was report
ed tonight, will remove George w. Blake
from the position Of chief clerk in his de.
partment shortly.
Blake was the special commissioner APP
pointed by the Governor to investigate the
prisons of the state, and later. at the
chief executives solicitation, he was
named by Superintendent Riley as his
chief clerk.
The report comes as a surprise 10 both
the friends and political enemies OF DIR.
Suzer, as the prison superintendent and
Blake were supposed to be in perfect &C
cord with the Governor and with one
another.
Judge Riley was named Superintendent
of Prisons by the Governor after the
regular session, to succeed Herman w.
Ridder, resigned His name had pre-
viously been sent TO the Senate and re-
iected Like Blake he was consequently
looked upon as particularly friendly TO
the Governor and a sworn enemy to the
Tammany influences controlling the SEN
ate.
IL was learned to-day however, that
there had been trouble between the two
men for some time. Asked tonight
whether he intended to remove Blake,
Judge Riley said he preferred not TO dis
cuss the matter at present Blakes posi-
ton is a confidential one IN the exempt
civil service class, and Riley said that as
he had the power of appointing him ne
also has the power Of removal. Rileys
friends declare that Blake has done moth
ing since his appointment, month ago,
hut draw his pay, and Riley said that ne
hasn't even seen him in that time.
suzer Says Riley Has Power.
When Governor Sulzer was asked about
the probable removal OF Blake he said ne
had not heard of it. but intimated that ne
considered Judge Riley had full power In
the matter. 1t is known that the political
hackers OF Riley In Clinton County are
against Blake. and that for long Tina
they have sought 10 persuade him TO re-
move the prison investigator. holding that
the character OF his work OF inquiry has
not been a credit TO the department This
feeling is strengthened by the fact that
! Riley has not sanctioned the charges
made by Blake against John ]. Kennedy
as warden Of Sing Sing prison, which are
now being investigated by grand juV
In Westchester County When asked
about IL tonight Riley would only say
that the charges were made by Blake and
not by the prison department
The one prison warden who was In
dorsed by Blake-Harry NJ. Kaiser, OF
Clinton prison, at Dannemora-was re-
moved by Superintendent Riley this after
noon, and ex-Assemblyman John b. Twom-
bly,, OF Clinton County, a member or inc
Democratic State Committee. put in his
place. No reason was given for removing
Kaiser. but II Is understood that politics
had much 10 do with II. Kaiser was
regular organization Democrat, and was
appointed by former Prison Superintend-
ent Joseph F. Scott, who was removed
by the Governor.
Twombly. his successor when In the AS
sembly. was one OF the insurgents led oy
Senator Roosevelt. who prevented the Sc
lection Of William f. Sheehan for the
United States Senate.
Blake's Testimony Criticised.
II is believed here that Blake's trouoies
came to head last Thursday, when ne
proved an unsatisfactory witness before
the Frawley investigating committee ne
admitted then that he did not have 'he
original contract for the Great Meauo"
prison. at Comstock. in the building "
which he charged that there had oe..
graft of $4,000 out of 100000. He sA's
he was sure he had correct copy a"N
that his experts found that the speo'N''
lions were not lived up to.
Eugene Lamb Richards, attorney
the committee, then produced the ons''s,
contract. and Mr. Blake was forceo
admit on the stand that the speclnea,eth e
in 1t had been lived up 10, and tna'
report OF his own experts showed IL .,sra.
Mr. Blakes testimony as to his de ss az
ton as prison investigator anu ~" 90 the
penses was also not satisfactory
committee