New-York tribune., 1909-07-23
HEARING ON HAFFEN
DECISION rs RESERVED.
Governor Promises Prompt Action
ON Return from West.
LRx Telegraph 70 The Tribunal

| sides presentend their arguments for than
| two hours. and the Governor then reserved deci-
sion. He said he expected TO leave tomorrow for
/ the Alaska-Yukon Exposition, to be away until
the middle OF August On his return he would
give the case his immediate consideration.
! Ex-Justice Morgan ]. O'Brien and Louis o. Van
Doren appeared for HaTen; J. Purroy Mitchell.
Commissioner OF Accounts and Arthur c. Train
representing the Civic League of The Bronx. the
City Club and the Merchants Association of New
York. acted as counsel for the petitioners. Others
present were Henry Bruere director of the New
York Bureau of Municipal Research; George Nc
Aneny, Of the City Club and Raymond v Inger-
soil, for the Committee of One Hundred of New
York
Arthur c. Train. who urged the removal Of Hafs
fen. bitterly attacked the Borough President and
created stir at the hearing when he declared that
Haffen had perjured himself In giving testimony.
Ex-Justice 'Brien resented these remarks be-
half Of President Hanen. who present.
Mr.. Van Doren made the chief argument for
Haffer He said that of the twenty-five charges
filed against the Borough President eighteen were
either dismissed or reported by the commissioner
10 be not proved. to singly collectively
warrant recommendation OF removal. and one
charge had been withdrawn. He declared that one
of the three charges relative to the construction
OF the Bronx courthouse is admittedly not proved.
but new construction is given thereto. TO support
which testimony and evidence is wholly lacking
HAFFEN NOT TO BLAME.
ChdTEeS
the Clason's Point Road the respondent is sought
TO be removed from Office because a greatly needed
Improvement. opening up large section Of the
city OF New York. put through at the instance
ana request Of property owners and the for
the recommendation for the removal of the
Borough President is that is claimed that ne had
an interest IN the property benefited by the i'm
proVement although not line OF evidence has been
or could be cited to show that II he had that in
terest II influenced single official OF omission
MI Van Doren first took up The Bronx Borough
courthouse construction matter involved in
| charge thirteen. He argued that Hanen acted en-
tirely within his rights In the matters connected
with the erection of the building Regarding the
delay in the building. he declared that the Borough
President could not be removed because the con-
tractor showed inability 10 finance his contrac,
There was no other point connected with the con-
tract except the delay in construction which could
be criticised
Mr.. Van Doren declared that there was no job
berry in specifying particular granite as long as
other bidders could come in. in giving the con
tract 10 the Brady company or in giving the
contractor some latitude There was no restriction
OF competition in the award Of the contract at all
The proof overwhelming that It was the hnan-
cial weakness q the Brady company. the
tractors. which gave rise TO matters which caused
the criticism.
Mr.. Van poren took UP the facts as TO the
charge involving the Sound View Realty Company
and the alleged ownership OF stock therein by Mr.
Hanen. Counsel submitted the stock book OF the
company, showing the stub entries under date OF
April - 1906. public transfer 70 Mr. HafTen Of forty
two shares Of the stock OF tho company. He de-
MED strenuously that the Improvement Of the
. tIusou's Point Road had anything o do with such
ownership. That improvement. counsel contended.
secured through the efforts OF property owners.
The stock Of the Sound View Realty Company
7 represented ro proper charge against the Borough
President. he declared The Improvement OF the
+ Clasou's Point Road was part Of a great public
Improvement The assessed valuation in that area
increased from $ f2s i65 n 1902 S2SS2240 in 1906
As to Hsffens responsibility for the taking of
Hunts Point Park and for establishing bathing
place there counsel declared the Borough President
alone should be condemned OF all the city OFF,
GERS concerned IN the making OF this park
Mr. Van Doren contended that Commissioner
MacFarlane was In error as 70 his conclusions and
recommendations.
EX-JUsTICE o'BRIEN ON LAW.
Ex-Justice Morgan J. O'Brien closed the argu-
NJ Mt Iaffen He went into the legal points OF
the case Mir O'Brien said that in view of the fact
that Commissioner MacFarlane had dismissed all
except three charges he would confne himself TO
those three cha, Ees-namely the Bronx Courthouse
Clason Point Road improvement and Hunts Point
property He was surprised when informed by the
Governor that although Mr. MacFarlane had dis
missed the other charges he intended TO consider
the entire report.
Ex-Justice O'Bren Contended that. although Mr.
Hanen might have made mistakes. they were not
such as should warrant hts removal from office.
He said tnat Mr. HafTen had served Ehe Bronx with
credit for twenty-six years, and had assisted
teriaily In building up that section Of New York
He declared although politics had entered largely
into this matter the should be considered on
its merits and he felt that justice would be
done by the Governor in his final conclusions.
John Purroy Mitchell OF the Commissioners
of Accounts who Investigated Haffens adminstra-
ton and uho subsequently preferred the charges
against Haffen spoke length. He contended
! that Hanen equally guilty Of misconduct IN
office with Borough President Ahearn OF Manhat-
tan who was removed by the Governor. He took
up the three charges sustained by Commissioner
J NfacFarIana and went into each NJ length
We submit" said he that the evidence proved
and the finding OF the commissioner is TO the effect
that there a gross breach of official duty IN
maintaining upon the payrolls Of the Borough of
The Bronx hordes of employees wholly unnecessary
10 do the public work wanted
And in the case of the fourteenth charge, the
commissioner found upon the evidence that the
respondent had appointed as architect OF all the
publc buildings under his administration in the
Rorough )f The Bronx grossly unfit for
the task that his appearance upon the stand was
almost ludcrous If your excellency please
HELD UP PUBLIC WORK.
..Tbere was a charge OF the employment of
MAJ, IN carry on one Of the most important public
works Of the Borough of The Bronx wholly unfit
~ perform the duty AID found by the commits
sIonar That charge. together with the waste
without the three charges upon which the recon-
,nendation 10 remove made-we submit upon
The facts upon the precedent Of the Ahearn case
and upon that principle of official responsibility
which YOUR exceency there outlined when SUD
rt the people of this state have accepted al your
excelfencys hands. is their stahddru o' oil>l' l''
duty and responsibility, and we contend that on
,bosa charges alone the respondent merits re-
moval at your excelIency's hands.
Referring again TO the courthouse matter. MI