New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-11-24
IGN0RANCE0F C0LER
REPORT AGAINST HIN.
Short Tenure IN Office Nay
Sare Him Trial on CHARGES.


John Plrrov Mitchell and Henry c
Buncke. Commissioners Of Accounts. pre-
scented yesterday 70 the Mayor a report
covering more than three hundred pages on
the special examination Of Borough Presl-
dent ColeI's once in Brooklyn.
Mayor Mcclellan said last night that ne
had not hsd time 70 read the report. but
thai he would take f. up at once. II is SO
late in TIE term Of M Coler that a trial
on charges is rather improbable.
In the case Of Borough President Ahea-n
The Mayor carefully Investigated the find
ings. and then ordered the Commissioners
o1 Accounts 10 file charges with the Gov
ernor- The Mayor sent those 20 Governor
Hughes. asking for prompt action without
personally charging Mr.. Ahearn with NAL
feassnce
II tie Commissioners - Accounts should
send charges a. a result Of the Coler IN
vestigation 70 the Governor II would he
the END Of the year before formal in
vest gation Of Mr.. Coler could be got under
way He will retire from Office on Deem
Der g.
In their report the commissioners say
that Mr.. Coler. after three ana One-halt
years OF once. was almost totally ignorant
OF the functions. organization ana methods
~ the Bureau Of Public Buildings and Of
fees"
They say the brooklyn Borough Prssi-
dent appointed as superintendent Of this
bureau Joseph II. Lawrence, who was
utterly lacking N experience OF qualihca-
tions for the position ana VINO BY his own
admission obtained the appointment solely
as a reward for political services rendered
the Borough President
HOW The CITY LOST.
Some o. the other findings follow:
To- payroll expenditures for cleaning the
Borough Hall. Municipal Building kings
COUNTY Court House ana the Hall = Rec
Crds during the years 1915, 1875 ana l-e
are estimated 20 have exceeded by ap-
pToXimatelv $500 the necessary cost Tor
Tie performance OF the work
The sum Of s2As e was needlsssly paid
70 attendants AZ the public comfort sta
yon On Loriner street, near Broadway.
during the period Of a year when the
station was closed 10 the public
Public hath attendants. attached 20 the
rolls during winter months while the bath
houses were laid up ana out Of corrulls sion
~ an estlmated loss II over SIC" Tor
The provisions % Section 40 Of the char
ter recurring that all contracts for Work
s. 90 h sT-ardsd after public bidding and
not on open orders were treqlenuS Nlo-
superintendent Lawrence awarded many
contracts foT iron work on open orders.
20 one Fitzpatrick, q v holly and obviously
un6r person who was merely A cover for
John w Lawrence. the superintendent
brother ana upon The clsconUnuance Of
Frzpatrick's connection With John "
were thereafter awarded 70 an iron work
concern n which John ". Lawrence had
become financially interested
MISUSE OF BUDGETART FUSDs
The report says The provisions Of Section
~ ~ rhe charter requiring rhet unsX-
PENDED ana unencUmbered balances Of an
nusl appropriations AZ the eno ~ the fiscsl
wear be transferred 10 the general fund
for the reduction OF taxation were fire.
Quently violated This was done ~ mis-
use q budgetsry funds. 10 that such un-
expended balances were used 70 pay LA
hllities incurred IN g following wear. and
- accomplish this e,d documents we're
fslsihsd 70 conceal the violsticn Of Law"
lie commissioners saw = painter q 20
Mticsl henchman q The Borough President.
named Perit1ean. Who vas treasurer Of
the "Coier Volunteers" frequently re-
ceiveo open orders for painting tnat could
have been performed BY the painters ~
the payroll II the bureau. ana fcr which
Petitjsan was raid excessive prices. Con-
t!nuing, The report SAYS:
The Borough President made persistent
bur unsuccessful eTort 10 induce the
Board ~ Estimate and Apportlonment 70
authorize him 10 award . painting con-
Tract 70 this same Pefitjean for the sum
~ $50, when there were fourteen lower
bidders for The work and The lowest bid
awarded. old the work satisfactorily al
his BIO sum az S-sss
For rspair work - ~. Kings County
Court House. made necessary hy the nre
~ February a. l-s.. the CITY was mulcted
n a large sum bv Douglas & Co. q firm
which thev endesvorsd n conceal bv nsi-
psbie 1raud that could not have been per-
petraleo without The ala Of utter incom-
peteLce. gross negligence OF wflful com
plaisanoe on rhe part Of The ofFieiaIs Of
TINS bureau responsible IN the premises
EDWARD 4 Lalean. chief Inspector %
e!eNalpfs ~ the Bureau Of Buildings. de-
vailed 70 the Inspection - arntser1sr+ de
vices, vas 3 promoter ~ and was inter
esieo IN an basement enterprises that con
tsTuplsted the construction OF. ana in one
case 40 ccnsrrucf. buildings that hs uroui6
b. and was. called upon IN his ofhcisI ca
pacity 20 inslect Tor safety. ana b4 dc
voted = large part ~ the time fnr which
ne was pald BY the city 70 fostering the
interests ~ these concerns. and he took
city employees sVsv from their GU, work
20 assist in the work of these outside bust
ress activities
IGNORANT on INCOMPETENT
The commissioners report that Patrick
r Lunch. 81 charge OF the Bureau O,
Highways. under the title n "superintend-
ent Of Highways" In receipt OF . salary %
s5.csa. is almost wholly Ignorant Of The
functions II his once. and. If he u,ers
couversanf win them. is wholly incoup-
petent 10 discharge them" OF his bureau
The report ADDS;
The abuse ~ appointing corporation in
80 eCtors for political purposes found 10 %
prey alfnf N all ~ the borOughs examined
and iu the city departments. has been "a h.
ticulariy hagIaut in this bureau. with the
Inevitable result thar the inspectors are