The New York Herald Newspaper, November 28, 1876, Page 5

* THE CONPTROLLERSTIP seattle areca Mayor Wickham Nominated James S. Thayer Yesterday. THE NOMINATION LAID OVER. Opinions of Corporation Counsel Whitney, Ex- * Judge Emott and William M. Evarts. SKETCH OF THE NOMINEE. a A special meeting of the Board of Aldermen was held yesterday afternoon, with Mr. Samuel A, Lewis in the, sbair, The large room was crowded with Tammany politicians in expectations that the namo of Mr. John Kelty woulu be sent in for the Comptrollership, but they were doomed to disappoinivment, Among these anxious genticmen present wore Police Justice Dully, Major Wiiliam H. Quincy, E. D, Gale, ex-Alderman Mouheimer, Corporation Attorney Boyd, Mayor's Marshal Kelly, Sheriif-clect’ Retily, George W. Mo- Glyn Judge Hogan, ex-Warden stacom and others, Mr, Moioney, Cierk of the Board, first read the tole lowing communications (rom Mayor Wickbam, Cor- poration Counsé! Whitney, cx-Judge Emott and Mr, Wiliam M. Evarts relative to the powers of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen in the appointment of Comp- trolier:— Sxxoorive Derantuent, Crry Hart, New York, Nov. 27, 1876, To THE HoxoRABLe THE BuARD UF ALDERMEN A question having asisen ax io the power of the Mayor under existing laws to appoint a Comptroller of the city of New York, L applied to the Counsel to the Corporation for advice in the premises, He has tor- Warded ly Me & communication im reply, covering ppiniovs curefuily prepared on the subject by Judge James Emott and Willan Mf, Evarts, with whom the Couusel to the Corporation concurs us to the jaw of the cuse. 1 have thought it only proper, under the tircumstances, to forward these opinions to you for your information, and they are herewith inciosed. WILLIAM. H. WICKHAM, Mayor. Naw York, Nov. 26, 1876. Hon. Wiitiam A, Wickam, Mayor ot the City’— Drax Sik—I have the honor to acknowledge the re- Goipt of your note requesting niy oflicial opinion as to tue power existing under the charter and laws to ap- pointto the office of Comptroiler, at the expiration of the term of the present incumbent. Ae the question Becmed to tpvolve also in some degree the right Lo ap- 4 Lo the office ot Corporauon Counsel at the expi- ration of my term, I bave not deemed 1t weil to pass upon the question myeell, 1 inclose herewith the opinion of Hon. James Emott upon the question, which opinion 18 concurred in by Hoa, Wilham M. Evarts, whose ‘etter 13 also inclosed. 1 agree eu- lirely with the views expressed-in these opinions as to the law. Very respeettully yours, WM. &. WHITNEY, Counsel to the Corporation. 2 Wait, StreRT, Nov. 7, 1876, My Dear Str—I have read Mr. Kmott’s opinion, and entirely concur init, It does not seem to me at all Questionable that the oitices of Comptrolier and Coun- tel to the Corporation are to be filled now, under the eherai appointing power provided by the act of 1873, he reservation ot section 25 of that act was iv favor bf existing incumbents—ot named officers—and had txclusively for ig object and as ity operation the pre- Kribed mainteuvance of tLeir hold on their respective vices, Its operation was exhausied im respect of Mch officer, in turn, when the existing imeumbent “passed out. I ain yours, very truly, WILLIAM M. EVA . To Hon, Witiiam C. Wartxey, Corporation Counsel, On tbe 18th of November, 1871, Andrew H, Green was appointed Comptroller of the City of New York, iw place of Richard &, Connolly, resigned. This ap- pointment was made under section 12 of chapter 574 of the Laws of 171. By this act the term ot-vitice of ihe Comptrotior was tixed at tive (5) years, and in caso ota vacancy otcurrirg aluny tine the Mayor was iuthorizea to appoint vo til the vacancy, and the per- son 60 appointed wes to hoid jor a tull term of five rears froin nis appointment. ‘The term of the preseut Comptroller under this ap- pointment wiil expire on the 18th of November, 1576. On the 3d of December, 1572, E, Delafield Smith was apposed Corpuv'ation Counsel, in piace of Richard O'Gorman, resigned, This appointment was made pursuant to section 4 of chapter 574 of the Laws of i871, whieh authorized the Mayor to tll any yacuncy In this ollice by appointment for the full term of four (4) years. Ub the 80th of Al titled, "An Act to of the City of New York.” ™ Finis repeaied the a { 1871 above reierred to. By Peetvion 25 of vhis act, whieh 18 known as the Bharter of 1873, the Mayor ts authorized, by and with tie Consent of the Board of Aldermen, to appoint cer- tain jofficcrs. The details aud effect of this section wali be reterred,to herealier, _ Section’ 3 of chapter 400 of the Laws of 1874 amended this section by adding to it a provision that the Mayor shall alone xppoint to ull any vacancy oc- curriug trom avy cause viher than the expiration of Ike teri of any oflicur whom, by the twenty-tith sec- tion of the charter 9; 1873, Be was sutbormed to ap. pout with the cousent of the aldermen, Such ap- poiniment is to ve for the residue unexpired of the term o! the oflicer whose oflice bad been vacated by resignation, removal or deuth, In 1875 Mr. E. Delatieid Smith was remov cording to law, trom the office of Corporation-Counsel He had Ueen sppomted Decetwber 3, 1872, Tbe term pf this otfice Using foar years, his term would have expured December 3, 1876, in August, 1975, William C, Whitney was appointed Corporation’ Counsel to till this yucuncy. This ap- pouitment was mado ly the Mayor alone and by the Blatutes just referred to, Ibe term of office of the officer thas appointed expires whem Mr, Smith’s would have expired—viz, December 3, 187 ‘The question is now presented, can the Mayor or 1873, an act was passed, on- Frguuize the Local Government (Laws oi 1873, chap: 385.) any other officer. or power uuminate or appoint auc. | cessors to these ollicers, tuo present Comptroller and Corporation Counsel, of is there no mode provided by any existing law for filling these offices at the end of the term of the present incumbents, una will those incumvents bold towir oflices until jurtber provision 18 made by statute tor appomting their successors, and such saccessors are appomted. PSection 26 of the cuarter of 1873 establishes aepart- Meuts of the city government as follows:—Finance, Law, Poiice, Public Works, Charities and Correctivn, Health, Docks, Taxes and Buildings, and by tions of the act certain officers are designated beads of these departments. Section 117 provides that the terms of office of the then Commisstoners of Ponce and Parks, except as in the uct provided, Fire Comunssioners, Commissioners of Chariiws, Docks, and Taxes, und certain ober enumerated officers, and of ail commissions or boards, And of all officers authorized to be appointed by the Mayor, or the Mayor and Aidermen, should terminaco May 1, i878. Section 25 of this act provides that the ‘Mayor bball nominate and, wih tho consent of tne Board of Aldermen, appoint the heads of departments and all ‘tomuissiouers, save Commissioners of Public Instruce ton, and algo save and except the following named commmissioners and officers who held office as such on the first day of January, 1878; that 1s to wy, the Comptroller, the Commissioner of Public Works, the Counsel to the Corporation, tue President of the Department ut Parks, and tue President of the Departwwent of Pouce, which said Compiroiler, Cominssoners and Counsel to the Corporation sball bold their respective offices as such Compirolier, Commissioners aud Counsel to the Corporativo until the expiration of ther respective terms of ollice for which tuey were appointed.” Tt wiil be observed that, aniess this section covers the case of the Comptrolicr or Corporation Counsel, whose terms Will expire in Novenwer and December next, or rather, if these ollicers are altogether excepted trom the power of nomnation and apyomtment given to the Mayor by this charier, there 1s an entire omia- Vion to provide for filing these oilices