The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-03-13
SULZER ASKS RILEY
TO SUCCEED SCOTT
superintendent of Prisons Held
Responsible for All Mat.
teawan Troubles.
WRITTEN ANSWER TODAY
Official Not TO Ask Per-.
Sonal Hearing--NO Moral
Obliqnity Charged.

ALBANY, March 12.---Gov Sulzar to-
night offered to County Judge John Il.
Riley of Plattsburg, Clinton county. the
appointment az State Superintendent Of
Prisons to succeed Col Joseph T.. Scott.
who is to be removed from office 10y
f, Gov, Sulzer tomorrow or Friday. Yes
| terday when Gov. Sulzer determined to
remove Col. Scott he wired Judge Riley
to come to Albany at once. Gov Sui
ger had a long talk with Judge Riley
late this afternoon and urged him TO
accept the proffered appointment.
Judge Riley hesitated, as ne has four
! years to serve He has usually been
an anti-organization Democrat when the
| State organization was controlled either
by the late David B. Hill or by Tam
many. He is one of the foremost po-
ltical lieutenants Of Smith NJ. Weed in
northern New York. Mr.. Weed and
Gov. SuIzer are personal friends
Formal charges. patterned largely ON
the conclusions OF the Sulzer commits
sion of inquiry, were served on Col
Scott to-day by Gov. Sulzer Non
] feasance and neglect of duty form the
basis Nothing in the charges points to
moral obliquity. but they review a series
of actions which Gov Sulzer believes
were prompted by bad judgment
Col. Scott will file an answer in writing
| tomorrow. He will not ask for a per-
sonal hearing before the Governor He
will await the order OF removal and the
appointment of his sticcessor which ha
expects will follow shortly
| Failure to remove Frederick II Mills
sales agent of the prison department.
after he had learned through a report
of Judge Mcmahon of Rome of his as
sociation with enterprises which profted
by his Office is the first indictment agai nst
Col. Scott
The appointment of Dr. james V
May. present head OF the State Hospital
Commission, as superintendent of Mat
teawan State Hospital. as he had received
the lowest percentage in civil service
examination and describing that he
knew the appointee was ineN perienced
is the second count against the Colonel
! This is a new charge
| Failure to investigate the action of
Dr James Y MAY in altering the record
of habeas corpus proceeding for the
| release of Thaw in July last wear and
| the assertion Of DR.. John W Russell that
he was willing to act as Thaw's guardian
in the employ of the Thaw family if the
IN urderer was released, are also marked
up against the Superintendent of Prisons
| by the Governor
The Governor charges Col Scott with
neglecting to remove John " Russell
as superintendent Of Matteawan after
| he had learned that the superintendent
had enjoyed social Intercourse with
| Attorney John Nicholson Anhut after
the latter offered him a bribe to release
Thaw. This charge is the conclusion of
the commission of inquiry
The Governor holds Col Scott respou-
sible for permitting Thaw to have large
sums of money in his possession al Mat
teawau which he used in an effort 70
secure his release
| Lavitv in the maintenance of proper
supervision over the inmates which was
responsible for the visits to Thaw of
the lawyer, and Clark, the secretary of
the inquiry commission, and others is
also charged
Supt SCOTS acceptance of Or. Rus
sells resignation az head of Matteawan.
while the Governor thought he should
have been removed, was sufficient in Gov
Suffers mind to form the basis of a
charge. The Governor charges Col
Scott with wilfully and with intent Civ
| ing Russell an honorable discharge
| Neglect to remove John q. Mcdowell,
secretary toCol Scott, after he had spoken
ldsrespectfully Of the Governor in ex-
, claiming The Governor can 20 to he'll, 50
| is also presented 10 Col. Scott for an
swer.
The Governors charges say Col. Scott =
| refusal 10 remove Secretary Mcdowell
! was a wilful disregard Of the respect and
courtesy due from all State officials to-
1 ,.,