New-York tribune., 1908-11-10
HAFFEN CASE TO HUGHES
MAYOR ORDERS CHARGES.
Directs Com nissioners of accounts
to Prepare Report for Gouernor.

IN site ~ the contention Of counsel for President
HsTen of The Bronx that Mayor Mcclellan hso
no right 10 forward the report or the commission
ers Of Accounts on the investigation Of President
Hs1en-s Office the Mayor ordered the commission
rs Yesterday reduce their report 10 the form OF
charges 50 they might pe transmitted to the Gov
ernor.
II IS considered almost 4 certainty that the Gov
.rnor viii uqrne some one 10 hold formal hearing
On the charges or as in the case Of President
Ahearn. hold hearing himself
IN tie form Of 4 memorandum written yesterday
the Mayor reviews briefly the history of the ffallen
csse In opening he writes
Ia August 1877 directed the Commissioners Of
Accounts to conduct a general investigation Of an
the city departments Of the city Of New l"Fh- IN
ciGduk tne Offices Of the presidents OF - OF
oughs IN due course Of time the said cenlmissia-
Ts5. -. Ese-C.,r5 ~ IRE E-onx NlIuer-
Gus public hearings were had by sad commission
many witnesses were brought before them by sub
puens and testified
together with the stenoerarhers minutes of ne
- i-,t-,3y7-es ~ The Commissioners Of Accounts
This ssfo report charged the Hon Louis 2 Hafen
VOCATION of sT IN 1he administration Of his Of
fce as President of the Borough Of The Bronx
Then tie Mayor quotes the charter. which says
trs- the president Of : borough may he removed
in the same manner the Mayor end that TIE
Mayor may be removed by the Governor In the
same manner as the shertns. except that the Gov
e-uor may direct ts inquiry provided for hy law 10
ne conducted by the Attorney General
as 70 the contention Of ex-senator David B. ffin
counsel for President fIsTen. that the Mayor had
no power 70 act on the report Of the Commission
ers of Accounts. the Mayor states that he has re-
csived the following opinion from the Corporation
Counsel:
this case charges have been made by the Com
77lissioners q Accounts against the Borough
proper that they should he transmitted by the
Mayor II the GovernoT ne eny ofeeT II %0i. i
vested. for such action a. he may deem requisite
End proper
on the advice. therefore. Of the Corporation
Counsel adds the Mayor. = hold that have the
legal power 10 transmit these charges 10 the Gov
e-nor."
wsvor Mcclellan cites authorities show that
he has the right TO use the testimony taken unoer
CIR Nv MS Commissioners Of Accounts. He also
RID. that tEs Commissioners Of Accounts are The
proper persons verify the testimony TIE mayor
adds:
From TIE above authorizes an Of the opinion
that IS did nor see tne witnesses a. a. me ] P4oF f
these charges officially. bat transmit them 70 me
C5overuoT for such action as he may deem proper
II regard 70 the third objection. that the allega-
Ids esxe :. from tie Commissioners Of Accounts this
eth cay Of Soveuber 1858 signed statement 70 ne
Governor for hearing the commissioners are pre-
pared produce evidence in suhstantis1ion o. ther
n view Of the ruling il TIE De Tries case 90
-b=se oNfcials and that their statement that they
before tnS governor sflolo
-,e x-~scfe-r for thereon
rre-efore direct the Commissioners OF Accounts
- rsSrre their report 70 the 1oTm oT sPecl1c
s-rs-zes with specifications rheTeunder. verify fie
se-e Commissioners of Accounts of the city or
So v0-z er6 transmit them rDe by the 18th
- ~ NCzer7F=r sss for trsnsrnittal - the Gov
eruor-~
Albert z Davis. president Of the Bronx Civic
Trzr-7e which fled charges against President Eaf-
xs- zith the Governor some time ago. said last
night that the league would he represented by
counsel in cas- the Governor orders hearing The
charges Of the league withdrawn az the re
quest q Governor. in order that the Con1lis-
tfoners Of Accounts might have al opportunity Of
making Investigation