alter the terms of the existing incumbentsexpire. As the incumbents pf these offices retain thom expiration of sheir terms, uutli successors are appoitied, the eflect And the apparent intent of this statute, iu that view of it, dssuming that no turther legisiation was bad, would be to continue tho icumbents in office indett- Ditely, notwithstanding the expitation of teir terms, Not only so, but it these important vilices are all per- manently excepted trom tls power of appomtnent, shen im Case of the death, removal or resignation of the incumbent of either of these offices, it must remuin vacant permanentiy. Unless a construction involving these consequences is iuevitablo it will #oarcely be adopted. Lhe chafter of 1873 was intended to legisiate ont of offive certain oiliccrs and to retain others, and ty con- fer upon the Mayor, with the consent of the Aldermen, the power to appoint successors (o those who were te- moved by the uct, and also generaliy ine power of ape pomtinent to onic ‘The 1Lith and 26th sections together effect this ob- ject. The offices and ofticers who are saved and ex- cepted trom the power of appointment given by the Qih section are excepied trem the rewevals accom. plished by the 117tu svetion. The twenty-liith section evidentiy Intends to conter apon the Mayor, with the consent of the Aldermen, the power of appointing «il commissioners aud heads ‘of departments, Whether their oflves are vacated by the terms of that act or should afterward become va- cant, save only in the case of the holders pfolfices which were expressly excepted. It would be feasonable to expect that Where ench au exception was made some other Method of filing a vackovy im ihe ofice would be provided, | ‘The power of appoiuimeutin this twenty-fifth sec- tion 18 subject to two Clases Of exceptions, Tue first se the Commissioners of Public Tostruction, The language of the section In this parucular is that the Mayor shall nowtinaw and, with the consent of tie Board of Aldermen, appoint all commissionors sure | Commissioners of Hable Instruction, [cis piain that go power of hominaiou or appointment of the Com- missioncre Of Pubiie Instruction or any officers cor- tesponding to them Was preserved or given to the Mayor and Aldermen. A cuinpurison of other legisin- Hon of the sume session oxpising (he reason for this ind shows how tho caso of thewe ofecrs le provided tor. By chaptee 12 ef 1873, weed March 21, before the charter, the common eohools Wore reorganized, comuussionore wore Pubiie | styled Commissioners 01 runic schools, and were to be appointed wy the Mayor aluue, The scyuol system of by City Was organized as a separate systetn. Ac- cordingly, 19 the charter of 1873, 1 opartment of Puotie instruction was no longer continued as ene of the Brancues or departments of the cy goversment as it had been under previous cha It ceased to be part of the city government under the charter and | became an tustitution by itseil. Hener, tbe scheme of filling Vacancies im city olllces, established by seenou 25 of the charter of 1573, properly excepiea the Coin Missioners of Public Schonis, avd it is manifest that | this exception was intended to apply Bot ouly to the | then meumbenis, but to the office. i But the next exception to the Mayor's power of pom- mation and appotvtment is diverent in the term: used and in its renson and design, This part of the | sectiog reada, “and algo save and except the following | named commissioners and oilicers who beld | otfice as such om the ist day of January, | 1873, the Comptroller, the Commissioner of Pub: | he Works, the Counsel to tae Corporation, the Pr dent ol the Department of Public Parks, and the Pres. ident of the Department ot Police.’ The Presiuent of the Park Commission and the President of the Pouce | Commission were not appointed to be presidents of | these bodies by the Mayor under the former charter, but sitapiy to be cumunussioners, like tue other mem- Uers of these buards, and were elected to be presidents ofthese bodies by the respective boards ‘These des- ignations of commissioners Who were not to be legis- | lated out of office by the charter of 1873, aud to whom Buccessors Were HOt to be wiihia twenty days nom- inated by the Mayor, were, therefore, personal do- scriptions, The effect of the act in respect to the Park aud Police departments 1s this:—Ali the commissioners | then in office in these departtnents are removed, and suc are to be at once appointed by the Mayor, with the consent Of the Aldermen, except the Commissiover of Parks, who had been elected Presidentof toat Board, ‘ad the Commissioner of Police, who bad been elecied Yresigent of that Bourd, These two individuals should hold their othces as commissioners un- Ui their terms expired, lt seems very plain | tat this is a provision tor the — benellt apd retention of the persons who thea held these olfices, and not designed to exclude the general oppoint- tng power trom filling the offices of Commissioners of | Police and Parks, then beld by cOMMIssiOLers who had been chosen presidents of thuse respective departments at the expiration of their terms or when | they in any Way become vacant, I caunot icel any serious doubt that the same con- Btruction 18 to be given to the exception of the Comp- troller aud Corporation Counsel trom the effect of the 119th and 25th sections. It seems very clear vo me that this exception appiles only to the thep incumbents of those offices during their existing terms of office und not to any subsequent Vaconcy im the ollices by re- moval, resignation or expiration of the term of office, It will be admitted that the power-of nomination ‘avd appointment to theso offices, in common wih ali heads of departments, is given to the Mavor, with the consent of the Aldermen, uniess these offices are ex- ressly exccpied out of the scheme of the entire act, tis pertinent to observe tbat ny reason can be per- ceived tor such an exception from the scheme of ap- poimtment provided by the charter of all the offices whose incumbents are mentioned jn the twenty-fith section, On tho other tund, a purpose can be di ng in office We particular incumivents untit their terms should expire. And it may also be repeated that it the power to tlil vacancies at the expiration of the terms of these retained officers be Dot given to the general appointing have committed « very grave aud remarkable omis- sion, or have imtenued to keep these officials in place not only during their oxisting term, but indefinitely alierward, Neithes iniention will unnecessariiy bo imputed to the Legislaure. But the intention of the Legislature to confine this provision to the then incumbents of these offices, and Dot to exempt the oltices permanently, or to leave them without proysion for subsequent vacancies, Seems plain irom the uctitselt. The language ol the exeeption is, “except the lolluwing commissioners and ollicers who held office as such January 1, 1873,’? and the section proceeda:—"Which said Comptroiier, com- missioners and Counsel to the Corporation sbail bold their respective offices until the expiration of their respective terms of office for which they wore ap- pointed”? The efivet of this provision, with the subsequent sec- tion 119, 18 to retain the persons then holding these specified offices in place until the end of their existing terms, and nothing more. Jt is a provision affecting these ofiicers and not their offices. When a vacancy occurs in any of the offices named in this section, Whose tuen occupants were not re- moved by the charter of 1873, einer by the subse- quent removal, resignation, death or expiration of the termes of the officers thus continued, | am of opinion that the Mayor has power to nominate, and cither with or without (he consent of the Common Council, be thy case may be, to appoint, a person to fill the office. 