The New York Herald Newspaper, December 3, 1875, Page 4

4 i, GREEN UNDER TIRE. Commissioner Fitz John Porter’s Assault on the Comptroller. INSTRUCTIVE RETROSPECT. AN Who Voted to Swell the City Debt | by Millions ? General Fitz Joba Porter, Commissioner of Public | Works, has addressed the following spicy letter to | Comptroller Green. It contains an instructive review et the official life of the latter and a caustic criticism | upon his reflections on the recent mauagement of the Department of Public Works:— Durartaxst ov Pouiic Works, Crry Hai, New York, Novremve, How. Avonsw H. Gaexx, Comptroller of the ¢ New York:— Sim—On the 2d of September you addressed a letter to His Honor the Mayor, reflecting upon his supposed Mnattention to what you were pleased to serm the waste- Tul expenditure of the public moneys through this Department The Mayor forwarded the letter Yo me—an unnecessary attention op his part, as you do not detain an expectant public—but, disregarding the restraints of official courtesy, promptly give your ‘elficial correspondence to the press. fo your letter I replied September 20, and sought to answer your allega- tions, because, holding an ottice of dignity and power, you are by some people supposed to be, what I purpose to show you are not—a person whose statements are ct. My correspondence with you and us thus far beem conducted with patience ‘und courtesy. I sincerely regret that the tone your leiier and the inaccuracy of your state- ents, compel me now to plainer language than I should in another case have chosen. With your charac- teristic arrogant and disrespecttul language in your communication to the Mayor, our common superior officer, | have here nothing to say; but you mistake the Judgment of reflecting men if, by intemperate language ‘end unfounded charges, you seek to make them believe that all honesty has been lodged in you and thas eve! ‘body else should be suspected. You became Comp- troller when bad men had recently sacked the city ‘treasury, and you rose to official distinction by apparent contrast with them. The times have changed, and th amen who now fill offiees over which you assume the | function of a chief detective are at least your peers in vall things, and some of them are in many respects your uperiors. It may be well to consider whether you can afford to arraign me or them, unless your proof is as well in hand, or as attainable, as is other proof in which | your personal interests are not small. With th emar«s, which are of no epecial concern to the public, perbaps, 1 come to the text of your late letter lo the Mayor. ‘As a contribution to literature | ‘that portion of your letter which seems to be intended | fora history of the parks is interesting, and some | of it may be veracious. If, however, you coneider that | to be an equivalent for the portion of the sum of | $7,500, paid by you to yourself out of the public purse fn’ 1868, for engaging to write a proper history of the parks, taxpayers may doubt your esti- | mate of its vulue, though it is all they have | had as yet forthe money. The o! parks from 1858 to 1872—that bis Yound in the records of the Park Department, and with which you, as the ruling spirit, then, have @ peculiar ‘obligation to be familiar—does not sustain your state- ments. In my letter of the 20th September, I asserted ‘that you were responsible for expenses of Openings of Streets and other lands to the amount of $23,248,325 18, and I then gave the items as follo The following are the principal street and park openings | mude on the application of Andrew H. Green, as Comptroller | wad Treasurer of the Central Park — d ) ity of 3 mbout you Serenth areuue (widening), 110th street to $412,812 97 | 432,267 00 | “Fifty-ninthi street to’ 155th street. tth avenue and Fifty-ninth street. cholas and widen! ttn 7 venue Highbridge Vark. ingside Park and avenues. ask ‘Triangle at Boulevard, Ninth avenue and Six ird street. 110th street wideming.. dleventh avenue, north ae $20,794,884 16 iild Ge ‘added openings on’ the “ap- | plication of the Department of Public Parks, ‘Mr. Green being still a mem! Triangle at Boulevard, Niuth avenue and Sixty-sixth street 00 52,232 wood street 1,029'875 Boulevard, from 150th street to o2 Kingsbridge road... 1,371,834 00 Total cost of openings. B23,248,525 18 You reply that “this misrepresentation,” and that during the time you were In the service of that department, the total expense incurred for such objects mounted to only $1,456,472 60. As the awards were tm gome cases made after the date you name, your assertion is plausible, but as none of those awards ag have been made without your antecedent author- ity, my ¢i moment yi tiled your maps as required by law, the lands therein mapped out to be taken for public ase, were condemned, and the city became by your act re- sponsible for the cost of the improvement, sooner or later, as the openings might take place, In the further prosecution ef the investigation into the records referred to your mind will be refreshed, not only as to the generai history of the parks, but of your persistent leadership inevery movement that looked to the purchase and working of other property that you say ‘was not required for many years.’’ RIVERSIDE PARK. General Porter proceeds to state Mr. Green’s agency in the acquisition of lands for Riverside Park from the | time, August 11, 1866, when Mr. Green offered the first resolution for it, till August 2, 1872, when its value was fixed at over $6,000,000. He shows that Thomas C. Fields, on June 19, 1872, offered a resolution to stop the proceedings; Dillon voted with him, but Green and Olmstead voting in the negative the motion was lostand | the job pocmanently saddled upon the city. In reference to Mr. Green’s assertion that from 1870 to 1872 he had noinflaence in the Board it is mentioned that the record shows him helping to elect himself treasurer in 1870, with $598,000 to disburse; on May 24 he voted | with the majority to acquire land to widen Kingsbridge | road; September, 27, 1870, he helped to take land for Fort Washington Park, In a schedule appended to the letter ar allusions to several hundred cases in which Mr , most of them calling for the | expendiiure of the public money. Of 120 resolutions Passed between April 20, 1870, and November 2, 1872, calling for $8,559,713, there were thirty-two offered by Mr. Green, 107 passed with bis vote and thirteen with- | out lt, Mr. Green is alluded to as the promoter of tne | scheme for the parade ground at Inwood, the designer | of the “Circle”? and the “Plaza,” Fifty-ninth street | and Eighth and Fifth avenues; he is noted as voting to buy “Highbridge Park,” and as being responsible “for the unnecessary and extravagant width of the Soule- varde and of Sixth and Seventh and St, Nicholas ave- | pues”? i brie! Green w These, your own bantlings, you now denounce as profligate, forgetting your published pathetic appeals “for rapid improvements,” and for outlets even into ‘Westchester county. So long as you remained the su- preme power in the Park Board and were the dispenser of the patronage and funds of the department, all went woll, and ‘public improvements” were urged forward. Now you no longer control the works or dispense vuat patronage and it euits you to insist that the works ust be stopped. ASSOCIATION WITH TOM PIRLDS. As before remarked, you have referred to Thomas 0. Fields as @ “cunning and eorrupt representative and efficient aid of the Ring.” You had every opportu- nity to know bim weil Yetl find by the Journal of the Park Commission this record “For six of the sixteen years the service of the