New-York tribune., 1908-02-28
RELATIVES OF .HAFFEN
SEVEN ON PAYROLL.
Good Men, scith Right to Hold
Office, He Says at Inquiry.

John p Mitchell, Commissioner of Accounts.
spent much of the time yesterday session OIL
the investigation Of the office of Borough fIe>i-
dent Haffen of The Bronx inquring about various
relatives of the Borough President WHO io'u
rlaces in The Bronx Borough government. Al I
o. clock the investigation adjourned until MOI
day
The Porough President acknowledged. in reply
10 the questions of the examiner that seven pci :
sons whose names were mentioned, were relatei
To hin, directly indirectly by marriage -
summarize these persons their relation 10 fIS
dent Hafyen according to their own testimony me
placas they mold and the salaries they receive
Henry Haffen brother. general inspector III tht
Bureau of Highways. s2.4O3 a year; Charles H.
Haffell second cousin rodman in the ensnneeI',s'
bureau. 81 $50 John VI. Haffen. son OF ulS'"i'
relative. assistant foreman in the bureau oi Sc"
ers $40 a DAY: Philip Hoffman, relative Oh d
hrotbar,s wife assistant foreman of hosuers
81 % a day: Henry koeng. distant relative car
penter in the Bureau of HIGHWAYS Sa'o Gay :
A. + Il. Koenig. of Henry 1oehiS' cai ipeh'ei
in the Bureau of Highways, 81 day. August
Dahier. married into tie lalhHS' i"'
a day. ,,
President Haffen at stage OF the eSallia @ ul'i
said that there 800 or 600 Harens IN ne
Bronx and that he had loco or so relatives IN tat
borough. IF you figure on the proportion OF reno"
tlves TO the total population of The Bronx lie
said "and the proportion of my relatives 10 the
total number of men in the borough service you
viii find the latter percentage decldediy io"tl'
when pressed as 10 a certain ici'
tionship President fIaffen would say that IL nae
nothing 70 do with the mans appointment "He 5
a citizen of the United States, replied PRESIDENT
Haffen ou one occasion. He was born here ives
in The Bronx and came duly certlned from t''e
Civil Service list
Commissioner Mitchell struck cut into the field
of relationship rather sudden.y lie had asked
how Philip Hoffman had managed to make 'oV
DAYS time in 1891. He is assistant foreman OF
hostIers and his work requires him to oe present
every day the reply.
lis he a relative of yours?" asked the Commls-
sioner. to which came the reply already quoted.
He's brother of mine the reply to
question about Henry Haffen. Hes a good man.
a citizen of The United States and has rlSht 10
hold Office. as does any other citizen.
The Borough President on several occasions sald
he did not know of the existing relationship when
the appointment made, and in every case TOOK
occasion say that the man under consideration
was filing his office in a manner entirely ABOVE
reproach.
He is one of the best carpenters in the city TO-
day." was the eulogy of Henry Koenig He works
hard all day and doesn't require any body tc prod
him along He came from the Civil Service list
and is a thoroughly capable man." Yes, he's a
mechanic. one of the best in the country, was
the certificate of merit presented to August Dahler
Commissioner Mitchell referred to man who is
sick in Colorado a leave of absence with pay,
and asked Borough President Haffen how long
would he continue leave of absence with full pay.
AS Il rule L do not approve of it," he said,
but have in some cases received opinions from
the Corporation Counsel recommending that men
he paid while away" He did not remember any
cases where men had been away for year under
such circumstances.
1t was brought that only recently the time
of two painters had been incorrectly certified on
the payroll, but President Haffen said it had been
! misake without evil intent The man responsible
had been told that repetition of the mistake
would result in dismissal.
President Haffen was asked if he could recollect
that a man named Jacob Wegerby was employed
in the bureau of buildings and engaged in
another business in 1903 and 1904. He did not.
Asked what he would if he found that man
had been dra wing pay for days and weeks without
working President Haffen said he would summon
the superintendent of the department in which the
employed and make charges against him.
The name of George D. Scott, a veteran men,
toned, and President Haffen asked If he be-
lieved veteran had any more right than anyone
else to draw pay for services not rendered He
replied in the negative