The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-04
REPORT WILL RASP AHEARN
If MAYOR DOESNOT ASK FOR HIS
REMOVAL OFFERS WILL.


There 10 fresumptiye Evtdence OF Ger
ruption In the Building Bursap-IAw
Against Open Orders Bross en- Csntlsualiy.
The Commissioners OF Accounts flushed
yesterday their Investigation Of Borough
President Ahearn's ofics 20 far AZ the
taking Of testimony 10 concerned. An ad-
iourniment was taken until September 10.
but this was for the purpose, should the
need arise. OF examining Mr., Ahearn and
the heads OF his bureaus in the event Of the
Supreme Court compelling them to testify.
CommissioAsr Mitchell said yesterday
that he and Commissioner Hertle would at
once begin to prepare o report describing
the nature OF the evidence adduced. and
that they hoped to place this report in the
hands Of the Mayor within a week. Mr..
Mitchell said that the report would merely
be a summary Of the testimony and a tran
script thereof.
will the report be Of such a nature a.
will compel the Mayor to ask theG Governor
to remove the Borough President2' Mr..
Mitchell wal asked.
The report will be an impartial review
OF the evidence; it will contain no sug-
eestions except as TO changes in them meth
DDS Of administering the affairs Of the
Borough Presidents Office. and any step
looking to the removal Of Mr.. Ahearn will
have to be initiated by the Mayor Mr..
Mitchell replied.
The report will say that the law provid-
ing that no contracts calling for an ex-
wA.It-~ paA,. &han a. nAn .han 10
made without public letting hal been per-
sistently disregarded and that it has been
the practice to give work amounting TO
many thousands Of dollars a yea to a few
favored contractors Of political influence
under the excuse Of emergency orders
IL will be stated that there has been gross
e~xtravagsnoe in the bureaus and that the
city has been obliged to pay for materials
and work several times more than the
market value of such materials inc labor.
1t will state hat there was never any sys-
tematic effort to compel paving contractors
to live up to their obligations to maintain
pavements in good condition n that
pavements we're inferior and not up to the
specifications. II will say that constant
violations Of the Building Code have been
permitted and that the evidence is strongly
~presumptive Of corruption mons the Of
ficials OF the Bureau Of Buildings.
At all the sessions stenographers in the
employ Of civic organizations la taken
the evidence, and should the Mayor not
ask the Governor to remove Mr.. Ahearn
these organizations will themselves lay the
evidence before the Governor and ask for
the deposition Of he Borough President.
At yesterdays session Of the commits
sion it was brought out that David Orr.
who was some years ago a famous baseball
player, a on the salary roll Of the Bu-
reau of Highways al a Waterman and was
at the same time employed as a Waterman
by an uptown theatre. A man named Con-
lon testified that he was classed on the
payroll as a foreman, but hat his duties
consisted Of running errands Several
witnesses said that while they rented horses
and carts to the bureau and drew pay for
driving their horses the work was done
by substitutes.