parka each g the otber for the position to which he was clected, ‘Yreasurer or secretary. It was on motion of Mr. Field that your & gs as ‘Treasurer of the Park was increased in June, 1866, from $7,500 to $19,000 per annum, and that (by an arrangoment which « has since been stigmatized as grabbing”), the iucrease was made to date back to January 1 of that year. You seem to have favored the back pay system then and prior, im 1869, though only for the benefit of your own pocket. The records further show that in July, 1863, Mr. Fields secured to you the payment of $7,500 extra compensation in part for compiling the, aa yot, unseen “History of the Parka.” The same day andon Mr. Fields’ motion, leave of absence was given you for ainety days to visit Europe, When you re- turned, and on motion of Mr. Fields again, you were paid by the epartment $1,600 for the expenses of the trip, tough you arew your salary for the whole time 0! your absence, It was by Mr. Fields’ motion, andpby your own vote with his, that the city paid the.cost of lobbying at Aibany and of your ex penses there, and also that the house on Great Hill'was fitted up at the expense of $13,000 asa residence for | you. It appears that whenever an increase of salary ‘was to be voted, Fields offered the resolution, and both he and you voted for it, So, too, of resolutions grant. ing you leave of absence to go abrond with no diminu tion of pay, kc, kc, ko, These wore friendly « very—as between you and this “eunning and corrupt representative and efficient aid of the Ring.” DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIO WO! | You refer to the wasteful manner in which, as you | allege, the affairs of this department are now conducted, | and give especial attention to the previous occupation of some of the inspectors, You also state that upon their inspection my demand is made upon your cepart- ment for payment of employés. Replying to these statements in inverse order, I remark that payment ia not made upon the certificate of these inspectors, and that all work has from time to time finally to undergo the inspection of competent mechanics and also of educated and trusty engineers, knew when you wrote, because ou were together in 4 his vote in fs of | 3% | and this you the certificate | enjoying the hospitalities of the city authorities; | senting to the running of a line of stages on the street, | even lower than they were then, and considerably | The Commissioner's note concludes as follows;— NEW YORK HER! LD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1875.—TRIPLE SHEET. ‘im each case, forwarded to you. 4 may add that, with exceptions inseparable from the employment of large numbers of men, the inspectors have proved themselves competent to discharge their duties. Your own life demonstrates the fact that men often assume that they possess ability to conduct other business | than that for which they were trained, A public ofticer may be misled by confidence reposed im the source of recommendation, ag you have occasion wo know in your own department. You convey a false impression when you asscrt that a blind man Was appointed by me to be an inspector. I have the evidence of the engineers of the bureau in which the man referred to was employed that he is not blind, | and Iam assured that, although on the occasion of bis first visit to your office he was suffering from a tem- jwrary injury in one eye, and was accompanied by his son to ideutify him for payment, on the second visit that defect did not exist, Tho piece of work—an un- derground drain—which he supervised has been fin- ished, and by competent engineers bas been declared Lo be not excelled in quality. The testimony that will most interest our taxpayers, 8 to the economical conduct of the aifairs of this de- partment, will be found in the comparative cost of equal work under my care and (hat heretofore con- dueted under the care of others. I may, under the circumstances, properly anticipate my official annual | report, and say now that the saving to the city will be over thirty-three per cent for work of equal quantity and quality. You can scarcely claim credit tor this. | lum well aware of the danger of prosecuting public | work by days’ wages, and lam aware that evils may | 4 do occur under the system. But I find that the | system was begun and that it was advocated by you, | and that you for a long time justified it and condemned the contract system. [Here follows a quotation from Mr, Green, strongly indorsing the days’ work system for city work, espe- cially in laying of Croton water pipes.) APPOWTMENTS. As to the appointments, it has beon the mistortune of our goveroments—federal, State and municipal—to have appointments largely influenced by political con- siderations. ven the Civil Service law of the federal government does not seem to have lived an active life. The Park Depart- ment has been no exception in this matter of politi- cal influences in making appoimtments to office. In 1809 the Purk Department expended $601,227 U4 on the Boulevard improvement for days’ labor; aud in the | fall of that year Mr. Fields was elected to’ the Assem- | bly from the district in which the work was located. It | may have been admitted by one of my subordinates to | the Senate Commitice that political appointments were | made in this department; but 1 can truly assert that ho appointments have ever been made here unless th was actual work to be performed for which | the applicants were deemed competent. It isalso true, | as was stated before the committee, that in no case | where incompetency has been shown have I hesitated & moment in removing the officer. I have more than once requested you to indicate to me the presence of unfit or inefficient men in this department, but you have Kept silent upon that subject in direct commini- | cations to me, and the Senate Committee was your pre- | The indictment was found and filed in the Court of | wise th | ished to mod or material fu ‘The commupication was placed on file. The general order empowering the Commissioner of Public Works to lay water pipes, mains, &c., to enlarge the distribution of the Croton’ water in the city, and especially in the two new wards, and to supply 4he | islands in the East River, was lost by a vote of 4 to 6. ‘The Board adjourned at four P. M., aud will meet again on Thursday. THE CONVICTED MURDERERS. APPLICATION FOR WRITS OF ERROR AND RE- VIEW OF THE CASE OF THE THREE CON- DEMNED NEGROES DENIED—A FINAL AND UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORT ON BEHALF OF DOLAN, At the sitting of the Supreme Court, General Term, yesterday, before Chief Justice Davis, Judges Brady and Daniels, application was made for a review of and a reversal of judgment in the cases of William Elis, | Willam Thompson and Charles Weston, the negrocs | now under sentence of death for the murder of | the Jew pedler, in Lydig's woods, near West Farms, in September last, Messrs. Kintzing and Mott, coun- sel for the condemned, obtained a writ of error, and, as Judge Davis made it returuable forthwith, the argu- ment was immediately proceeded with, District Attor- ney Phelps and Mr, Rollins appearing for the prose, cution, It was argued by counsel that the Court of Oyer and Terminer acquired no jurisdiction to try the indictment, General Sessions, and, in opposition to the wishes of the prisoners, was transferred to tue Court of Oyer and Ter- miner, after issues joined, The act authorizes the trans- fer of an indictment for trial only, saying nothing about the transfer after issue joined. The District Attorney selected the Court of General Sessions