New-York tribune., 1908-02-26
HAFFEN AGAIN ON STAND
ASKED ABOUT REMOVALS.
Also Called to Testify Regarding
Certain appointments.

noVals and appointments in the Borough Presi-
cents offlce and his responsibility for them. also
70 placing On record the degree OF supervision
Nhlcn President HaTen has maintained over the
various departments and has ideas on the efficiency
O. the work done President Haffen will 20 on the
stand again to-day, when the hearing is resumed
a. 1880 a n, and il may be several 6avs before
other witnesses reached.
When Commissioner Mitchell was ,rohinz fo- ~.
reasons Tor the removal OF Peter Gluck as Superfn-
cent Of Sewers and the appointment OF Thomas H.
y ->elI II his place, the Borough President said:
why II Is Just what the Mayor is doing now
adeys--e1novirg one man and putting in another
Wen II the Mayor was before me, he would
HhNe 70 give MS reasons What yours?'
Piled Commissioner Mitchell
Nao TIE right 70 dc ii under the charter, and
cd Il TO satisfy myself" said President Haffen.
he examination continued:
- Ihen Il was purely q personal natter A No
Q Wen n Ebat 9G5 me s good o. he depaEJTnent -
re ti department. A Is this political investiga-
~. 10 you mean that your reason for removing
NJ 'Tecks was political? A. Ne. 90 not.
President Haffen was led to say that politics
suppose was responsible for the removal OF Michael
J Hecht Assistant Superinten5ent Of Buildings
l. was brought out that President Haren made ap-
pointnents and removed men on the recomnenda-
ton of the various department heads.
Later in the investigation President FIaren was
asked DO you consider the present methods Of
the various departments satisfactory
certainly do" vas the reply. That is, so far
as znowtedEe ! ~ wise
DO you fee that all the the departments
ara doing much work would be expected
rom them in g private business was another
question.
7 most certainly do" said President HafTen
without moments hesitation
Wien i came 70 asking the reasons for the
raoval OF Thomas :. Byrnes as Superintendent of
Public of5oes and Buildings and the appointment
of Albert Liebenau- ;he following light was shed
The subject:
Z What were your reasons7 A The public good.
- We: We. VIA were your reasons for thinz2g i
19e4e4 "a & vas & -4St ss geod "a nan as Byrnesc W
= II Is-1s appointments are made II the city OF
70 51-s know y mat O. 'e ''s competent As
Then Commissioner Mitchell referred 20 the resig-
nation Of Michael J. Garvan as Superintendent Of
Buildings and his appointment as an architect in
charge Of the building Of the new courthouse Did
you tel him you would apponz him an a1chi-
tect prior 10 his resignation asked
7 don't remember whether I did or not
Following the appointment OF successor to Mr..
GaTvan there were a number OF changes II the de-
Psrtrlent regarding which Commissioner Mitchell
brought CIT the following:
Q-Michael J FEecht was succeeded as Assistant
s-g=Lln.~eL.le1I 2 II ~ q Buildings by John \ Mason.
Q-D.d you know Of the change before It oc-
o-Was ii BY your direction? Al have not got
Q-Was it OF your recommendation At may
nave 9eer- / cor rscolleet .,-,+-.as .o.-o-
-" 10 -4Al5'''4- d e-A'Ar-iNVA 0C~4V
o-Mas tEis 8frer Constitution with you? At
may have been. 7 can't say
Of the Superintendent Of a bureau was rot
making good appointments would You not consider
/ matter for rebuke? Al might go.
Q-Tou do then hold yourself responsible for 7e the
that DO Go not think am responsible for their
G-Tou don't think you are responsible then? them
Al am rot responsible for his acts o1i I-s}4S
b responsible for his remaining II office II he did
what considered wrong r -, :-3
of Assistant Superintendent Hecht2 A-Iolltics'
Cso,-,iss;ooz- Mitchell asked Why President Haf-
fs7 had 4,rnfnted Henry a. GuTubleton secretary
of tie borough The latter was sitting near 0y' ana
President HafTea looked him several times for
confirmation of his answers He has had son1e
political expe-ienoe-sonle sad ezperience-that 90
not believe he would care refer 10 al this time
NJ C511nhleton shook his head.
From questions Of appointment and removal Com
missioner Mitchell turned the supervision main
rz5ne6 bv President Haffen- over the various bu-
reaus. which were taken up il succession. The
usual replies were that the head Of the bureau was
he15 responsible. consulting with President Haffen
from time 70 time as r1lch as occasion Ie4~iit9
vas his expression
zach bureau President Haten said. kept an sc-
cc75- Of is own expenses The general bookkeeper
kent general record OF expenses
Have you ever made critical examination OF
these books 20 see the exact cost Of each opera
tion7" asked Commissioner Mitchell
II REV on the Commissioner Of Accounts re-
rs,ed President Hafren. 7 wouldn't have been able
haven't been II nv Office much for some time"
This reference was the examination that has
beer made by the Commissioners Of Accounts
Then Commissioner Mitchell took the Borough
President through a long series OF questions re-
ardig the procedure and different steps Of assess
rnenr improvements He asked particularly as to
tEe way in which the cost OF engineering and IN
s,ectiug work was charged against such improve
r,e1- President IIaffen said he would rather his
chief engineer testified as 10 that
Asked regarding the organization q the gangs
cf lafore-s and The standard OF efficiency required
ro-ae44eu+ Harer SAID he had never heard Of gangs
with several forenen for three or four laborers.
Commissioner Mitchell did not pursue that point
further In assigning men TO gangs attempt
vas made place them as near home as possible,
f. said
n the morning session Commissioner Mitchell re
turned 70 the subject OF the laborers whose time
rad been incorrectly certified TO- which OF
tFe reasons for the failure 10 reappoint Mr- Bruck
-er Is Commissioner Of Public Works President
F4aren produced afidavts OF five foremen. who said
tbe-- had beer directed by Commissioner Rruckner
20 certify that certain laborers had worked full
rt-,e report was placed IN evidence TO show
rhsr fifteen laborers had been discharged for be-
.ne On the payroll when they had not worked
The question OF responsibility rested between
Commissioner Bruckner and the foreuen?" asked
Commissioner Mitchell The only thing that would
have absolved the forenen from moral and criminal
ee,orsihiljty would have been the detailing OF the
men elsewhere"
..,Ssr1yrsllz' said President HaTen. III the
rs5 been working directly under the foremen's
eyes the latter would have been responsible
..T7len you must have been satisfied before you
.,no,nrea q new commissioner Of public works
.as- the men detailed away from the fore
-,e- go asked Commissioner Mitchell
II had no evidence against the foreren' said
che Borough President. They were the Civil
caryjoe list The Commissioners place was ex-