The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-05

Continued from First Page.
testify until he had secured his i'm
munity from the committee. that they
believed from interviews they had had
with me. every such interview sought
by them. that I would not refuse a
bride IL they should offer It TO me. I
am advised by counsel that the recep-
ton Of this sort Of evidence by the
Thompson committee is without the
slightest shadow Of right and unparal-
leled In the history Of law.
Knows He Did No Wrong.
None the less, and knowing hat I
ave done no wrong. but have done the
best ] could in the public interest. l
feel that the stories and the use that
has been made OF them so impair my
opportunity of serving the state eff
fectively that | should withdraw from
this office. and accordingly I hereby
resign the office OF Public Service Com
missioner. my resignation to a ef-
feet Immediately upon your acceptance
OF 1t.
Gov. whitman's letter OF acceptance
dated Monday is as follows:
| have your letter of the Sd instant
resigning your office VI Public Service
Commissioner. respect the motives
and considerations that you have ex-
pressed. If true. as the occasion OF
your resignation. ] accept II, to take
effect at once. as you request.
Woods resignation will have no effect
at all on the acts Of this committee"
declared senator Thompson. after he had
verified the resignation of the Commits
sioner and h appointment OF his sue
cessor. 81 can't understand the Gov
ernor's action. He gave Wood a clean
bill Of health and ne is the most be-
smirched Of the commissioners who have
been before this committee. heard Of
this thing first yesterday afternoon.
Senator Lawson told me that some
one had told him over the telephone that
Lemuel l.. Quigg had gone to Albany on
New Years eve with Woods resigna-
ton. lie knows the name OF his In
formant and l am going TO urge the
Finance Committee OF the Senate to look
into this matter very carefully.
Wants QuiER's Hands on.
81 think it is about time that the &C.
uvities OF Lemuel f.. Quigg with rela-
ton to the Public Service Commission
in this district ceased. Quigg il the
paid attorney of the ln~terborough Rapid
Transit Company. n II Is the height
Of improperly for him to suggest the
removal or appointment OF Public Ser
vice commissioners. ! don't know
lodge from "A ton OF coal. but II Quigg
had anything to do with his appoint
ment I. for one. will consider IL suiii
cient reason to vote against him and
! will fight 1t 10 the last ditch, ! would
like to see "A commission not appointed
by the railroads. think there should
be a railroad man Oh the commission,
but l don't think the railroads ought to
name him
Neither Mr., Wood nor Mr.. Qulgg had
anything to say yesterday regarding the
Commissioners resignation. The re-
signing Commissioners dropped out OF
sight yesterday afternoon, and II was
reported to the Thompson committee thai
a subpoena server had failed to find
him. 1t was said on behalf Of Mr.
Quigg last night that he had no com
men, to make on the statements of Sena.
tor Thompson.
As for the reported opinion of thu
Governor that the public service com
missions law does not need amending
Senator Thompson said
"In my opinion the public service
commissions law has broken down com
pIetely. II seems to me that the results
OF the investigation conducted by thu
joint committee OF the Senate and AS
| sembly demonstrates the fact.
III public opinion has not lost 1t:
power. II extortion by public service
| corporations is to be prevented, II ade
ouate and satisfactory regulation an,
| supervision of such corporations IL Il
be furnished in accordance with tn,
| purpose and intent Of the law. and Il
| the faithful and conscientious work o.
| the committee is not to he in vain, theI
the law must be amended and amende,
radically"
Charges Against Wood.