as the tribunal in which to indict, he arraigned the prisoners, and upon this arraignment issue was joined, In the case of a conviction in the Court of General Sessions, an appel- late court has and it is its duty to review the whole case de novo, and do subtantial justice; it has the power to reverse the judgment in case of an erroneous ruling, without any exteption taken at the trial, while the Court has no power in case of conviction in the Court of Oyer and Terminer to reverse a conviction upon the facts, no matter how unjust the verdict, ferred channel ior conveying the information, Those who know you have no difficulty in divining reasons | for that course. I am sorry to say that, from my | entrance upon the duties of this office, 1 have | experienced nothing but interference on your | part, and obstructions to my efforts to make a success. ful administration of this department, On the 15th of | April last you required me to dispense with the time | honored system of triplicate vouchers, which is one of | the strongest guards against fraud, and is the only means of keeping a correct account of expenditures and | balances, and in its’stead you demanded that the system of single vouchers be substituted. Under the former system each creditor of the city had to give this depart. | ment triplicates of each bill; one of these was ke here and was compared with the triplicate returned by your department aiter payment. Actual collusion between this department and the | Finance Department had to take place under such a | system to render fraud possible. Against my remon- | strance, you despotically broke down this safeguard, | which could by no possibility do any harm. Under it | all reductions or changes in accounts ware promptly | reported to this department, Not only did your de- | transactions, if amy should be attempted. Yet this uniform and simple triplicate record of the city pay- ments—almost abolishing the danger coming trom ac- cidental or intentional destruction or abstraction of | youchers—you have broken up without assigning any reason, but to “promote uniformity and simplicity” in the form of rendering accounts, and this existed at the time. A section of the charter, which was intended to give you power to increase the security of the city in matters of accounts, you have perverted and have as to what your motives are is not germane to this note, THE OWSTKUCTIVE POLICY. large and uno: expenditures of the public money, your present “dle” is that of reform and re- trenchment, To this no reasonable objection will be made. But anxious as all classes of citizens are to adopt a sound policy of retrenchment, they will Promptly distinguish between a mere ’ obstructive policy and genuine reform. Your interference with the duties of this department, ever since your ac- ceasion to the Comptrollership,’ has crippled it in ex- tending the system for giving the city a better supply of water, and to it, through your influence, is mainly due the failure to sucure authority for additional mains to increase the supply of water in the lower and busi- ness portions of the city, which were needed and de- manded ag urgently as now for the preservation of property. A notable instance of the damaging effects of your obstruetive interference has just occurred. The fire which destroyed a large amount of property in Nas- sau and Ann streets, a fow days ago, could readily have been checked had the Croton mains been laid which ments remain correct in fact’ The this department has been urgently asking the power to do. If you think property holders and insurers are likely | to mistake your “policy” in these matters for true economy, you underrate their sense and final judg- | ment. Finally, I had not forgotten that upon my acceasion to this office, you had the temerity to say to me, upon an occasion, which you have not forgotten, that if I did | not rid myself of the influences about me in this de- | partment and down there (pointing toward the | Mayor's office), you would ‘make me feel your | power.” The prompt apology which was required | from such an exhibition of insolence seems to have | been a retraction of your words only and not an aban- | donment of the purpose to attempt what the words ex- | Pressed. During my continuance in this office I shall | Jaithfuily endeavor to perform, its duties, unconcerned as to the opinion of one whose co-operation I once earnestly desired and by the side of whose official record I shall fear no comparison. | Respectfully, FITZ JOHN PORTER, Commissioner of Public Works. | | WHO IS MAYOR OF NEW YORK? His Honor Mayor Wickham has been absent from his office for several days, and visitors are wondering where | he ia. One authority places him tn Philadelphia, meas- | uring the dimenstons of the Centennial buildings and another says that he ts shooting “canvas backs” with John Kelly in thé marshes of Long feland, while still | another puts him in training for a New Jersey tox hunt President Lew , of the Board of Alderm i, 18 acting | Mayor, and was yesterday recognized as the Mayor by the Board of Aldermen. “An Alderman inclined to joke | on grave subjects suggested that Mr. Wickbam bas acted upon the advice of the Henatn, and taken a trip to Europe. BOARD OF ALDERMEN. COMMISSIONER PORTER AND THE WORKING | MEN-—-NO ADVANCE TO BE MADE IN WAGES. | In the absence of the President Alderman Shandiey | was called to the chair yesterday in the Board of Aldtr- | men. Among the petitions presented was one signed | by fifty property owners on Forty-second street, con- » | to connect the Grand Central depot with the Elevated | Railroad. 11 was reterred to the Committee on Streets, | A petition from the Bricklayers’ Association, repre- | senting 5,000 mechanics, was read and referred to the | appropriate committee, A communication was received from the Police Com- joners, recommending that authority be given | them to fill in the sunken meadows on the southeast | side of Randall’s Isiand with fresh ashes, to be covered over with pure oil. It {s claimed that the land thus reclaimed to the city will be worth $1,000,000, and such proposed improve ment will enable the Street Cleaning Department to find a receptacle for the surplus ashes that may be gathered during the winter. Accompanying the com- munication was a certificate from-Commissioner Blant, | of the Board of Pilot Commissioners, stating that the | proposed work would not interrupt navigation. | Alderman McOarthy asked that it be laid over, thay the people of the Twenty-third Assembly district, who | are interested, may have something to say. H. fore, moved that !t be reterred to the Commi Roads. Commissioner Porter, in response to the resolution of the Board asking heads of departments if they in- | tended to obey the order of the Hoard increasing the pay of laborers to $2 per day, sent a long communica- committee, stating the reasons why the present rate | of wages had been adopted, The reasons «tated in | that communication why the rate should not be In- | creased still exist, he #aid; and, indeed, there are now ronger reasous because the market rates of labor are lower than the figures by this departinent allowed, Yon are aware that the law makes it incumbent not mpon | the Common Council, but upon ench ot the several execu- ve departinents of ihe city government to Bx for tesell the Fates of wages by It paid. ‘That function haa been exercixed | by mo, am ommissioner of Public Works, with @ profound | sense of the obilgation which is apen me so to administer my trust as to full my duty to the whole community and to all classes, It is not likely that any