1am of opinton that when in November and Decem- ber next the terins of office of the present Comptroller aud Corporation Counse! will expire, the Mayor may nominate, and, wita the consent of the ‘d of Al- dermen, appoint, persons to fill each of these offices, and that the present incumbents can only bold over alter the fulliiment of their present terms unul their successors sball be nominuted and contirmed. it may not be inappropriaie to add that this con- struction of the charter has been acted upon in several important instances, with the assent, {1s understood, of all departments of the city goveromeat, In May, 1874, Mayor Havemeyer appointed Mr. Dis- becker Police Commissioner in place of Henry Smith, deccased, Who was Lhe President of the Police Depart Meant excopted in section 25 of tue charter of 1873, In December, 1875, Mayor Wickiiam appointed De Witt C. Wheelor Commissioner of Police in piace of Mr. Disbecker, who had bapn removed. Both of these appolutments were to the commis- sionership held by President Smith at the t:me of the } passage of the charter of 1873, and cach was to con- tinue for the unexpired residue of bis original term. In 187) Mayor Wicknam appointed Fitz Joby Porter Commissioner of Public Works im place of George M. Van Nort, resigned, who wus the Commissioner of Public Worka, excepted in section 25 of the chatter ot 1878 This appointment was by the Mayor alone, aaa tor the uvexpired residue of Mr. Van Nort’ At the end of the term of the Commissioner of Public Works thus filled Mayor Wickham nominated, andthe Board of Aldermen coutirmed, the present incumbeut of the office of Commissivner of Pubiic Works, Mr. Allan Campvel!. The present Corporation Counsel holds his office by appointment of the Mayor Jor the unexpired term of Delaticid Smith, who bad been removed, leaving the ollce vacant The twenty-fifth section excepts from removal or power of appointing a successor, the Cor- | poration Counsel then tn office, as it does the Comp. troller. if the Mayor does not possess ihe power to nomi- | nate and, with the consent of the Aluermen, to ap- point, a Corporation Counsel and Comptroser upon the expiration of the terms of the present incumbents, or the terms 01 office they are diling, then all these ap- pointmeats were invalid, Not only so, but, as has been aiready observed, such of the offices referred to as were Vacated by resignation, removal or death must, Upon a construction of the charter which denics this power, have remained permanently vacant, IL think such @ construction caunut be legally or fairly applied to the act. JAMES EMOrT, New Youk, Oct. 18, 1876. THR NOMINATION, Tho letter of Mayor Wickbam nominating Mr. Thayer was next read, as follows:— Executive Derarruent, City Hat, New York, Nov, 27, 1876. } To tae Hovoraa.e Tux BoarD OF ALDERMEN:— GuytLxmxy—Iln compliance wiih the requirements of law in such ease made and provided I berepy nowm- e James S, Thayer for appointment, by and with ‘our consent, to be Comptroliér of the city of New York and head ot the Finance Department, for tour years, in place of Andrew H, Green, whose terjn hos expired. W. H. WICKHAM, Mayor, The nomination was formally received, and, on motion of Aldermen Seery, jaid over for future con sideration. SKETCH OF J. 8, THAYER. James 8. Thayer, son of Adin Thayer, was boro in Whitingham, Vt., in 1518. He matriculated at Amberst College when he was tweive years of age, and in 1838 graduated with Ligh honors, Shortly alter the conciu- sion of his college lite he came to New York and began to study law in tne office of David Dudiey Fielt, La 1842 he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of his profession and formed a partnership with Will- | jam Graham Sterling. In 1847 be was appointed Pub- he Administrator and held the office for many years, About tea years ago he abandoned the practice of the law and bas since devoted his attention to the mauu- facture of agricaltaral implements at his fuctories in Hoosae Falla, Albany and Troy. In 1851 Mr. Thayer went South and married the Gaughter ot L. P. Cheatham, of Nushville, Tenn., a ta- mous democratic leader, and the personal triend of 16 Jackson, At riage Mr. Thay reputauon tor a, in the campaigs of 1842, when he canvassed ; the | te of New York tor Harrison. When tho war broke out Mr. 1 F joiued the ranks of the democ- racy, und hax since labored zealously for the per- srseees of ite doctrines. Although a member of the ‘ummany Hail Geveral Commitee of the Eleventh dis- tret Mr, Thayer takes but Hitle tnterest in local politics, From early lite he hus never let pass a Preei- dential contest without Working earnestiy for the prin- ciples he believed in, Hils epoeches Tilden earnest and convincivy, and welped much to acquire for the Governor the handsome majority with which he carried hin own State. Mr. Thayer never sought pndlic office, and it is doubtful if he will accept the overous duties of the position for which be has becn nominated, In adai- ow to his manutacturiog interesta My. Thayer 19 adirector of the Continental National Bank and Vice President of the Real Estate Trust Company. WILL THE ALDERMEN CONFIRM? Several of the Aldermen were questioned yesterday, after. the adjournment of the Board, whether or vot they would confirm Me. Thayer's nomination, They were non-committul, aud cvidently seemed to bo jn the dark as to future movements, “The ourd will not meet in uot Thursday week. In the meanwhiie Mr. Green remains Compirolier of the city, | MR, THAYER aT ALBANY. j Atwasy, Nov, 27, 1876. | Mr, J. 8, Thayer was atthe Delevan this: evening | visiting his brother, the Cana! Commissioner, when be received a despaich from Mayor Wickiiam, announce ing that he had beou nominated for the Comptrolier- ship of New York city, Ov the moe ment bo stated that he could not docite whethor ho would accept or uot, but as the imporiqnco power designated by the cbarter, then the Legisiacure | | | his measure of retorm in every department. of the occasion impressed itself upon him he took the | pext trai at five o'clock for New York city, where be lives. The appotatment was an entire surprise to him, he having heard nothing whatever whieb ia oy respect could jead iim to believe that he | ight be the apromtee, White he was awaiting the Db Senator Kernan, woo bad read the evening papers, approached him and congratulated him apon the appomtment, and urged nim to accept, Mr. Thayer was even then unadie to make any certain reply, Adin, his brother also Judge Emott, who met him on the way to the depot, urged nis acceptance, but he was unubie to | Gecide whether would accept or not. When the | traiu leit Mr, Adin Thayer accompanied hit at his own | request as tar as Poughkeepsie aud returned thence to-night. THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.’ YESTERDAY'S MEETING—OUR WATER SUPPLY— MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS. To the meeting of the Board of Aldermen, held yes- terday, the Corporation Counsel sent in # lengthy com- munication in reply to a resolution passed inst April requesting him to prepare a memorial to the Legts- lature praying for the passage of an act to authorize the construction of an additional aqueduct or other appliance, in order to afford this city a sufficient sup- ply of Croton water, The Corporation Counsel says that there is great diversity of opinion as to the proper course to be taken in this matter by the city author- ittes, some of them holding that a new aque- duct should bo at once constructed, others that all that ts necessary at present is to iperease the Storage facilities In Putnam county, while others claim that a sufficient quantity of water cannot in any manner be obtained from that region to meet the In- creased wants of the city, and that recourse must be bad to some other soure The Corporation Counsel is of opiuion that it would be very desirable that the general scheme for obdtamipg an ad- ditional supply off water should ve settled | upon before any application is made to the