The Supervisors Misled

New York, 1895

Counsel to the board of Supervisors, George Wallace, appeared in the role of apologist for Assemblyman Vacheron at the meeting of the board on Tuesday. The Supervisors expressed themselves strongly in opposition to the $10,000 Commissioner of Jurors bill, and a resolution had been prepared and privately approved condemning the bill in unmistakable terms. Counselor Wallace induced the board not to pass this resolution. He said that condemnation of the bill might arouse Vacheron's vindictiveness and lead him to kill the County Road bill. The resolution which the board did adopt was written by Mr. Wallace. It will not satisfy public opinion, which has become strongly aroused over this outrageous measure, and fault will be found with the Supervisors for allowing themselves to be placed in a false position to serve a political purpose, for it was not the safety of the County Road act that actuated Mr. Wallace, but the knowledge that condemnation of the outrageous commissioner of jurors bill by a Republican board of Supervisors would be a condemnation of Boss Youngs, of Vacheron, and of the Republican county committee, and safety of the County Road act was but a subterfuge to mislead the board. The Supervisors made the mistake of being too trustful, but there is the satisfaction of knowing that the board are unanimous in their opposition to the bill, and the committee that will go to Albany will voice that opposition in positive terms.

Mr. Wallace himself does not stand in an enviable light before the people on this scandalous bill. He informed the board of Supervisors that he was in Albany on the day that Vacheron forced the bill through the Assembly. He was in Vacheron's company, but Vacheron said never a word to him about the bill. Queerly enough, he learned all about the bill just as soon as it had passed. Mr. Wallace stated further that after he learned of the passage of the bill he was with Senator Childs for a considerable time, but said not a word to the Senator about it. Mr. Wallace brought a copy of the bill home with him, and took care to leave it at home when he attended the meeting of the board of Supervisors, and that gave him a chance to make the board indefinite and doubtful in their action, as no Supervisor had ever seen a copy of the bill; but Mr. Wallace had seen it, and read and re-read it, knew all about it, and was capable of speaking for the board in the matter, and should have framed an honest resolution for them to adopt. Mr. Wallace appears to be more concerned about politics and the welfare of politicians than about the public welfare. The Supervisors should be on their guard hereafter.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, April 19, 1895, p. 2.