Individual member of the Board habitoaliy pays to such laborers or workmen as may be Noyed by him, at his own expense, wages very conslde in excess of the market rates, except when he gives away his money as a gratuity or in charity, and I am unwilling to Suppore that any member of the Board, if filling the respon- sible office now occupied by me, would’ administer it other- wise than under @ sense of duty, or would allow public of such inspection secompanies the * vouch. Mowe vs under Lis chacee vo be disbursed ax oratuition aw =+h -- tment “audit and control,’ but this department | i constant evidence of ‘tho exact chango you | Dad any | Tight to summon the Jury; baving had made or the exact amount paid. ° It a 4 haa ae ts eae ni {| Jury it follows that the persons so drawn were not a aa one nee eespomsibilie “for “ieproper | awful jury. Again thy Mayor had no authority to re- 'B iB sag y prope move Douglas Taylor ftom the office of Commissioner made a eource of danger to the Treasury. A discussion | Notwithstanding your record as an official favoring without an exception. The prisoner had a vested right to be tried in the Court of General Sessions, issue having been joined upod the indictment; the Court had no right to transier the indictment, in which trans- ferring the prisoners were deprived of certain privi- | leges conferred by the pct of 1855. {t was further contended that the prisoners interposed a challenge to the array of petit jurors on the ground that the panel was improperly drawn, having been drawa by Thomas Dunlap instead of Douglis Taylor. The District Attor- ney demurred to the plea, defendants joined in the murrer and the Court gave judgment for the people upon this demurrer. The District Attorney, by the demurrer, admitted all the facts alleged in the plea ‘The Revised Statutes prévide the mode and manner of drawing petit jurors for }he Oyer and Terminer, and that is by the County Clark, Sheriff and Judge. So far as this question is concetned it is no matter whether Dunlap or Taylor was Canmissioner of Jurors; neither | | | | of Jurors and appoint Thomas Dunlap to that office. The act under which that power ts claimed related to the ‘city of New York, and not tothe county. The | ofice of Commissioner of Jurors is # county office, The Mayor's power can only extend to’ the appointing | of officers strictly limited in their nature to the city. | Certainly the Court erred in refusing to appoint triers | | at request of prisoner's counsel upon the challenge to | favor. The Legislature passed an act authorizing tne court to actas trier for favor. It was further | claimed that the act was unconstitutional, It is in de- | rogation of the common law right of trial by jury as prescribed at common taw. Tho Court of Appeals Lave | held that the act of 1872, chapter 475, empowering the Court to act as trier upon challenge for cause is consti- | tutional, but leave it au open question as to the power | of the Legislature to commit to a judge the power to act as trier for favor. Judge Grover, in tho case of Stokes, clearly intimated as his opinion that the accused could suffer no injury should the Court err in deciding as to the impartiality | of juror upon a chalienge to cause, because after all | the question of his fitness or unfitness to serve as a juror, whethér he stood indifferent between the people and the accused 18 left to the triers upon the challenge to favor. Assistant District Attorney Rollins contended in op- | position that as the law says the General Sessions | Judge may transfer certain cases to the Oyer and Ter- miner Court the matter was wholly discretionary. As | | tothe second point the Commissioner of Jurors has | | nothing to do with drawing or selecting jurors. The | law says yho shall be jurors aud the Commisstoner | only says who shall be excepted. ‘The law of 1873 al- | | lowed the Judge to try the challenge. ble approximation to tne { ‘THE CASE OF JOHN DOLAN, After hearing the argument on the application of the negroes, the Court listened for an equally long time to | an application for a writ of error and stay of execution | made by Mr. William F. Howe on behalf of John Dolan, sentenced to be hanged on the 10th inst. for the murder of James H. Noe at his store in Greenwich street. The application was based substantially on the same grounds | previously pressed on behalf of the negroes, District Attorney Phelps, however, in reply to the argument made by Mr. Howe, urged the additional points that the proper way to object to the Grand Jury was to move to quash the indictment or to aver that certain members of the Grand Jury were improper jurors. After hearing the arguments the Court took a recess. | The decisions in all the cases were awaited with con- | siderable interest, At half-past four o’clock the jadges | | came into court. | Judge Brady rendered the decision of the Court in the case of Charles Westoti, holding that no error had been committed by the Judge on tue trial, and aflrm- ing the judgment. | Chief Justico Davis gave the unanimous opinion of the Court in the cases of William Ellis and William Thompson, also holding that there was no error com- mitted, and affirmed the jadgment of the Court below. Coutisellor Kintzing subsequently intimated that he | intended applying for a writ of error to the Court of | Appeals, which was now in session, as well as for a | review of the whole case, in the hope of naving a final | decision rendered before the 17th inst, the day Gxed | for the execution. Judge Daniels rendered the unanimous decision of the Court, setting forth that there was no error com- mitted by Judge Barrett upon the trial, and refused the writ of error and stay of execauon. Whatever errors, if any, were committed, were not prejudicial to the prisoner, THE EXECUTIONS—-LETTEBR FROM THE GOVERNOR TO SHERIFF CONNER. During business hours yesterday Sheriff Conner re- ceived the following letter from Governor Tilden in re- lation to the execution of the sentences of death to be enforced during December :— Strate oy New York, Execurive Caamnen, } 1 Albany, Nov. 27, 1875.” § iam ©, Conner, Sheriff ot the county of New | Wi Sie—In relation to the executions to take place m your county during the coming month the Governor directs me to call your attention to the statute relating to that subject, and especially to the provision of sec- tion 2, chapter 258, Laws of 1835, prescribing the per- sons that may be permitted to witness the executions, He expects that the statute will not only be literally complied with, but that its provisions will mot be evaded by the unnecessary appointment of special deputies or otherwise. He deems this caution proper, for the reason that it has come to his knowledge that upon previous like oc- casions in other States and counties large numbers of persons not allowed by law to be present have been permitted to witness the dying agonies of the crim- inals. With respect to the details, which left by statute to your discretion, the Governor does not doubt that you will take every pains to prevept the recurrence of those shocking scenes which In some instances, in other States and counties, have within the present year disgraced the administration of justice and the officers concerned. 1am, respectfully, yours, CHAS, STEBBINS, Private Secretary. MURDEROUS JOE FARRELL. ‘The subjoined ante-mortem etatement of James Reilly, who was knocked down on the 16th alt. by a paving stone thrown at him by @ man named Joe Farrell, who ie still at large and believed to be in Brooklyn, was taken by Coroner Kessler, at Bellevue | Hospital, yesterday :— tion, im which he declines to comply, for the reasons A man named Joe Farrell struck me on the bead with that on the 9th of June, after an inter. | ® Paving stove, in Forty-ninth street, near where I View with ® commiliee of the Board of | live, on the 16th or November, ‘The only reason T can “ “ letter to the | £!