Logislature and betore any memorial or bill 1s Prepared upon which to base such opposition; also that there are manifest reasons why ‘t 1s not desirable to proceed in this manner, Mr. Whitney then called attention to the facts that the plan devised for detor- mining whether the work of buiiding a new aqueduct should de undertaken atall and the manner of con- | | | | | | | ducting it are provided for in au act of | tho Legislature passed May 2, 1834. This plan authorized tho Governor to nomimate, an with the consent of the senate, to appoint five persons, to be known as Water Commissioners of the euy of New York, whose duty was to examine and consider ail matters relative to supplying the city with a sufficient quantity of pure and wholesome water, and who were empowered to employ engineers, surveyors apd such Other persons as in their opinion might be necessary to cbable them to perforin their duties under the said act, ‘These Commissioners were also autherized to adopt such plans as might ve most advantageous for procuring such supply of water; to ascertain the amounts of money necessary to carry the seme into effect, and report the plan tothe Common Council for the approval of that body, The question whether tho plan should be carried out was to be submitted to the people at the next annual election for charter ollicers, and provided a majority of tho electors were in favor of the measure, the Common Council was then author- ized to instruct the Commissioners to proceed with the work, for the furtherance of whieh they were also authorized to raise u sum not exceeding $2,300,000. The Corporation Counsel finehes as tollows;— “Subsequently, as the occasion required, additional acts were passed by the Legislature authorizing the rarsing of additional sums of money, and prov.ding for various tatters of detail tp relation to the construc- tion, care and preservation of the aqueducts. The | expenso of the present aqueduct wns, as 1 belicve, al- most $80,000,000, and although the proposed new aque- duct may not bea work of so great magnitude, yot in view of the great difference of opinion as to the best plan to be adopted, and the fact that such new aque- duct is eatimated to cost about $20,000,000, the ques- tion ag to the plan to be adopted and to be provided tor Dy.an act of the Legislature is one of vital importance, and winch mast be fully considered and decided before such bill cau be prefaced. From the nature of the case it 18 not tv be supposed that the Counsel to the Corpora- tion will assume to pass upon these quostions, and embody bis individual views in a bill tor (he considera- tion of the Legislature, the communication was ordered to be printed in full in the minutes, no farther action being taken, The American District Teiograph Company was au- thorized to place ornamental clooks in front of their various offices throughout the city. Mr, MeVicker sen§ in @ communication asking for the passage of an ordinance 40 as to prevent the opera- tions of ticket speculators. Lt was reierred to the Com- mittee on rolice and Health. The thanks of the Board wero tendered to Mr. Burn- bain for bis presentation of the statue of Daniel Wobster to the city. After the transaction of some animportant routine business the Board adjourned until Thursday of next week, DISCHARGED EMPLOYES. THE PARK COMMISSIONERS AND THE CITIZENS’ COMMITTEE, The Citizens’ Committee are determined to press their charges against the Park Commissioners for what they consider the illegal action of the latter in removing certain clerks from the Park Department, Tn conversation with a representativo of the HzRraup yesterday Colonel Rush C. Hawkins said that tho clause of the charter of 1878, which forbids the higt- handed action of the Commissioners, was drawn ex- | preasly by Dorman B. Eaton for the purpose of meet- ing euch abuses, and that it was inserted as ao enteriug wedgo to promote the cause of civil service reform. The discharged clerks, he says, are all democrats, and :t cannot theretore be said that the committee are actuated by any political feeling. They simply wish to roform flagrant abusos and regret that the charter does nut enablo them to redress tho griev- ances Ol the carpenters ahd other workmen who havo beon unfairly discharged from work on the parks. the forthcoming In wissioners bas had upon the laboring classos of the city. Ho says that the $2 a day whicn the Commissioners promised to pay the men bad-tho offect of inducing many of them to leave permanent situa- tions, where they were earning $1 60 a day, in tho hope of being empioyed the Park Commi and this was a perpetual source of annoyance to pri- vate employers in the city. Mr. Hawkins aiso says that the committee will urge the necessity of paying city employés at reguistion market rates, and they intenu to work persistently for SEVENTH REGIMENT ARMORY. A meeting of the Genergi Committee on the New Armory was held on Saturday evening last, and was largely attended by prominent officers and members of the Seventh regiment and cf the Veteran Association. The committee was entirely unanimous in the opinion that the unsettled state of business and financial affuirs makes the present an unfavorable timo to ap- peal to business mon, taxpayers and citizens generally for aubscriptions to the new armory fund, and that it fg expedient to postpone any public and concerted efforts in that direction until business revives and con- fidence is restored, The active and veteran members were urged to bear in mind that a new armory in & more central jocation in the upper part of the city is absolutely necessary to tho fuvaro wellare and prosperity of the regimen aud that the new armory fund must be increased as rapidly circumstances will admit, The fund now amounts to over $81,000. Royal Vheips, Rovert Lenox Kennedy and Washingtgn R, Verinilye are the trastees of the fund. During the preseut season the ground bas been enclosed and prepared tor building, and it is expected that active building operations will commence early in tl pring. Pians and specttiica- tions have been adopted by the General Committee, | and the Building Committes has been organized by the elect! of Jackson % Scbuitz a8 chairman and Major George Moore smith yecretary. Tv following resolationa were adopted by the Gen- era; Committee ou New Armory at the meeting :— Nesolved, That all active and veteran mombers of the wi oh ested to keep in future wel f this reziment, and that they secure by thelr personal and individual efforts suet additions to the sew armory fund as they convenientiy can, pending the furtier action of this committes. Resoived, That the unacttied and depressed state of busi nest and fhiancial affairs renders 1s Inexpedient to make m concerted and public effort at the present time to ineren mory fund by subscriptions taxpayers and ription aad Finn proper offorts in business revives aud contidence Is restore ; BUSINESS TROUBLES, The fuilure of J. W. Schermerborn & Co, book publishers and manufacturers of school turniture, of No. 14 Bond street, was very unexpected, vod has caused a great deal of surprise, a8 they were geierally considered in flourishing circumstances, Their labilt- ties will probwbly amount to $150,000, but the exact amount of linbilities and a will not be known for ® Week yet, as 11 Will take ab least Ghat time to make au inventory, The assignee, Mr. George 3. Moulton, te busily engaged in the preparation of a statement, which Will ve presented to a teeting of the creditors AS Soun us itis finished. A large number of the ered. | itors called at the office yesterday und all expressed sympathy for tbe frm anda willmgness to compro- mise, in order that the firm might continue business, latter course Would be greatly to their advant- ‘yog to the peculiar nat of the property. ary J. Ockersiansen, the receiver of tho Union Sugar Company, bas called a meeting of the creditors Z, the 1th uf December, at