New-York tribune., 1908-10-07
COLER SCENTS SCANDAL
Wants to Hear Report from Com
nissiOners of accounts.

borough President Coer of Brooklyn st the meet
ing of the Board of Aldermen yesterday salo olis
81 per cent of the full amount Of the puoso' "@s
made up in expenditures for the borough govern,
ments and that two-thrds of the money e%peh"eu
by the Commissioners OF Accounts and the bureau
of Municipal Research fer the Investigations was
expended in investigating the borough governments
He demanded that the Board of Aldermen adopt
resolution calling upon the Commissioners oA ~
counts ito Immediately give detailed statement "
the board of their examinations OF various porousS
and departments together with the speciic eApe"9o
Of the same and the number Of men einpioSeu ~
each case" The resolution unanimously passet.
"If these commissioners required 10 s-Ne d Autt
and detailed statement" Mr. Coler said, we Will
get the most astounding result that resolution mas
ever had in the board. We ought TO kho" soou'
the commissioners, whether their work ls hoh-pai
tisan or political. do not hesitate to say that
while the commissioners have been chasing up Trivial
things at great expense they have investigated
where II suited them TO investigate ana iepoi 'e
as they desired report, condonins crime without
hesitation forgetting about everything thst teS
did not choose TO bring TO light
A storm protest followed an attempt 10 nave INC
resolution referred to the Committee on Finances
Alderman B. W. B. Brown. the RePuohcan Ieaoei'
Alderman Redmond and Alderman Walsh declaring
that there should bs reference to committee put
that the whole matter should be fought out on the
soor oS the hoard Finally Alderman Downing, Re
publican from Brooklyn got the floor and made an
inpassioned address behalf of MI Colers reSo-
luton
We've had enough OF this internal blanket gov
ernment" proclaimed Alderman Downing rising and
shaking his fist for emphasis. My opponent doesnt
know what he's talking for.
..Oh shut up," calculated Alderman Dowling.
We've had enough OF this star chamber govern
,nent and being called like shut-up" shout
ed Downing while PrSslent MCGOWAN hammered
the table until It seemed though he would split
its surface.
Mr Coler again TOOK the floor, and declared that
he had knowledge Of crimes having been condoned
by the Commissioners of Accounts and OF sales
of city property being condoned Il will 1t at
any time that they want me to-" he added.
The vote which followed showed woful mix-up
of party lines and personal allegtsnces number
Of Tammanyites broke away from the leadership
OF Mr. Dowling and voted against the resolution
10 refer 20 committee. Mr.. Redmond, of Brooklyn,
a McCarren man, surprised every one by voting
in like manner. The Republicans. under the leader
ship Of Alderman Brown, voted practically as a
unit against referring.
Think Of the waste Of public funds by them,
Mr. Coler continued. Here, in my borough offices.
they have had accountants the Job for more
than a year. They have had detectives following
around every man in the place. They have looked
into hooks and corners and found nothing but the
fact relating 10 a measly little picture, which, /
think has been thoroughly explained. At the same
time what have they done about city land frauds!
Nothing Think Of all the money that's been
spent trying 10 find something against a borough
administration, while offences elsewhere have been
condoned. All the energy and money expended by
the commission practically used for the investigation
Of 81 per cent of the budget! What farce II Is