¥¢ for bis assault on me ix that, about an hour before, Aldermen, he addressed a Fed ordered nite out of the place where I am a porter. Before he struck me he was behaving In @ dis- orderly manner, fighting with a boy, and, as I could not tolerate such conduct, | ordered’ him’ out of my store, He went out, but remained hing me, and when he got an opportunity threw the stone at me. I offered him no violence or provocation at any time. | Cannot say what happened immediately afterward., 1 do not expect to recover from my wound. I am twenty-five years old, a native of Ireland. A KAILROAD FREAK. A freight train coming along the Erie Ratlway, near Glen Rock, on Wednesday evening, met with ap acci- dentin having one of the trucks under @ box car thrown from the track, and the train ran a distance of about two miles to Hawthorne before it was stopped, and during that me the truck had run between the tracks the whole two miles on the frozen grouns# No a-—-=9 was doue and Bo one Was injured. | as 8 corporation without being duly incorporated. } | | | } TAMMANY HALL. THE FORVEITURE OF ITS CHARTER—HOW THE SOCIETY CAN BE DISSOLVED—oRINIONS OF LEADING LAWYERS. ‘i {From the Evening Post,] The recent publication in the Kvening Post of » his- tory of the Tammany Society has attracted much at- tention to the legal standing of that body, in view of its notorious departure from the objects of its incor- poration. ‘fhe charter, which we recently gave in full as it was granted by the Legislature in 1805, pro- vides that the members of the Society may hold real and personal property in their corporate capacity, ‘for the purpose of enabling them better to carry into effect the benevolent purpose of aflording relief to the indigent and distressed.” The preamble to the act of incorporation sets forth the object of the Society to be “the purpose of affording fellef to the distressed members of the said association, their widows and or- phans, and others who may be found proper objects of their charity.” No other object is named in the charter, Application has been made toa number of leading lawyers to ascertain their opinions as to the legal grounds existing for acompulsory dissolution of the society, and the methods which can be adopted to reach this end. It has been commonly supposed among laymen that the Legislature had power to re- peal or modify the charters of all private ¢orporations, but in this case the remedy for abuse appears to Ite wholly in the courts. At least this was the opinion of the lawyers consulted who were willing to pronounce @ definite judgment, It also appears that thore is ade- quate provision of law for the dissolution of all corpo- rations which misuse their. chartered privileges, even if those are not dependent upon the will of the Legisla- ture. Ex-Attorney General Francis C. Barlow, when ques- tioned upon the subject, said that he believed there was sufficient legal cause for depriving the Tammany Society of its charter. The power to do so, however, did not rest in the Legisla- ture, Since the decision of the famous Dart- mouth College case by the Supreme Court of the United States, in 1819, it had been held that an act of incorpo- ration, unless specially limited, could not be repealed or materially altered by a State Legislature, on the ground that it was a contract within the meaning of the provision in the Constitution of the United States which forbids any State to pass a law impairing the ob- ligations of contracts, After this decision it became the practice in this State to insert a clause in acts of in- corporation making them repealable at the pleasure of the Legislature, Finally, in December, 1827, a general law was passed, as follows: The charter of every corporation that shall hi ranted by the Logislagure shall be subject to Suspension and repeal in the discretion of the Lagi General Barlow said that the charter of the Tammany Society could not come within the operation of any of these limitations, as it was granted in 1805, ‘The case of the society would, however, come directly within the provisions of law which relate to the misuse of cor- porate powers and provide a remedy by judicial pro- ceedings. Section 430 of the Code is as follows:— An action may be brought by the Attorney Ge name of the people of this State on leave granted by Supreme Court, or a Judge thereof, for the purpose of vacat- ing the charter or aunuiling the existence of « corvoration other than municipal, whenover such corporation shall — Fire—Offend ayainst any of the provisions of the act or acts creating. altering or renewing such corporation ; or, ‘Second-—Violate the provisions of any law by which guch on shall have forfeited it charter by abuse of its r "d—Whenever it shall have forfeited ita privileges or franchises by failure to exercise its powers; or, Fourth—Whenever it shall have done or omitted any act which amounts to a surrender of its corporate rights, privi- delat Sera Tara casvaiee &tracchiss 40 petviage ast | uit shal exorcise @ franchise or no conferred upon it by law. Lie And it shall be the duty ofthe Attorney General, whenever he shall have reason to believe that any of these act omissions can be established by proof, to apply for i ‘nd upon leave granted to bring the action in every ublic interest, and in every other case in which ‘= factory security shull be given to indemnify the people of thls State against ‘the costs and expenses to be incurred ereby. ‘The hext section provides that “leave to bring the action may be granted upon the application of tho At- torney General, and the Court or Judge may, at dis cretion, direct notice of such application to be given to the corporation or its officers previous to granting pe leave and may hear the corporation in opposition thereto,’ General Barlow said he thought it perfectly clear that the charter of the Tammany Society could be for- feited under the provisions of either the third or the fifth clause in section 430, The society had forfeited its privileges by failure to exercise its charitable powers and also by its exercise of functions whick it | ‘was not incorporated to perform. When Attorney General, be had occasion to proceed | agatngt two corporations on the latter ground. One of those was the New York Plate Glass Company, which was incorporated under the general act for manutac- turing purposes, but which began the bust ness of” insuring windows against breakage. The. other was the Mutual Benefit Society of the United States, which was incorporated under the general act relating to benevolent organizations, but was found to be substantially doing a life insurance business. He brought suit in the name of the people against both of these companies, and in each case ob- tained a decree dissolving the corporation on the ground that it was exercising powers not conferred by its charter, ‘The principle of law was perfectly plain that a corpo- ration organized to do one thing could not do some- thing else entirely different, The Tammany Society was incorporated for benevolent purposes, but, neg- Jecting these, had devoted itself entirely to the pani ment of local politics. It was therefore legally guilty of both non-user and misuser of its corporate powers. General Barlow also suggested that tho members of the society might be proceeded against by the Attorney General of