New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-07-01
COWEN LIKELY TO RESIGN
Midlothian to Shoe Cause Why He
Should Longer Bid.

Philip Cowen, supervisor of THE City Record,
is likely to resign within the next week re-
suit Of the continued friction between himself
and Controller Grout There is nothing personal
In Mr.. CIRCUITS attitude of hostility toward the
supervisor, but his expert accountants have been
finding alleged irregularities in the City Rec
ord" office in the last twelve months. and Mr..
Grout regards them as serious. The report of
the Commissioners Of Accounts the City
Record bureau was read at the meeting of the
Board of City Record yesterday. It does not
sustain the charges made by the Controllers
experts save in few particulars. The commits
sion find that Mr. Cowen was dilatory in for
warding bills to the Finance Department. and
that he favored certain printers. Mr. Governs
integrity remains unimpeached. When Mr..
Cowen was asked by a Tribune reporter If he
was going TO resign he said:
Il shall resign if Mr. Low indicates that he
would like To have me get out With the FL
nance Department against me- it is rather diff
cult for the Mayor sustain me. I con-
solous Of having done my best and of having
saved the city large sums in the conduct of the
Office. 1t is hard position to fill. Personally,
] should not be sorry to retire, as I am getting
very tired Of it all I shall not retire until the
Mayor indicates that he wishes it"
Supervisor Cowen read a statement concern
ing the arrearage Of $4,000 which he reported
at the last meeting OF the board The statement
IN part is as follows:
need make no apology for the deficiency Of
$780, l based my estimate on the exceedingly
ing else TO guide me. excepting the Judgment of
81. assistants me original estmate for 1902 used
course. based upon the annual acquisitions of the
Nalueless these acquisitions are will be seen from
me TACT that i've departments alone have ordered
stions and included in this is S8 @ from the
TisoT caIculate with any reasonable certainty what
departments are thoroughly inaccurate in sub
The total cost for 1850 was s75 so 6s for 1901 SIPS
.S6 76 while for 1892 including all these arrearages
done by the CITY Record office during 1902 have
books in 1900 and 1901 and our own records for
2 From this 1t appears that the total cost in 1902
Of $ls4ls4 81. and 1901 S9l3254 70. saving of s5l,
concrete case Of saving IS clearly shown by
taxing The City Record, for the first five months
amount Of material that is Put into each H ase at
the first five months of 1901 and 50 rs for the first
composition makes further saving of about .
Per cent IN the amount OF material that is crowded
into page.
When the Mayor had finished reading the re-
port CT the Commissioners of Accounts he main
tanned a silence for over two minutes. He then
leaned over toward Controller Grout and whs
pered, 4 would suggest that we go into execu-
i've session
Very we'll" replied Mr. Grout
call the roll" ordered the Mayor.
The Mayor, Mr.. Grout and Corporation Coun-
sci Riyes voted Aye and the room
dered cleared of spectators.
When the executive session broke up neither
Controller Grout nor Corporation Counsel Rives
would discuss what had occurred The Mayor
said that they had discussed the report of the
Commissioners of Accounts fully, and had in
structed Mr. COwen to forward a letter to Mr..
Sdebotham requiring him to show cause
within five days why he should continue TO bid
for city printing work The Mayor would not
explain just what this meant.