New-York tribune., 1916-05-29
Rabbi Wise Repudiates
Priests Statement in I'M
peaC,lment Move.
PRAISES mitchell
AS BRAVE MAN
City's Executive Reiteratcs That
Criminal Actions Will Re
Instituted.

One Of the priests accused by Mayor
Mitchell Of having interfered with gov
eminent, perverted justice, and Of other
crimes. was authority Saturday for the
statement that self-constituted, non
sectarisn committee of New Workers
would ask Governor Whitman to in
vestigate the wire-tapping in this city
with 8 view to removing Mayor Mitchell
The priest said that DR.. Stephen s.
Wise, pastor OF the Free Synagogue
was one Of the men who would ask the
Governor for the investigation. Or.
Wise was in Hartford, Conn, last night,
lecturing in aid of Jewish relief fund
when asked for details of the plan. In
reply DR.. Wise wrote the following
statement: ,.,
81 know nothing Of this matter. If
uere TO ask Governor Whitman 10 IN
vestigate anything il would not be the
action of Mayor Mitchell, who has rem.
dered great service 10 the cause OF
visible government. ! would be pre-
pared TO ask Governor Whitman TO IN
vestigate the problem oil state support
to private charities.
II do not believe that Governor
Whitman can be intimidated into any
action such as is mooted. In this mat
for there should be neither jew nor
Christian. Roman Catholic nor Protest
ant The time is come TO hold up the
hands Of our brave and unafraid Mayor.
All decent, law-abiding citizens VIII
support him."
When the priest who was authority
for the story Of the alleged move to
remove the Mayor was Informed last
night Of DR.. Wise's reputation OF his
connection with any such Jan, he SAID;
From the best Of my knowledge and
belief DR.. Wise was the man VINO
would on behalf Of the Jews ask the
Governor for the investigation"
The priests name is withheld at his
request. a.,
week end at the country home OF j.
Waldo Smith, the chief engineer OF the
aoueduct at Ashokan. was asked last
night if he cared TO make any reply TO
the alleged plan to ask Governor Whit
man to remove him. He said;
81 have no desire to enter into any
controversy with any one accused OF
crime"
Mayor Firm on Prosecution.
Asked il he had decided on what
course his threatened prosecution OF
those whom he charged with crime
would take, he said:
mo course has been decided on yet.
But that there will be criminal prose
cuation you can rest assured
Alfred J. Talley. counsel TO Father
William b. Farrell and the other
priests accused by Mayor Mitchell, said
last night that he and his clients vel
coined any criminal prosecution the
Mayor thought ft TO bring.
wire-Tapping Pulpit Topic.
Three sermons on the overlapping
situation made in Protestant churches
Yesterday reached this Office last night.
Two were sent in by news agencies.
The third was delivered by hand. All
praised Mayor Mitchell. Excerpts from
the three follow:
BY the Rev Christian +. Reisner,
pastor Of Grace Methodist Church:
Patriotism requires that we stand
by public officials like Mayor Mitchell
who arc earnestly endeavoring TO un-
cover graft and inefficient sdministra-
llOIls II Is as Nllal lOi itdi
ness of citizenship as are parades and
flag waving. II takes courage TO keep
out OF a jeering crowd that easily ac-
cepts an attempt TO discount faithful
Official doing an unpleasant duty.
"All honor TO Mayor Mitchell for per-
sistently following an investigation
which ne honestly believes will uncover
crime. He has been too Efficient. oner-
getic, clesn-handed and high-purpose
Mayor TO be unseate1 from the high
place in public esteem by the attack
which has been recently made upon
him. Patriots will help him do his
duty by giving him every possible en-
coursgement."
BY the Rev. George Drew Egbert,
pastor Of the Congregational Church,
Flushing:
"Wire-tspping is not the principal
thing TO keep track of in this contro-
versy. That's only an incident The
real question is whether the children
in institutions receiving money from
the city are well cared for. And don't
lose sight Of that All honor to Mayor
Mitchell for his stand!'
Hits Religious Hyphens.
Bv DR.. 6. Edward Young, in Bedford
Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn:
This is a moment when those OF us
who put aside both party and creed 70