his own motion, under the provisions of | section 432 of the Code. This provides that an action may be brought by the Attorney General in the nane of the people of this State, upon his own information or upon the complaint of any'private party, when any asso- ciation or number of persons shall act within this State He thought that suit might be brought against the sachems and other members of Tammany under thta enactment, saying that whon they ect up the charter of 1805 ag a defence the reply would be that it did not in corporate them to conduct the business in which they are engaged. Another prominent lawyer, however, who wished to have his name withheld, did’ not think that this mode of proceeding would be ‘successtul. He said that the only proper method was a suit under the provistous of section 430, on the ground of misuser or non-nser, Under the Dartmonth College deciston, which had been reaffirmed again and again, the Legislature bad no power in the matter. Judge Enoch L. Fancher, atter examining the Tam- | many charter and referring to authorities, expreased the oninion that the charter was legally forfeitable on both grounds—non-perlormance and misuser. He cited the following passage in Abbott's “Digest of the Law of | Corporations. ‘A non-pertarmanee of the conditions of the act of incorpo- ration is per «e. misuser thet will forfeit the grant. The same principles of torfeitaro om faliure to perform conditions which are applicable to the case of grants to individuals are to be applied to grants of corporate power by the act of ineor- poration. Annexed to this statement of the law is a reference, among other cases, to the decision of the Supreme Court of this State 1m 1840 in the matter of the People . against The Kingston and Middletown Turnpike Com- pany, 28 Wendoll, 193. The opinion of the Court in this case’ was rendered by Chief Justice Nelson, who de- clared that a non-performance of the conditions of an act of incorporation was a misuser which woald forfeit the grant even at common law, Mr. Augtin Abbott, when applied to on the subject, said that he was not'sufficiently familiar with the facts of this case to give an unqualified opinion of its merits, If, however, the fact could be established that the Tam- many Society, incorporated as a benevolent organiza tion, had entirely coased to be one, its charter could be | forfeited. Neglect to exercise its powers was nota | forfeiture per se. The remedy lay in the courts, through an action instituted by the Attorney General, Under the decision in the Dartmouth College case a charter granted before 1827 could not be repealed by the Legislature, Mr. Nelson J. Waterbury, ex-Grand Sachem of the Tammany Society, declined to express an opinion as to tho legal grounds for taking away the cl asked the question of fact, whether, throughout his connection with the order, he had ever known it to ex- ercise the functions of a charitable society, he also de- clined to answer. He said that while entirely opposed to the present system of rule in Tammany Hall, and believing that the General Committee should be chosen by popular vote, he saw no reason why the demoeratio party of this city, with @ reformed erganization, should not retain the Tammany building in Fourteenth street as its headquarters. He therefore did not wish to be quoted as saying anything which might tend toa contraty result, Mr. Wheeler H. Peckham said that he was not familiar enough with the facts to give ap opinion ag to the prob- able success of a snit to deprive. Tammany Hall of ite charter, The principle of law involved was very clear, | however, ‘The statutes provided that the rights and privileges of any private corporation could be forteited upon its failure for @ year to exercise its corporate powers, If it could be proved that the Tammany Soci- ety, having been incorporated solcly for benevolent purposes, had wholly neglected to carry them out for a number of years, a decree of dissolution could be ob- ‘oper legal proceedings in bebulf of the people, It was suggested by another lawyer that, while the Legislature had no direct power the case, it might Appoint @ committee of inquiry to examine the question whetber good grounds existed for » forfeitare of the charter, Then, if the report wasin the affirmative, resolution might be passed laysng the facts before the Attorney General. ‘As to @ suggestion that it might be difficult for the | Prosecution to prove & negative in this case—that is, to | prove'that the society is not in any respect of a benevo- lent character—another member of the Bar said that he thought snfficient evidence could be obtained on this point by summoning the officers of the society as wit- eutenant Governor Stewart L. Woodford, of the | law firta of Arnoux, Ritch & Woodford, said that if it could be proved that the Tammany Society bad practi- cally ce to be @ charitable society, t seemed to him that a competent court, on application duly made, would decree its dissolution for the misuser or non-user of its functions, He remarkod that of course he could | done by it beyond ite large express no opinion as to tne facts in regard to tne char- itable work of the society, although ho thought every- one would #e surprised to learn of any charitable work contributions to the pub- olliceholders to the public lic debt and by ite gifts o service, NOTEWORTHY OPINIONS OF THE PRESS ON THE DOWNFALL OF TAMMANY. Undoubtedly it (the Tammany Society) should be abolished, like any other evil.—Lockport (N. ¥.) Jour- nat (rep.) [t ts secret in its operations and its work is well aa to be public plunder.—Lockport (N. ¥.) Journal rep. It has made some large dividends on vory small in- vestments, and the members of the firm will, we pre- Sume, be loath to close up business and disband. —Lock- portqN. ¥.) Journat (rep.) It has been the instrument of a cabal of selfish and Unprincipled democrats to win and retain power, and to actually defeat and destroy that influence of the people in shaping government which our constitution and laws guarantee to them.—Lebanon (Pa.) Courier (rep.) It enabled Tweed, Tilden and their confréres to dom- inate for years in New York politics, and Tilden to-day is using it tostrengthen his prospects for the Presi- dency,—Lebanon (Pa.) Courier (rep.) The press is making a most vigorous war on it, de- manding the repeal of its charter and its consequent destruction, and the people are becoming aroused to its evil character, and see that with it in successful opera- tion the legitimate power of the citizen cannot be ex- ercised,—Lebanon (Pa) Courier (rep.) We see evidences throughout the country of a rising antagonism to the influence that different secret soci- eties have been exerting on political affairs for some years past, This influence has been felt in almost all sections of the country; and as it is in direct war with the spirit of a free government by the people, it cannot be tolerated and will not be tolerated, when public at- tention 1s directed to it.—Lebanon (Pa.) Courier (rep.) For three generations the democratic party of New York, and incidentally of the mation, has been subject to the arrogant and outrageous sway of Tammany Hall; and now that public opinion has defeated that power, it is urged by the New York papers, at least by the Times and the Heraxp, that it only remains for the people who are more immediately interested to make the over- throw of Tammany certain and conclusive, by compel- ling the Legislature to pags an act abolishing the charter of that corrupt and preposterous organization—Quincy (1) Whig (rep.) In a free government like ours there is no excuse for & secret politfcal society, and such societics can only be regarded as conspiracies against the rights of all the citizens outside of them.