New-York tribune., 1908-06-22
onMMISSI0NERS SUB
NIT HAFFEN REPORT
npONT ADMINISTRATION
SINCE 1909 COTERED.
surqcsfod That Mayor Refer Ger
aia Conditions to the Dis
frict attorney.

-o,o-f of the Commissioners Of Accounts
-, ,r,-estieatlon of the Office of the President
o ~ Bronx has been presented TO Mayor Nc
q G. and was made public yesterday. 1t is
c. -. fol1r Purroy Mitchell and Ernest Yale
snobs~ the commissioners In IL there is
o..,os.ion that certain acts Of President Haffen
~ | .or,s within the scope of the Penal Code.
- .bs commissioners OF Accounts recommend
~ .be, be referred to the District Attorney.
- are other practices of various buI aus Of
:. borouch government which. il is suggested.
-,rst he construed not only TO be Illegal but in
s.,s+ian Of the penal code. but in only in
80 is a recommendation made regarding ref
&c 10 the District Attorney.
rAe nrsctice referred 10 is that of allowing the
-,rission Of liquidated damages on contracts
- have proceeded in a dilatory manner. Pc
ling this the report says:
:. result the Borough President has filed
W - from his personal correspondence, contain
~ sasTsprreeentations of fact. and upon these mis-
~ Contractors moneys 10 which under their
oo55,rscts they were not entitled
pTeE 5liG Is 5.Irr 9tI, +Ha s-odCIt ~ 10 % ~
,ss,ne Of claims and false certificates is ques-
tinn oI aN -,a-ff,,iI1- Tecor7n3en5ed fbot these
Z-st+ers he forthwith referred 10 the District
I-orney Of the county for his opinion and appro-
--isie action
ssrion is OF the Penal Code says that "a public
So who directly or indirectly con-
,,.,s 10 or In any way connves ar the auditing
novsnoe or payment Of any claim against the
4-r which 3 false fraudulent or contains
A,-rss which are false or fraudulent is
r-Htv Of felony. punishable by Imprisonment for
,r-, not exceeding five years or f-e not exceed
M S8H by both
sar-ion 1s5 makes i a misdemeanor for public
sesr authorized by law TO deliver certificate TO
md dol or
s-.iacate which he knows 10 be false
PayRoILs FALSELY CERTIFIED. IT SAYS.
Tie report charges that false certifcatIon of paw
-rs has been made for years under peculiar sys
n NJ charging assessment proceedings. that gross
waste Of public moneys in the conduct OF the vari-
ms bureaus has been allowed and that in many
Tsry the Office Of the Borough President has been
sried On with incompetent subordinates and in
urbasinesslike manner. The concluding paragraph
the report. which consists OF nearly three hun
sred printed pages OF reading matter and many
zre Of tables and charts, is as follows:
/ T il were possible 10 sum up in single state
reut the conditions found in the course OF this
r0uiry. il would be that the evidence has con-
uHoe1 that the entire Bronx Borough depart
ret has for the last six years been admins
-ei primarily IN the political interests OF Pres-
i 4 the GefcienCieS. waste. Irregularities and de-
| srtures from the Law discovered by us
Mayor Mcclellan WAS in Princeton yesterday, and
vas impossible 10 learn what action he would
,sa on the report and the recommendations Il /
! stains i is thought. however, that he Will for
sri the report 10 Governor Hughes. with a
l u1s-ipt OF The testimony taken at the thirty |
II SESSIONS Ct the hearing by the Commissioners /
4 t4ccounts with q request that such action as /
n II necessary be taken
i Il was done in the case Of President Ahearn /
skuhaJtau, who was removed by Governor
zles after ? hearing. In that case charges
- r-:.-- +Ho ne p-ect
Il IT Eaffen the Civic League OF The Bronx has
ready submitted formal charges 10 the Governor.
1esideut Ahearu was removed on the ground that
II was responsible for the acts Of his subordi-
4 ztes, zho found derelict but .n the case OF
aesident HafTen he IS found 10 have concurred in
]. r2e Of the acts and practices criticised by the
4 11nssioners OF Accounts.
Il Should President F7afen be removed he would
1 -obably be reelected in the same manner that
/ President Ahearn was returned TO his Office. Five
4 g TIE seven aldermen Of The Bronx, who have
!! he power q filing a vacancy in the office OF
! arough President. are Haffen men.
OK UNBALANCED BIDS.
/ Tie report covers the administration q Presi-
/ izt Haffen since January !. 1872 Part gives an
1 --ne Of the functions and organization Of the
A 4Ce of the Borough President OF The Bronx
Il zr Il takes up construction and reconstruction
1 as first finding is that the Borough President
Il rs tolerated. has made no effort 10 discourage
4 I'd has by repeated acceptance Of such bids. ap-
i 1Te3 lie practice Of submitting unbalanced bids
Il In public improvements. a practice which pre-
-s fair competition. makes favoritism possible,
II Inevitable and brings loss 10 the city
b TIE report declares that both Borough Presi-
2 I aae chief engineer were guilty Of a very seri-
dereicton of duty in permitting their sub
ion throughout the six years under review
ss Briggs is the chief engineer
me question of overtime on contracts is next
3f ~. and tHe following findings are made;
ae Borough President has repeatedly nullifed
Il y 9Ht-t of time limit provisions in contracts Tor
l1a impr0re--rrts-
4 by making ao zdequate effort TO compel the
4 l-lon ~ t-e work on time; ~ |
49, ?. arniraE-.E. and without Nailu or leSSd 1
~ reU-itt-.- o- reducing contract pena4ties
-,,tll1ales damages for overtime; /
IA b} causing changes 10 be made IN contracts
81 - 10 fsorffate such remission ana
~ y executing for uual payments by the Con
&1 % contractors certificates containing 1alse /
<s1enis time
one case-,lat # the Broadway sewer con
II =: -llifofe-.E Teu7it-cd 10 the contra ctOrr one
II n l-l-nn Tl.. during the progress of the work: |
eIte. tae Borough President $1,000 in aid OF
sesi campaign for reelection.
II 'sH Dunn IS The Tammany co-leader Of the
kl Assernf'v Dis-ric,.
n w similar cases are cited which, il is stated,
-ta in The false certificates TO the Controller
Il 2ing which The recommendation for reference
III -t District Attorney already spoken of, is
i H~Ihs1 Ihs