The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-07
QUEENS SEWER GRAFT HUNT
EXPECTED To CONE BEFORE
JUSTICE WlDDON TO-DAI.

Inv rstiGatioEs by COmmisslsner &C A.
rOunts said to IsaVe Reveals matters
F1t GSr Transformation % the Grand
Jury Oaaclnl. SAID 60 Ne Worrieui.
The Commissioner OF Accounts and Ger
tam active Taxpayers Of the Borough of
Queens are expected To appear this morn
inG before Justice Maddox in the supreme
Court IN Flushing and request that the
March Grand Jury be charged to investi-
gate certain alleged irregularities in the
sewer department 20 that borough.
Fear OF the investigation. IL - alleged.
has caused the illness % certain men. II
II related Of am official. who. IL 10 asse, ted.
was told TO put himself on SICK leave TO
escape the inquisitio0 % the. examiners
Of the Commissioner OF Accounts. that
on a body execution be- was taken from .
saloon near the borough hall m Long
island City and packed into an automO-
bile with another official OF Queens with
certain documents Al were taken 60
Manhattan, where they were detained
until q late hour They returned by way
OF a trolley car and disheartened. Fur
therinore Il il alleged that in examining
the hank accounts u certain witnesses
who appeared the Commissioner of Ac-
counts was surprised al the business
ability and industry that enabled them TO
make such q pFaiseworthy showing in
the way Of deposits on a small salary
Rumors are also afioai To the effec
that within a few DAYS more than 5000
has heen PAID INTO certain fund in the
sewer department which had apparently
been overlooked 10y the man entrusted
with the funds " that branch Of the
danarf mani MRAdnW Will
also be requested 10 have the Grand Jury
find ont what u was that logged the
memory of this official which helped swell
the city'~ funds
District Attorney he Witt admitted
yesterday that Justice Maddov would be
along these lines The prosecutor de-
clined 20 Ro into details He said tho
matter was In the hands 81 the Commits
sioner of Accounts and a committee ~
taxpayers and that he could not under
any circumstance reveal ANYTHING re-
ganiing the alleged irregularities in any
of tho borough departments Neither
would he admit that more than one de-
partinent was involved.
Ever sincs consolidation unconfiTned
81 graft IN the Queens Sewer
Deua rtment have been cotnmOn in the
DEMANDS were made with every
change 81 local government In that bor-
ouRh for an Investigation. hut FOR some
reason thes. detna nds were always side
tracked IL was asserted in various cam
Jaigns that whatever graft there might
lDs ia the sewer Department was buried
under ground 80 deep that u was safe
from detection
According tn report the issuance 81
for s.wer connections will re-
~xve tho attention 20 th" Grand Jury
Thousands oI new dwellings and fac
loFic- are erected vearly m OtIeenE and
L ~ zaiI that th. investigators have not
confined themselves Co the TeCoTdr II
- rInits issued bv the Sewer Department.
bat hAv" personally visited contr ctors
and bmi'ier- aud obtained their aftidA wits
M the subj .ct 81 I-.rtnits II ~ also al
eyed that Cheeks ~ which Ro RECORD
ras made on the books ~ the Sewer D--
were ptt through the hanks
With the initials of the man who reviewed
he money simply indors-d m lead Pen
~ on the margin " the cheek instead 81
he endorsements 80 the full name. ~ IN
he usual custom.
Thus far no criminal charge has been
made against any one. and nv way Of
for himself what has h@@n
ming nn IN the sewer Department during
Iis tenure in ofice Prssicient Gr~-@rr ~
l'F.-ns has designated Ira " levine and
stan ~ mon 20 make an invest xat ION
4 that department. for his I..rsonal in.
ormAt'On.