—Lebanon (IU.) Whig (rep.) The feoling is, that the politics of New York have too long been controlled by a secret socicty of irre- sponsible men, who through their secret machinations have robbed the people of their due influence in the management of public affairs.—Lebanon ([U.) Whig (rep.) . The question is now seriously discussed of asking the Legislature to repeal the charter under which Tammany Hall was organized, The leading newspapers of New York regard this society as a standing menace to good and honest government, and subversive of trug demo- cratio principles. —Hudson (NV. ¥.) Star (ind.) ‘The recent election in New York clearly demonstrated that not only had the influence of that once powerful Organization (Tammany) passed away, but that the principles upon which it was founded were not in ac. cordance with the form of government now exisiting in this country.— Washington Chronicle (rep.) Here is a society, working entirely in secresy, and for that feature, if for no other, decidedly objection able, composed exclusively of such members as it may choose to admit, having no delegated political authority whatsoever, and yet presuming to say to the large body of democratic voters of New York city that they must vote only for suck candidates as may be selected by 1t.— Washington Chronicle (rep. ) By acknowledging the assumed authority of Tam- many and ytelding obedience to its mandates, the democracy have, in point of fact, for years past, been disfranchised.— Washiagton Chronicle (rep.) Ifanything more were needed to convince the people of that city that the scathing rebuke which they have | Siven it should long ago have been administered the speeches since made by its arrogant chief, John Kelly, would be amply sufficient. With what cool and im- pudent assurance he tells them that the candidates “whom he offered them” were superior to those whom. they, “in their momentary passion,” have elected !— Washington Ohronicle (rep.) Whatever may have been the causy there are but fow ontside of its own membership to regret tts dowafall. — Washinglom Chronicle (rep.) Ifany association is needed let the proposed ‘Com- mittee of Safety” be urged forward, which, it 1s ox- pected, will unite the best men of the city tn one grand effort to redeem its character.— Washington Chronich CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. QUESTIONS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMERCE OF NEW YORE—THE CUBAN DIFFICULTY—VICE PRESIDENT WILSON'S DEATH. The Chamber of Commerce held its monthly meeting yesterday afternoon, President Samuel D. Babcock im the chair, Among those present were Messrs. Willian M. Vermilye, Samuel B, Ruggles, Elliot C. Cowdin, B. L. Solomon, William J. Peake, George W. Laue and William E. Dodge. The following nominations, reported on behalf of the Executive Committee by Mr. G, W. Lane, for member- ship, were elected : Francis B. Arnold, August G. Blume, Murshall T, Davidson, Lyman R. Greene, Samuel W. Jobuson, Enos F, Jones, Lowell Lincoln, Jacob Lorillard, Einil Oelber- man, A. L, Richards, John P. Townsend, Bartow W. Van Voorhis, Joseph 0, Williams, Henry #. Nesmith, George B. Lunt, Charles L. Wright, James A. Vi Brunt, Ferdinand A. Crocker, Charles K. Jayne, J. HL Winchester, Franklin Woodruff, Vernon H. Brown, The Executive Committee, which was directed at the November meeting to report a momorial in favor of the Passage, for the second time, by the Legislature, of the resolution passed at the last session proposing am amendment to the constitution committing the MANAGEMENT OF THE CANALS to the sole direction ofasuperintendent of public works, asked, through Mr. Ruggles, leave for further ttm until the regular meeting in January next, to prepal and submit such memorial. The Chamber was aware hat under its order the Executive Committee, during the last season of navigation, had taken active meas- ures to ascertain the actual depth of water in the Erie Canal and existing obstructions to its navigation. The report made by the engineer employed, which was published in most of the city newspapers, had suf- ficiently shown these obstructions to warrant further inquiry and active measures to remedy the evil, For the purpose of more fully ascertaining the facts, Mr. Solon Humphreys, chairman of the committee, had ad- dressed a letter of inquiry to the Auditor of the Canal Department, which had not yet been answered, but which he hoped would be fully answered before the mecting of the Legislature in January. The committee, there- fore, asked leave to defor the presentment of the me- mortal until the regular meeting in January next, On the suggestion, of Mr. William E, Dodge the com- mittee were directed to ascertain from the al Auditor whether the letter of inquiry had been recei L. A draft of a bill to be presented to Congress for en- actment was handed in by Captain Ambrose Snow, trance to the harbor of New York an offence punish- able by a fine of $250, and making the entorcement of this pros ikine the duty of the Collector of the Port and the revenue officers, The subject was referred to the committee of the Chamber charged with the con- sideration of questions of this nature. THR CUBAN DIFFICULTY, On motion of Mr. Charles Watrous a special com mittee of five was appointed by the President to con- sider what effect the longer continuance of the.strug- gles in Cuba will have ou the commerce of this coun- try and to report whether in their judgment the Cham- ber should take any steps to memorialize Congress o1 this subject. The following gentlemen comprise the committee:—Charles Watrous, Jose V. Onativia, Lloyd Aspinwall, H. H. Swift and F.'B. Thurber, ‘The President, on motion of Mr. John F. Henry, was authorized to appoint a delegation of five to attend the third annual Convention of the American Board of Transportation and Commerce, to be held at Chicago on the Lith inst. The-following gontlemon were appointed such delegates:—John F. Henry, E. R. Durkee, F. B Thurber, Charles Watroas and James 8. Barron, On behalf of the Building Committee Mr. Dodge re- ported that a communication had been received from the Secretary of the Treasury stating that as the gov- ernment no further use for the old Post office site he would recommend its sale. A communication on the sabject of navigating the Erie Canal by steam, received from Mr. A. J. Marshall, was referred to the 'Committeo of Internal Trade and Improvements. THR LATE VIO# PRESIDENT. Mr. Elliot 0, Cowdin offered the {following resolution, on the death of the late Vico President Wilson, prefac- ing them by a few briet eulogistic remarks :— Resolved, That the members of the Chamber of Commerce the State of New York received the announcement of the death of Henry Wilson, Vice Prosident of the United States, with feelings of profound sensibility. This Chamber re- Eads him asone of the most remarkable men which this odaced, and whose decease has created @ and in the ranks of our states lity it will be bscuri high moral courage, bench in a rur ature ‘of Mamachasevts, nto of the United States, ser, ‘and Choate, and wets, preserve the confidence of his constituency, sisted of the inhabitants of a small township or the citizens of @ great commonwealth or the penple of the whole nation. Always the friend of humanity, especially of the toiling porpey oye e or color, and the warm advo- ‘equal rights of all classes of his follow citizens, he his career cause of which the government Mr. Wilson b nd the cea our ee eee mon sehoals, the supporter of every policy wl mn develop the resources of the aang og beprore ite i 68, (rep.) Let its charter be repealed as soon as possible, thus ending {ite miserable career,— Washington Chronicle (rep.) ‘The Tammany charter is plainly in peril of forfeiture, Instead of the repeal by the Legislature of 1876 of the act of incorporation—the nataral and simplest method— proceedings to dissolve the society may be begun by Attorney General Fairchild when he comes into office next month. Mr. Fairchild will have no difficulty fn proving that this society, which is charitable in theory: {s only political in practice.