No, 87 car ais report, va ‘all strees ” 1 A RIDE ON THE PELHAM COACH, AN OLD ENGLISH GENTLEMAN'S ACCOUNT OF HIS TRIP ON THK PELMAM COACT—COACH- ING IN TH" OLDEN TiMB—BEAUTIFUL 8CEN- ERY OF MERRIZ ENGLAND—THE PLEASURES OF A TRIP TO PELHAM—INCIDENTS BY THE WAY—A JOLLY Tore. {Prom the Spirit of the Times, Nov. 25. | New Youn, Nov. 16, 1876. Deak Svimit—When | told Colonel Kane, the other moruing, ag 1 took my soat by bis side on the Pelham coach, ihat I was seventy odd years of age, would you be- eve me, he would not take my word for it? He declared Teonld not be sixty, That was 4 peat compliment, but {am sure he'll look as young and hate aa! do, if he continues his coaching exercise, Tuere’s nothing like driving and riding in the open atr for health, 1 remember when | was a boy and we used to go home from Rugby for the holidays on the coach, being so de- lighted with the ruddy wholesome looks of the driver, that [ longed to be ove myself. Ab! you people who travol by rail in stifling cars and overheated saloons, rushing Gt. breathless speed through a bleared land- seape, have no idea of the real pleasures of travel, When [I was young we knew some: thing about them. ‘Then there were none of your screeching engines and rattling trains in exist- nothing but coaches aud diligences. It is some- ure you, worth more than you think tor, to take a trip on Colonel Kane’s coach. To the old, like mysolf, it calls up days of childhood and youth, gone never to roturn, and to the young, It gives them @ good idea of the ways and fashions of their foro. fathers, Let me, before I make you acquainted with the Colonel and his team, give you some notion of coach- ing in my time. was a lusty, hardy iad, fresh from dear “oid Cam.” 1 have travelled a ‘hantle,’”? as the Scotch say, since then, I’ve just crossed the great Continent from side to side, and this ts my Alth wsit to glorious America, In my time there must have dren at least a hundred coaches doing good business in and around London. ‘Phey-used to start from various old. inns in and about the city and return tothem, These inns were joliy old places. Very few of them exist now. They were Dig, rambling, queer mansions, built, many of them, before good Queen Bess’ reign, and were wainscoted with oak, and heavily carved panels ornamentod the spacious rooms. They were full of galleries and pas- sages, halls‘and corridors and stuircases. Two or throe of them, such as the Tulffot, in Southwark, and tne White Hart, had ier courtyards, round which were gulleries of ‘tho most picturesque appearance, The yard of an inp, in my time, wus a mighty interesting and bustling place. The voaches tro- quently passed through the main cniranco and entered the yard to discharge their passengers, and there wore invariably at-least two or tnree coaches assemulea here together with several wagons Milled up with goods, ready to be unloaded or which had just received their ‘treight. The long wooden benches by the side of the docr were usualiy o cupied by persons expecting triends, or by tdiers reading the papers or smoking Jong clay pipes—cigars were little known in those da; In the moruing, when the coavbes were ready to depart, there waa bo end to the bustle in the yard. Mine host and his wile stood at the door to wish good speed to the departing travel- lers, Boots was there, too, expecting a copper tor stray jobs and errands, and the buxom housemaids Viewed the proceedings from the uppor windows with many a hearty poal of laughter at the least mishap. There was an odor of agood subataatial breaktust in the air, and the appearance of the trayoliers was unusually jovial. sometimes we = h pathetic lsave-tukings botween mothers and sons and wives and husbauvs; but somehow or other, asa rule, we were a jolly jot, Presently, when the last traveller had scrambled up to his place, the horn biew, the euil- dren ses up a shout, the dogs barked, and, with many 4 nod anu wave ul the hand, the coach started on its journey. Away we Went, down through the quaint old streets of suburban London, in those days still full of mediwval houses, and a litte altered since the great tire in the time of Charies Il, {na couple of hours we used to be quite beyond the oily, iu the open, lovely Euglish telds—fieids now covered with houses and Jong lines of new streets. Oh! it was glorious, eape- | cially in late spring, When the air was scented with flowers and the ovors of lilac and chestnut blossoms impregnated the baimy atmosphere. Sometimes when we trotted” through the lawns the horses’ ears were tickled by overhanging garlands of haw- thorn, and we could study at our ease ibe beauties of Engiish lavdseape, You good peopie whorush through olu England by train have no conception of the iave- Hnoss of the mother country, What know ycuo ber charming Villages, with their anciont churches, uaiing & thousand years back, whose towermg steeples aro wrapped thickly 1m ivy aud ut whose tect nestle the Deuceiul graves of generations? How can you uppre- ciate the quaint visage strevts, pretty houses and cot | ge gardens, which give a hundred evivences of coutentmeat’ Just without tnese old villages atands, in nine cases vut o: teu, the lordly hall, wih Hs gistoric associations, Oh! for the gTand country seats of merry Englane, with their splendid Gothic window: parks, ‘ull of tre lis, beneath sweeping boughs the deer gtazo peacelully and the silvery river is seen gliding by, reflecting the charming sceve on its peacetul bosom! And the sweeping fields, so richly cultivated with every varicty of produce, and the denghitul lanes with toeir tme- bonored bawthorns, aod the views of cathedral spires, ancient odatics and ruined avbey. You goou travei- lers of to-day cannot eujoy these never-to- be-torgoiten scenes, a8 we did when coaching was the only means of travel, 1 tell you, too, that you cannot truly ap- Preciate the beauties of your own most lovely land now a8 your fathers did. Why, sirs, po one knows bow lovely the neighvorboud of New York is until ho has taken a ride on the Peibam coach, Lv an ordinary carriage you sit too low duwn to see the whole sweep of the country, whereas, on the top of the coach you are just high enough to enjoy the full beauty of the scevery. To all woo visit New York y take a trip on the Pelham coach, and, by Jove, I'm pretty certuin no one has ever Leen on it Dut would hike to go again. , But let mo go back to “my time,” In my time we— the coach and tts ovcupants-—were the great events of the village day. Our born was the sigual for nach pleasant commotion, and the cheery unnouncement that there was a “ive minutes’ stay” was, indeed, | agreeable, notonly to the traveliers but to the villa: gors. Wo aiways pul up atthe chiet ino, usually Tumbling old place, with a gigautic signboard ging over principal entry, on which was depicied a boar’s head or a rampant white lion, At the door the smiling best or bostess, ready to greot us with the cheerivst of welcomes, glad to get the latest culy news aad especially eager to recommend their bome brewed beer. But on and on wo go, gauloping now, trotting now, and now going apace to cur destination. Atall seasons couchibg, except in very bad weather, was pleasant, and especially jolly, 1 used to think it, wt Coristmas tor the bolidays. Theo, Wasn't 1 jolly to pass the night at the bail-way hou: the hospitable board of wuich groaned beoeath a extra supply of Christmas dainties, turkeys and mince ples, roust beef aud plum pudding, all garnished with hoily And sprigs of mistletoe! Alter supper we used to gather round the spacious fireplace, anu, while the men smoked their pipes and sipped their grog, the tale went round, and I, boy like, iisteued and watched the coals muking pictures in thy fire, But all this was in “my tine,” nitty years ago! “Yes, Colonel,” suia I to Colonel Kane, the other Mornibg as We wat side by side on the coach box, “I aim soventy oda years of age, aud here lam eujoying an amateur coacning expedition in the New Worid."’ He wughed, He's adownright pleasant young gen- tleman, heurty and manly, wih « wholesome look about him and clear eyes, that prove to me that the American climate, it properly used, ts a8 guod as any, Good exercise ia whe open air, walking, riding, field sports and boating, and plenty of it, in of the rising and next generation won’t look much like Uncle Sam in Punch, if they stick to the love of manly sports which has lately been awakened over liere. And, by tho way, since you, dear Spirit, have requested me to write this rigmarols about coaching, let me compliment you heartily on the excellent articles Which constantly appear im your col- Uinns CUcuUraginy sport and atbiewe exercises of wll kinds. We started trom that fino cstablishinent, the Bru: wick Hotel, at precieely eleven o'clocx. We were full inside aud oul. There were s meu, one Engishuian beside in ladies, ail of them young, blooming and lovely. The start was a pretty sight. There was quite a big crowd wesemibied 0 see us off. A very different crowd, however, 10 the one which used to gather around (ho dvors of the White Hart in my youth. It wasa crowd mainly Composed of young ladics and gentiemen of fashion and Freveh boanes and children, all delighted and smiling at the show. lie horn biew, the wheels turnod and the ed and started. i'd like any Knglish tel low who laaghs at Amerion to come over bere and ride on the Peinumcoach ap Fitth avenue and answer too this question "Is there any street in London or Paris to compare with 4’? Tm sure he were an hovest chap without any silly prejavices Le'd say “No” | have always considered Fitiu avenue a wonder. When I Grstcame here, where now stand 11s brown ttone and marble palaces, its gorgeous churches and noble cathedral, only thirty years ago, there w: but elds avd woods and a few straggling country houses. Modern outerprise, with the wand of ama- | gician, has changed ali. A broad street passes from the beautiful Madison square up to the Park. Its sides are lined with palaces—uut houses, but palaces—imnany of them of exereding arcaitectural Beauty, These houses are sometimes Uailtol waite marble apd in the French style, but not infrequently a deep red briek Ww employed in ther construction, the Unt of which harmonious and pleasing to the eye. Throuyh the great plate gi everywhere evidences: of taste aod Juxury, Ler marble statue, evidently Uy Alamousseulptor, There i a vase of priceiess ciiba and there ace raro exotics. An amazing number of churehes uphit their sieepies along the supggp aireet. One resem dies an oti and quaint churcimat Nuremberg, another has tour brazen angels biowing trampers On the sumayit of i® Gothic tower and a third reminds us of one of Wren's churches, in London city. rece of flue foliage aud many voluminous cre Fs) Abin wiataring, are to be seen in jndabeo up Filth avenue, and the only thing it i wo be per. tectly beauttiul ts an even pavemont, ‘Toward the upper cod sands » monument of eur. My time was dity yoars ago, when I | Young America, | NEW YUKK HERALD, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1876.—TRIPLE SHEET. passing beauty, the aew Catholic cathedral, which is quite the equal in ¢ize and architecture of any one ot the minor Engish cathedrais, sucn as Liteiieid or Petervorough, aud surpasses them iv the costliness of the material with whied it is built—whlie marble. AS We passed the cathedral we saw the tail aud alen- orm of the Cardinal passing into it, | sup; pect the new windor waoich are being placed in Postion, A cardinal im America! What noxt® Then we gaiioped through the Park. Well, | doa’t say to the contrary, out, as | said to the ‘There's no duer pablic pork to the world than Central Park," aod you can’t half enjoy it uniess ie oon.is irom (oe top of his coach. How beautitui it looked in the brizht sunshine, We were so high up on the box we couid see aliover i, and even beyond it, to that the Que view of the surrounding city added to tbe effect. Ceuiral Park was in its glory that morning, an from my seat on the coach box. | frank never to have bebeld anything more beautiiul than the varied effects of foliage of every hue aud color, from the deepest scariet and red to the softest browns | and drightess yellows dere bung looked hike golden sequins, and there so 8 tree which seemed wroughtin bronze. And {ur beyoud this garden of Jewels—Europeans bave no idea of the gorgeous coloriug of an American autemn landscape— was tho splendid Empire City, with her domes, towers ana ber snowy Cathodrai, softly reposing in the nae of a lovely ‘ial? di But ou we went Tho fresh, keen, wholesome breeze brought the blood to our checks and awakeved our spirits, and the silent became chatty and the sti aod formal threw aside their etiquette, forgot ail about in- leaves which i | i | troductions, and thé Joke went round and laughter kept | % company. We were jolly. The horu view, and presentiy, when we lad crossed glariem Bridge, we changed horses, took a ‘nip’ and ed on again, through beavutul lanes and woods, ers and bright shining pools, {ail of yellow ‘reeds; by county seats, by convents with pretty chapels and pleasant gardens, by suburban houses of clarity and countless Shantics built of wood, by Mueks of geese contrasting their suowy plumage with the dep green grass, by pigs scared to death at the coach and struggling with many a grunt to get out of the way, by droves oi sheep mildiy standing still to see us pass, by cows looking stupidly at ue over board fences on Which “Sozodont’? Was inscribed in glowing letters, In one Ane wood we beheld a superb old oak, from the boughs of which five youths were hanged ia Revo- lutiouary tines, We passed through the very pretty old town of Westchesie “TWEED IN JAIL. His Daliy Life at Ludlow Street-—Will He Compromise ? Ser dae A LONG POLITICAL SLEEF The Legal Position Unsettied by Reason of Changed Conditons, ‘Tweed bas again become accustomed tothe former routine of his prison life, Re finds the wholesome and abundant foud, the pleasant and quiet comfort of bis coscy rooms, bis cheerful grate Gro, his soft, smooth bed, which, however, is somewhat narrow for his wide frame, the easy chairs im the Warden’s sitting room, which Tweed occuptes by courtesy, the society | and sympathy of his friends, and all the other ma terial enjoy ments of bis present existence rather more agreeable than his precarious and rough life during his exile, The prison offictals say that ho seems woll satistiod with the arrangements made for hig enter. sarument, that he sleeps well and enjoys his meals, and has noteven grumbled once as yet. What they say of the prisoner’s general demeauor and bis expressions to those who have to officially communicate with hira leaves the impression that be enjoys the present rest from the victssitndes and sufferings of his wanderings, Nevertheless, the precautions against another possible ‘ escape have not been relaxed, and the Warde still with tts charming Gothic | church, inthe graveyard of which is a bandsome, | medwvat-looking altar tomb, worthy of containing | the ashes of Romeo and Juti At the door of a very pretty country | ho we w a dear old lady, who, Ue Colonel tells me, has appeared every day, Jor the iast 51x months, to eheer tie coach aid wave at it ber handkerchief, Sometimes the coach returns the compliment by conducting she exceilent dame to the city. At last we reach our destination, It is a nice, old- fashioved iun, situated at the upper end of a lovely | vay. formed by an arm of Long Island Sound, and sur- rounded with magniticent trees and gentle ered with country soats and villages, Here are p boats and yachts, and it 1s, they tell me, a pleasant | thing to enter ono of theso and let the geutic winds driit you down the current, The inn is just the right sort of a placo for a coach to slop at, A hospitabie looking ina, with an odor of good cooking and