The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-12
SHERIFF OF QUEENS
FIGHTS FOR HIS JOB
Phineas Seaman, Aided by
Martin Littleton, Refutes
Neglect Charges.
NEwsBOY AIDS CITIZENS
Says He Saw Prisoner Out of
Jail at Night-Keepers
to the Rescue.

For twenty years it has been the boast
Of one Sheriff of Queens county after
another that the Jail at Long Island City
at one time contained a commodore, au-
thentic and intact.
By every tradition he occupied cell
on the second corridor of the third tier.
His initials are still there. carved in the
ageless stone, and although these have
been pronounced spurious by some ex-
perts there is no doubt of the genuine
ness of the bench upon which he rested
as he perused the newspapers; or of the
barred window, high in the wall, through
which 1t was his custom to male the air
from Newtown Creek on torrid nights.
He presented a malacca cane to the p.
X. upon ibis release and departure and
with pair of cuff links bearing the em-
blem of his yacht club in Russian enamel
But these, little less than eleven years
ago, were carried away by vandals and
never recovered.
However, Queens may look jealousy
to her laurels now, remembering well the
adage that times have their mutations
and prestige passes. For at a hearing
yesterday, called to take evidence touch
ing the fitness of Phineas Seaman to
continue as Sheriff OF the County of Mas
sau, 1t developed that while his Jail at
rMineola has never contained a commo-
dore in the flesh, It had as prisoner for
| full month prior to June, 1919, one Leo
Fishel. Exalted Ruler of Elks.
There Is no admissible doubt as to the
actuality OF Exalted Ruler Fishel. One
might as fittingly doubt the axiom, once
| an Exalted Ruler always an Exalted
Ruler. For his name was spread upon
the minutes a score Of times at the pro
| ceedings yesterday and witnesses told
convincingly of his demeanor, his wit,
his prediction for strawberries and his
1 moonlight rides to the Elks Lodge in
| Freeport by automobile.
Hearings Before Bar Body.
The hearings which so deeply concern
the past and future of Sheriff Phineas
are being held at the Bar Association in
| this city before Joseph NJ. Proskauer.
| special commissioner appointed for that
| purpose, on complaint of the Nassau
County Association. a civic body, which
| has entrusted its case to Neil ii. Vande-
water counsellor at law OF Mineola. But
Sheriff Phin has Martin w. Littleton to
+, look to his legal rights, and as Mr.. Lit
Teton bent the long bow of eloquence
| yesterday or pinned a witness down the
Sheriff gazed momentarily at the por-
l
which the room was hung as though he
would say to them:
| Lawyers, lawyers everywhere, but
will the charges stick?"
| Nevertheless the charges against Sher-
III Phin make a formidable mouthful
His accusers allege malfeasance In
office, misfeasance in the same. neglect
of duty, errors, omissions (specifed both
hereinafter and hereinbefore). permit
a. a..I
| corted, leaving one Walter X. wilkins
unguarded in jail so that he hanged
himself, and mismanagement of the jail
as aforesaid until the same has become
notorious and reflects idiscredit on the
fair name of Nassau county.
The stellar witness of the complaining
association yesterday was Elias Cor
neius, who sells newspapers in the jai
as a side line. Cornelius testified tina
he saw a Federal prisoner Of the nam,
of Nathan Horowits abroad In the street.
of Mineola unattended and in the nigh
time and that he also encountered j. b
Shaw and Leo Fishel under the SAM
conditions. He was corroborated by hi
postmaster, John ]. Breen, whom, as {
good postmaster, nothing escapes. y
To meet their testimony Mr.. Little
ton called William H. Hults, the p. X.
and Under Keepers William II. HendriclS
son and Edward Mills. 1t is after hear
ing them that one advises Reilly, WIN
lives the, life. to take his next vacation
at Mineola Jail.
They explained that Mineola has tn
best lighted and ventilated Jail accom-
modations in the Empire State. and tina
after a man has earned the confidence o
his keepers there he is permitted to rul
, errands in the village, acts as guardian
of the touring car when the Sheriff o
the p. X. takes the air, may play a
, pinochle or rhum in the laundry and Of
fine DAYS may have his place in tn
crew assigned to gather strawberries Il
} the Jail yard.
A one time inmate of the jail ais
told of conditions during his sojouri
: there. which he may or may not give Il
a larger audience in brochure entities
: Impressions of Nassau County From
the Inside Looking Out
Mr.. LittIeton Smiles.
Mr.. Littleton even permitted himsel
the shadow of smile at this phase o
the witnesses testimony.
BY Mr.. Vandewater "Do you solemni,
swear that when you were allowed 4
: 20 unattended to a hardware store yol
did not go also to moving plctur
show and remain there? ,"
BY the witness II admit going TO tn
: movies, but i did not remain there.
was much more pleasant at the jail"
Again.
O. what did the sheriff say to yol
the night he took you in his motor car?
A. "He said. Mrs il it is quite con
,, venient / would like you to come alonl
and sit in my car while l am attending
TO a matter in Hampstead. There hav
been a number OF cars stolen lately an
your aid viii be valuable. But do no
come unless it is convenient
! The witness ended his testimony b
saying that he was put at work almos
the moment he entered the jail. II
} was assigned as caretaker of poster
gate and his duties consisted in opeuin
il once a week for a coal wagon TO com
a., In and closing 1t after the coal WACO
: lad gone out.
It was at the end of the session an
: in the course of a Garrison finish whic
J Mr.. Vandewater had prepared for III
!. close of the day that Exalted Rule
= Fishel was described for the first time.
Mr.. Vapdewater had Mr.. Hults, c
. better p. X. Hults, under fire and fun
! a last few questions at him just befor
! adjournment was called
= Ibid prisoner named Fishel eve
i have any strawberSies?'
q II think So"
= Did he have a photograph in h