Year: 1871

| nlgnt 81 IL Oclock az al iu.et
sought by yourself-similar verbal re
quests from yourself and others have
been within the last few weeks received
and declined. The official source anc
subject matters Of your note as ther
read to me and as published by you in
this mornings press, demanded and has
received nv earnest consideration. A
criminal abstract of the papers IRON
the Finance Department seems to bt
the reason for your letter. So far as
ANYTHING is therein suggested, l, in
common with other city officers, now
stand before the public and our consult
uents charged with malfeasance in the
administration of the high trust so long
confded to my care.


The legal proceedings wherein such
charges are made and to be substan'
tiated, if at all, is now on hearing be-
fore a fearless and just tribunal. My
answer thereto is now before the pnbllc,
and my complete defense is ready to be
presented both to that high court, our
constituents, and to the citizens OF New
York at large. My counsel has urged
by my wish, speedy trial and invests
CATION. ] am fearless Of the result and
anxious for the procedure. During
the many years Of my administration OF
this office / have not seen any diminish
ing of public confidence, and such fact
would have been readily marked, moth.
ing being more sensitive to general
opinion than financial administration.


beg leave to differ from your Honor
in thinking the robbery of my Office
creates any unexpected or sudden emer-
gency. | am not apprehensive that
either yourself or the community will
suspect that ain an accomplice in that
depreciation. l am happy to assure
you that it has effected no serious mis-
chief, the archives of the Department
containing ample abstracts of all the
stolen papers. Whoever planned and
executed the crime has reaped no ben
eft and inflicted no injury upon the
public interests. Would not my resig-
nation at this particular time give the
parties making attacks upon the city
government just cause to believe me to
plead guilty not only to participation,
at least passive, in the burglary, but as
well to all the charges now made in the
legal proceedings2 And also it seems
to me that my official acts have been
supported and applauded by your supe-
rior vigilance. So far as my admins
tration is questioned, equal responsible
ity attaches to yourself.


In your answer and affidavit read in
the pending litigation you have adopted
and verified those acts. You could not
justify yourself without so doing. Con-
sequently | do not perceive that my
resignation should be asked nor have |
rendered it. Would it have any just
influence in appeasing the popular
clamor? Confident, therefore, in the
steadfast good opinion of friends, in the
ultimate judgment to be rendered by
the Courts / cannot consistently with
self respect accede to your desire. j
am unable to submit myself as a vica-
rion sacrifice to strengthen the hungry.
appetite of adversaries for a victim, or
at this juncture and under these preca-
rious circumstances, but weakness Of
position or fear Of rigid investigation
by rendering my resignation. cannot
now anticipate the effect upon this
determination future events may pro
duce. When my past administrator
shall be vindicated and the pending
accusation shall be repelled, shall no
fail to act as may seem to be demandet
by the changed circumstances whicl
may then exist.


Very respectfully, your obedien
servant, RICHARD B. CONNOLLY,


Comptroller.


Verdict In the Case of George Lee


The Coroner's jury this afternoon
concluded the inquest in the case Q
George Lee, whose skull was fracture
in a fight on the corner Of Fourth ave
nue. and One Hundred and Twenty
Seventh street on the first Of Sept EN-
ber rendering a verdict to the effect tina
Lee met his death at the hands Of Jane
Valentine, who was arrested as q prir.
cipal at the time Of the affray and ii
consequence be was committed to tn
Tombs.