a genial “host, ready to welcome you with a rosy emile, Wo did “uot see mine hostess, but doubtiess she is buxom, as hostesses ought ‘to be. We beheld ‘one Diouming chambermaid, sping from an upper win- dow, but she only smiled and vanished, Dinner | enjoyed with tho Colonei, and a right good, piain dinner it was, well cooked aud substantia, After dinner a charming girl of our company played @ (une, and two or three of us-—l dida't, Im seventy odd, you know—stood up and danced. of we started bome. [| thiuk the jourvey, as the wind was not ‘was even pleasanter than ‘the start, iy; Joily to go through the country at a just trat—jolly 10 Jaugh and joke with the ladies on the coach top—joliy to get into Central Park and create a sensation among homeward ces, the grand carriaxe folks out for a drive, aud to be the admired of all admirers—jolly to dash down Fifth ave- nue and be smiled at by the iairaud envied by the | brave, Ere [ conclude let me pay my compli- ments to the gallaut Colovel, so good-hu- mored and courteous, and let me name by name the strong, gracelul sicods who, by relays, car- ried the burden of my seventy rs ‘oldon, Paddy, Rock, Prince, Lady Nora, Peitam, Redcoat, Walter, Gay, Milkmaid, Polo, Captain, Countess, Blonain and ‘Lily. { pay alt these goodly boasts my best compliments, tor they are strong and stoady, with fine jorms and gioasy sides. Let an old man advise you, gentle readers, go by tho coach to Pelham, and, if tor only once in your lives, tollow the example of a TUAGENARIAN, THE NEW YORK CAB COMPANY. To re Epiror or Tux HrkaLp:— 1 understand that a number of gentlemen down town are raising a subscription for the formation of x cab company iu this city, I hope this undertaking is going rapidly toward its completion. It is indeed very much needed by everybody, but abovo all by us uptown people, For one thing especisily we will hail these cabs, the greater facility with which we will be ablo to get medical assistance for our families, Most of our physicians, it is true, keep a carriage, but fow when sent forinaburry can get it ina short time. The horse and baggy, jaro a livery stable, sometimes not in the immediate neighborhood, and th jt must bo sent for, got ready and come to the ductor'’s door, all ot which takes be- tween thirty and forty minutes—a long time tor the Ful. foring patient or the anxious mother. Tam told this Cab Company is to be connected with the District Telegraph, and stations properly distributed over the cily; if so, a few minutes only will be necessary to get a Vehicle, and in case of an acelient we may expect then to get our family Lider ima reasonable length of time. 1 hope the whole medical profession of our city 13 not only appreciats advantages offered by such a company being established, but helping nil their might 1t8 going promptly into operation. haps many are not aware that now, in Paris, very few sare keeping @ carriage, so much cheaper commodating are public carriages. are they sent for? In a few minutes they can be in a cgrriage and conveyed to any distance for thirty ven and a ive cents tip will make the horse go very iiveiy. Most every physician who ti respectable practice can be mn going his round jenteel coupé with a decent looking driver; carri KS, and driver velong to the cab company called “l’Enterprise den Vettes Voitures,”” ‘Through w contract made monthly or yearly tha: company (urnisnes physicians with a pri- vate igoking carriage, the license aumber of which is nicely dissimulated in some painted ornament, aud a decent looking horse, This carriago, with driver cleanly dressed, ig at the pbysiotan’s door before cight o'clock every morping; in the middie of the day the carriage goes back to the stable, the driver takes his meal, changes his tired borse tor a fresh one and comes back to the ph: o's house. For a price less than tho cost of keepin; vant, one horse and a curriago, the physician bas constantly at nis order, first a carriage, the use of two houses and a caroful driver, and lust, ‘but not least, no troubiec, no care of anything about the repairs to the carriage, the shooing oF sicknoss of the horse, and the dificuity of aol and keeping a good and honest coachman. What physiciat doing there may, I suppose, be done bere, therefore | repeat that the medica: protession ought to give not only their influence, but their pecuniary beip, tothe bringing about of the immed organization and consequent operation of the projected New York CabCompany. AN UPTOWN PATER-FAMILIAS. THR KETCHUM MYSTERY. The doabt as to whether George W. Ketcham, of No. 244 Dean street, Brooklyn, who lately disappeared mysteriousiy, has committed suicide or is merely | practising a ruse toavold @ distasteful marriage, has not yet been soived, The fact that a letter addressed tohim atthe New York Post Ofice was taken out favors 1m some measure the latter hypoth but, on taken away by somo of bis friends, that anything fs accurt known coucerning the per- son Who cailed forthe letter, although it has beoa siated that Ketchum himself was supposed to be we erson. Fetioent about the case. inspector Waddy stated to a Hxracy reporter that he was not aware of any new developments, asd he was mot to ve tempte into surmises, Another member of the detective force, whon questioned as to whether the police bad formed any theories oo the subject of tho disappearance, replied, ‘I'll never toll you,”’ and quali 18 answer by ing th himself had pow formed any. Ketchum’s friends profess to know noth- ing about bim, and the your lady to whom he wns stated to be engaged and who was al- legod to be subject to fils of temporary also shrouded in mystery. Keteham's d dates back as far as November 17, and ¢ Brookiyn detectives have been engaged on theecase, and if with y « success than above, they are unwilling to m: known full measure of {t, fearing, perhaps, that publicity might intorfere with (heir future action. THAT RESERVOIR. THR CONTRACTORS’ CLAIM FOR ONS HUNDRED AND BEVENTY-EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS NOT NON-SUITED. The referees appointed by the City Court of Brook- lyn to take testimony and hear argument in regard to the sult brought by Messrs, Kingsley & Kooney, contractors for the Hempstead storage reservoir, to recover $178,000 from the ctty for extra material and services furuished, held another meeting in the Com- mon Council Chamber yesterday forenoon, Ex Judge Lott satd that the referees had carefully considered the arguments of the defence lor the disiniesal of the compinint, complaint canuot be dismissed, This disposi the motion will best subserve the interest of the ties as well as the ends of justice. The Corporation unsel sald dolendants would take an exception to the decision and be moved an adjournment to som future day, aid his opening aApeech would tak more than two hours, aud tho testimony of deionda: was voluminous and complicated. Counsel tor plaintiffs, General Tracy, urged an carly day for the opening ot 08, 8 he fenred thoy would t reach the end of the case at the rato at which Peasinn., ned The defence will protabl: Btuination of witnesses, Then | | be inclined to tight legal batties with the State, kept generatly at | letter was | Tho detective police of Brooklyn ore vory | | rweed’s past experiences in tho way of travellin | versing with | Ludiow was Foster Dewey, his old secretary decla bility. know! he me 8 that another escape would be a sheer imposai- Mr, Watson, however, does not think, from hie ge of Tweed's disposition and character, that tates another escape, He tbinks that e been so discouraging that for the present at all events Tweed will preter to remain in his comfortable quar- ters, Besides the enjoyments above enumerated Tweed evidently derives great pleasure trom the perusal of the daily papers. He takes all the papers, morn- ing aud evening, daily upd weekly, and the keepes woo attends upon bim says that when be ts not co: his visitors be 18 nearly always im- newspapers, To judge from the avidity mersed in th with which he devours his pabalum of news be must have greatly tnissed his regular instalment of morning papers on the Cuban rocks, at Vigo, or on board the siow old tnb which conveyed him hither. Wit If DISGORGK IS. PLUNDER? Warden Watson, who is an old friend of Tweed, and in whom the latter foposes much contidence, thinks that Tweed wili now at Inst compromise the case against bim. He says that at one time Wheeler H. Peckham, wbo has rge of the suits against Tweed, was willing to take $509,000, but was deterred by Charles O'Conor, who insisted that Tweed must pay at Jeast a milion.’ The Warden thinks that oow that tweed has experienced how futile even tight is, and that he, growing old and feeble, will not much tonger Tne fact that his jormer counsel has not seen Tweed since his return would seem to give the color of probability to this statement, The negotiations—if they are really in progress—-have been kept very quict, and noting would be given to tho press until they aro consum- muaied, : Although the prison Mbrary is: well provided with vooks weed has not drawn any, contining, dues, his reading to newspapers. Some of his trends out of towa send lim journals of other cities which contaig matter of interest to hin, The ouly books he keeps tn bis rooms are inw books which he lott at bis escapa, and into which he again dips qecasionally. HOW Mk SPENT THR DAY, Tweed rose at about nine o'clock yesterday mornin, partook ofa hearty breaktast, and, alter reuding tl newspapers for somo hours, received his doctor, ex- Coroner Schirmer, who visits hig patient daily, Schirmer reports but httle progress in bis patient, who, he says, is severoly suflering irom diabetes aod the effects ot’ his imprisonment 10 & stono cell at Vigo. He says that Tweed has grown much thinner and feebier, and 18 but til calculated to bear another long term of confinement. Shortly after two the prisoner bad bis dinner, which, the attendant says, wxs as as lis breakfast, and nephew, Richard d, his sov, Richard M,, and his old iriead, Charles called and remained with him some bours. Mr, Devin, when be came out, said to the writer that Tweed was Suffering much, and that they talked over such matters as old friends who bad Known each other siuce boyhood would aaturally speak about, Tweed, he said, spoke little or nothiwg about the present poilt- ical situation, his hopes ot liberation or any suvject be- yond those of immediate interest in bis domestic and family alfuirs TWRED'S FRUGAL WAMTS, The jail ofictalz say that with the exception of oces. sional jcacies sent bimn trom his son's house, Tweed partakes of the Usual fare provided for Mr. Watson's boarders, This consists usually of beefsteak and coffee lor breakfast; some ro.si, Will Vegetables and desyert, for dinner, aud cold meat and tea lor supper. This staioment rudely dispets ail the fancied juxuries of the prisoner's table, suca as roasted quails, &c. The War- den alzo deciares that Tweed takes bo wine or stimu- lnnts of auy description, go that his trien pare thenselves the trouble of sending bim basketsol cham pague or Jobunuis! ; TWKED'S TKN YRARS’ BLERP. “Foster Dewey telis a good atory about the Boss, Have you heard it?” said a gentieman to a HERaLp ro- porter yesteruay. 0, What is itl” “Well, you peruaps know that Tweed has always taken a deep inte: est in the progress of political aftnirs this State, even durivg Is long imprisonment and travels while trying to’ escape from prosecution, Among the first to visit the old man alter bi a strong affection between them, as you, who used imterview Tweed io bis Duane street office, know The Boss bad not seen Foster since be packed bit trunk for Keston just before Tweed escaped, and you can imagine there was an affectionate greetung. ‘Tweed, who nas lost ali bis obesity and has no distin- guianiog feature except the nose tuat the caricature ists get so weil, drew bis chair up Dewey in a cona- deatial way, and, resting tis elbows upon his knees, laced bis shrunken cheeks th the palins of hands and looked eagerly for “Foster's” bud, news. The old man, you will remember, bated Tilden, Governor Robtnsun and Smith Ey as a mad dog hates water, Dewey eotertained him Jor nearly two hours with a reeital of the political changes tbat occurred durmg his pilgrimage in search of Connally, Prince Harry, ‘over «=B. Sweony and ‘om = Fielde, The olf man list aticntively to Dewey’s graphic description of the munver in Which his old enemies bad slowly ana surely climbed the ladder, and whan ‘Foster’ closed the Boss rematned speechiess for sume moinents, parently ramipeting upon the days of bis power and triumphs. Then hie great arms dropped, he throw them aloft, drew a ong breath, yawued and, opening his eyes, exclaimed, as though just awakoning trom a Rip Van Winkle sleep :— “QO dear me! It sectns as if 1 bad slopt ten years,” “Dewey told me the story bimself,"’ continued the narrator, “and it shows vory clearly that the poor man still takes a deep interest in the politics of the State.” DAVID DUDLEY FIELD ANSWEXS 7. WHED. A reporter of the Hxxaup called Eoghan Ope Mr, Davia Dudley Field, sensor counsel for Twi at his Pine street offce, where the following dialogue took hace :. os r, Field, have you seen the article giving ao in- terview with’ Thurow Weed. which appears in yt the papers this morning? It contains what ts said to be an acco of Mr. Weed'’s interview with your ” “Na, “| have not xeon it” Here the following statement, credited to Mr. Weed, was shown Mr. Fieid:— + 4.2, Lthen saw wovernor Dis: and Mayor Havemeyer, nnd they ayreed with m it Boot much more would benefit to the city to have the money Feturned than to keep Tweed in pris authorized by them, I had, suose- quontiy, two} tere matter, at both of which the late Henry Hime Police Commissioner, was present, Both Ne. Tweed and his wile were then extremely anxivng to make restitution, even to x up. éve thing. A good deal of Mr. Tweed's property was ju hewys very bad investments, aad it was linpo ly how, much contd be fealined {runs of bis tan, whe wae rope; Was ily broughs me word that T cod him agai: taking any such step, a feats | dropped. ot thik’ the Me Graham, but | ant sot sure, “Are you willing,” said the reporter, “to say whal advice you gave Tweed on this point?” “Certainly not,” responded Mr, Fieid. +I have ng more right to divulge the navaro of the advice 1 gave than [ wave to divuige the character of the mforma tion he gave me,” Mr. Freid hero carefully read the article and con- UBued: “I wil say, however, that it seoms.a very remarka- bie thing that Mr. Weed should say that bis old Irend was ready to Ke reauits a tot louging to it when he 1s now d it aud denying that he has taken any. Mr. Weed’s momory must be at fault, for surely aeither | Governor Dix not ex-Mayor Mavemeyer could authorized him to nogouate for the compounding f alleged mies. AS far as his allusion to me is concerned, be pretends merely to repeat ing i Mr. Barney Kelly said tc him, aud then bis own) gurmises. I willonly esy now when Tweed was Irted and senteticed | was un the other ade of the globe, and did not retura to Unis country untill mogthe ater Honry Suuth, whom he catls Munk Smith, Wad died."* THR LAWYERS RETICENT. A reporter yestetday visited the offices of all thy counsel ov etther side, Mr. Wheeler H, Peckham wat in Alvany ou Vusiness entire! progecution of the civil sai morrow. Mr. Juha DP. Townsend, counsel oy, Nove ward, smiled quielly when questioned as 16 U of bis cient turning State's evidence, aod answered jas “L know nothing about, | doo’t know anytht about Tweed or the intentions of the counsel ine suit; therefore 1 can (eli you hor hing a alt District Attorney Pheips was quite cative. In the midst of a trial in he stopped to say that thero ts case; that itis uncertain woen UI ment will be pronded to, or cede tue crim:nal