—New York Boeing Post (rep.) TAMMANY GENERAL COMMITTEE. ‘The Tammany Hall General Committee held its regu- lar monthly meeting last evening, with Mr. Abram 8. Hewitt presiding. The attendance of members was quite large. The report of the treasurer showed « balance on hand of $1,133 68, A committee of three was appointed to audit the treasurer's account and to report at the first meeting of the next General Com- mittee, Mr. Augustus Schefl, Thomas Duniap and Mr. Thomas Cooper Campbell were named by the Chair as members of such a committee, LIBERAL REPUBLICANS. ‘The Liberal Republican General Committee met last night at No. 1,266 Broadway, with Mr. B. F. Manierre in the chair, Resolutions were adopted calling Assem- bly district meetings on Monday, December 27, to elect delegates to the General Committee and officers of the respective districts for the next year. » Mr. 8. J. Glassey offered a resolu’ which was unanimously adopted, tndorsing the appointment of RY ry commission by Governor Tilden to propose the government of cities. General Cochrane pro) ds resolation eulogizing the late Vice President Wilson. After its unanimous adoption the committee adjourned. A STRANGE FREAK. Mise Sarah Ward, aged about twenty-eight years, daughter of Jadgo Ward, of St, Paul's avenue, Tomp- kinsville, Staton Island (donor of the land on which St, Paul's Memorial church is built), visited a New York dentist on Monday last to have some teeth extracted, and took laughing gas, She remained under the influ- ence of the gas for a considerable time, and when she finally recovered the idea seems to have struck her that it would bo a good joke to frignten her folks at home by telegraphing to the Rev, A. N. Stanley, rector of St, Paul’s, that she was dead, She accordingly sont despatch to the rector, who was preaching at the time in observance of 8t. Andrew's Day, that she bad died from the effects of inhaling laughing gas. The startling announcement caused great consternation among the congregation, the young lady being well known to them all. The services were at once con- claded, and word was sent to her father, who hastened to the dentist’s place of business, where he was sur- rised as well as overjoyed to learn that his daughter Tad ‘but a short time previously left for home in excel- lent health. When asked by hor parents what induced her to send such a despatch she said that she did it for fan, LONG ISLAND FISHERIES, ‘This has beon a busy ecason with the Bridgehampton fisherme: During the month of November the bass fishing companies did not catch as many asin some former seasons, but some good hauls were mado, Cap- tain Charies A. Ludlow’s company caught ton none morning, worth in New York about $280, and a few days afterward Captain Jutten Bennett’s company caught another ton at the inlet of Mecox Bay, Inside the bay, with the pounds, gill nets and fykes, probably more than a ton of flathish are captured every night, besid y perch and bass, Harry Rose’s company canght 200 bass in a Ground Creek, and on the same day Henry Cook caught 800 perch in Sagg Pond. HOBOKEN’S EDUCATED PEOPLE. ‘The letter carriers attached to the Hoboken Post Office report their business for the month of November as follows:—Letters delivered, 20,940; postal sarda de- livered, 4,110; papers age 5 108; letters collected, 7,774; postal cards collected, 2 Vi he held various elective yours, pA w stronger ngOr his decease, and” that ‘he diew without om al and maitly beart. The reolution was seconded by Mr. Dodge and jane adopted, after which the Chamber ad- FOR BEFRDYDING CHILDREN AND YOUNG GIRLS. ‘The ladies’ fair ttaid of the Association for Befriend- ing Children and Yong Girls is still in progress at No. 48 Union square, undy the management of Rey. Father Preston and tne lad) managers of the home. The relics from the Itatian Gonvent still continue to be objects of great interest » those who are familiar with the troubles of the Hol) See. Tho fair will remaim open until the 7th inst, fro, eleven o'clock A.M. to ten o'clock P, M. The object ¢ the charity itself should appeal forcibly to bums heart now that the ad- vont of winter will enbance tfold the troubles and misery of the destitute. ‘The ladies’ fair now in progres\in the basement hall of St, Teresa’s church, corner O\Henry and Rutgers street, has thas far proved succesfy), “The ladies of the parish havo made unusual exeliong to make the fair attractive. There tsa large a8srtment of useful and ornamental articles displayed q the various poe bat a oy cig ‘Wreline”* attracta especial attention, by reason o! beautiful specimens of necdlework mado by the ota Ramus of Ursuline nuns, whose convent stands xt door to the church. A photograph of the pastor othe church in pastille, executed by one of the nuns, na perfect likeness and a very fine specimen of that kitd of work. RELIEF FOR INDIGENT FENALES. The sixty-second annual meeting of the As&ciation for the Relief of Indigent Aged Females was hed yes- terday afternoon at the asylum, No, 226 East twen- tieth street. The annual report was read to thy in- mates, aud showed the institution to be in a goodgo, dition, several improvements having been mado duing the past year, The report of the Treasurer, Mr. Kg, 1 stated that the total expenditures of the yar hed been 416 49, there still being a balance in bank to the credit of the institution of $24,826 62. ‘The following Board of en | for the ensuing hn ae ge me mag 9 A. Gillett, First Directress; rs, W. M. Vermilye, Second Directross; Edward 8. Int Treasurer; Mra. A. T. Anderson, Assistant ‘Treasurer; Mrs. 8. M. Beckley, Register. The following are the members of the Boara of Man- agers :—Dre, john Lowery, Mra. Warren Carter, Mra. Samuel A. Church, Mrs, &. D. Morgan, Miss 0. B. Hic Mrs, James Suydam, Mrs, H. M. McCork! Mra. KS. Innes, Mrs. 0. Minton, Miss Bessie Miss Annie Innes and Mrs. F. L. Henop. Bohne old ladies were then addressed by the Tyng, who spoke at some length om postitution. PEOULIAR SUIOIDE IN HOBOKEN. Henry D. Schreiber, aged fifty, employed in a cloth store as salesman In this city, hang bimselfon Wednes- day night at bis residence, at No. 172 Park avenue, Ho boken. He chose the opportunity, while his wife was out for a walk with bis landiady, to put an end to his ife, He procured o short clothes line, one end of which ho tied to the outer handle of the door of hin iment and threw the rest inside the room, closii the door, He then mado a tmose with the ot! nd of tho rope, placed bis head inside it, and, by gatherin up bis limbs, hung himself When his wife return she found bis body as above described, but not yot cold, She screamed for help, and assistance soon caine, but life was extinct, ‘The Coroner hag notified the County Physician, and an inquest willbe held. The deceasod, his wife bron ‘was subject to fits of melancholy, and {t was donl while tn one of these moods that he took his life, If ica ware notified af the making the deposit of ballast or rubbish in the eu- ©