New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-09
In Letter He Says Order
Should Throw of "Sin-
lister influence"
Retracts Charge
Against Grand Jury
Mitchell, However, Cites
Instances of Opposition to
Him and Prendergast

Mayor Mitchell yesterday boldly an
ticipated the so-cslled religious is
sue" which Is expected TO creep into
the coming municipal campaign be-
cause of his attitude toward certain
Catholic priests during the investiga-
tion Of public charities last winter by
giving out correspondence between
himself and James r. Finegan, State
Deputy Of the New York State Council
Knights Of Columbus. IL became known
that last April Mr.. Finegan wrote the
Mayor concerning a speech made by the
Mayor ct Princeton at the time the
Charities Department was under in
vestigation, and the telephone wire
tapping scandal" broke.
The Mayor referred TO the speech in
a letter he wrote to Bishop Charles E.
Mcdonnell, Of Brooklyn. The Mayor
was quoted as saying that the Brook
Ign grand jury which indicted Com
missioner Kingsbury of the Charities
Department and William H. Hotchkiss,
his counsel, was composed in material
part Of Knights of Columbus"
Mr. Finegan wrote the Mayor, stat
ing that he believed the Mayor had
been wrongly informed about the mem
bers Of the Brooklyn grand jury and
that he had done the knights grave
injustice. Finegan wrote that the
Mayor, as a member of the order him
self, would know that such interior
ence with the law or public officials was
contrary to all the principles and
ideals Of the order.
Gave Out Correspondence
The Mayor answered Mr.. Finegar's
letter on July Is, acknowledging that
he had been properly quoted and
frankly admitting that he had unwit-
tingly done the knights of Columbus
an injustice, as a careful Investigation
had shown that, while there were four
Catholics on the grand jury, none Of
them was a member of the order.
Mayor Mitchell was asked yesterday if
there had been such correspondence,
and as an answer he gave it out
The Mayor. in his letter 10 Mr.. Fin
egan, however. did not eXculpate the
Knights of Columbus, but cited spe-
cifc instances, and declares he was
ready TO give names, when members Of
that order, for political purposes, had
violently attacked him and Controller
Prendergast. The Mayor suggested
that the order should be purged Of
such men.
The Mayors letter. in part. follows:
"My Dear Mr. Finegan; Since the
receipt of your letter Of April "a, in
curing concerning the quotation from
my speech at Princeton, delivered on
March ] last, and since our personal
int view which followed your letter,
/ have been much pressed by engage
ments growing out of the receptions
Of the various visiting foreign com
missions. have, nevertheless, caused
a careful inquiry to be made into the
personnel Of the Kings County Grand
Jury, which found the unwarranted
and illegal indictments against Mr..
Hotchkiss and Commissioner Kings
bury, and am now in a position TO
answer your letter with fnalty.
Quotation Complained OF
"The quotation you complain of is
as follows:
AT about that time the men sus-
pected learned, or suspected them
h.N bat col ,b1p -,
supervised, and Immediately a great
fuss was kicked up. Among other
things-and here again we see the
working of that sinister influence that
is so malign 20 governmental matter
was taken up by @ Grand Jury in
Brooklyn composed In material part of
Knights Of Columbus
This was correct quotation. IL
was exactly what / said at Princeton.
] now find that in making the fore
going statement ! unwittingly did d
substantial injustice 10 the knights Of
Columbus. The fact is that there were
upon this Grand Jury four Catholics.
No one Of them. however, was a mem
Der of the Knights Of Columbus.
~ suppose that | need not say 70 you
that, In making the statement as ! did,
was convinced Of the truth of every
detail. The information in my hands
at the time the speech was made, which
came 20 me in confidence, but from a
source upon which | had a right 20
place entire reliance, was 20 the effect
that there we're five knights oS Colum-
bus upon this Grand Jury.
1T being now established 20 my sat
isfaction that there was IN fact no
knight Of Columbus upon the Grand
Iry. tbs members Of the Order are en-
titled 20 this stateweu: a. my hands,
and 20 an expression OF regret for the
error. which ! chcsrfully make.
Mayor States His Meaning
an our conversation yoU pointed GU,
that my reference 10 q sinister inAu-
ence might be construed 10 imply that
the Knights Of Columbus constitute
such an influence. and that the order
as such, lends itself to the exercise
Of q malign influence upon government
This was neither my purpose. nor do
believe that the words used could be
fairly so construed. What ! intended
20 convey was that the same malign
ard sinister suGCence, successfully ex-
erted and exercised at other times, and
In other instances by certain priests o.
the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese
o. New York and the Diocese Of Brook.
Ign, had again made ITSELF evident N
this instance.
you and ] are both we'll aware that
q IL fundamentally violative Of the
principles Of the Order Of the Knights
Of Columbus, not only 70 attempt the
exercise Of undue influence upon public
officials, but that any participation OF
the Knights Of Columbus, a. an order
in politics. and even the discussion OF
political questions AZ regular meetings
Of councils or chapters. are strictly for
bldden. !. may not be amiss II ] point
-. \. -. a.. anrn Oh, N nr.non GOD