New-York tribune., 1911-09-20
SCANDALOUS, SAYS MAYOR
Gets Complaint Against SurrO-
gates Office in Queens.
FEE. 1T IS SAID, WAS ASKED
City's Head Sends Complaint to
Official Concerned-Chief
Clerks s Denial.

Mayor Gaynor yesterday forwarded 10
Daniel Noble. Surrogate Of Queens Coun-
~. o complaint from William /. Knox
controller Of the Bowery Savings Bank,
that persons desiring letters Of administra-
ton were told IN the Surrogate office TO
obtain a lawyer or pay fee To some one
in the Office The complaint was accom-
rauied BY affidavits The Mayors letter
follows ,- 90 ,o,,
Dear Mr. Knox: 7 thank you for your
letter informing me that IN cases OF 'hs
death Of depostors in your bank letters OF
admin strati0n Cannot be taken out ID the
Queens County SurruEates once unless the
relatives OF the deceased pay 20 some one
iU that office n fee that a lawyer Woulu
charge. I have also read the aihdaVits
which YOU inclOSed proving the uuth OF
what YOU say. OF course, this ls a scaH-
dalous thing and / shall do what az C!
to stop it, But YOU know that 10 D. NOT
within my jurisdiction at all and thai pL
meddling with complaints Of things that }
have no OffiCial control over ! oul} MAKE
myself a Iof of enemies. Nevertheless. ]
suppose some one has % do ~, ana III my
case 10 does not make much difference. a.
would just as lief be- out OF once as lI
office ] snail send the whole matter 10
the Surrogate of Queens County. hen
such things can occur in courts OF lurue.'
and especially in courts having to 90 Win
the little estates Of poor people. n Is haFN
20 expect them not 10 occur in olner
branches of government Sincerely yours.
w T. GATNDE, Mayor.
WILLIAM Z KNOX. ESQ.,
Controller BOwery Savings Bank,
New York City.
The afidavits sent % the Manor Uy Mr.
Knox were made by Mrs. Johanna PAU.
OF No 1904 Greene avenue Brooklyn. ana
Edward S Iuuet. information clerk OF the
Bowery Savings Bank Mrs Paul sald her
sister. u no died carly In the year. left a
deposit i'm the Bowerv Bank "a part Of her
estate on September Mrs. Paul went %
the SurroEate's office. in Jamaica, accom-
panied bv her husband and Charles War
ueckc OF 80. $50 Park avenue. Brooklyn.
Mrs. Paul alleges in her affidavit that a
clerk told her she would have TO retain a
LAWYER 10 draw up letters OF administration.
AS she had got letters Of administration IN
Kings County without the aid of a lawyer
she reported tine matter 90 the Bowery
Savings Bank.
Mr. Knox asked Mr Innet. Of tho bank.
TO 20 back 70 the Surro=ates Office with
Mrs Paul There they saw man named
Moran. who. she alleges. repeated that II
would he necessary 10 get the services Of a
lawyer When Mr.. Inuet asked IF there
was no other way TO get the administration
letters without hiring a lawyer, it is al.
legged that the reply was that there was a
man in the office who would draw mp tine
papers for $40. whereas regular lawyer
would be- likely 10 charge 81
Then. Mrs Paul AYERS she was intro
duced % man named White. fie said ha
would prepare the necessary paue-s for SO
Mrs. Paul made an appoinym no WItE MIN
and then returned and reported the whole
affair To- Mr.. Knox.
william r.. Hondricksou, chief clerk iu
the SurrOEato's office. denied am kuoW-
edge last uiEnt of such a proceeding as
Mrs. Paul describes
"Dro thlnE l- certain iu regard to her
conn Iaint" said Mr. HendrIckSUu. "It rs
tisf there Is uo one named White con
nected with the Surrogate office. s. man
named White occasionally appears around
the office. but he has 10 connection what
ever with it, official OF other.
ron account of the number of people who
hang around tho place daily. it would be
an easy matter for one of tnam - repre-
sent himself some kind of official
The very thing Of which Mrs. Pau. com
plains happened at the Surrogate Office
severs wears ago The man was arrested.
held for the grand jury and indicted. bur
he Jumped his bal. and got away no
lieve the present trouble Is case Ut tho
Same kind SO one Iu this Office had any
thing Io do with it,