The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-31
M'KENNA NOT TOUCHED BY
 COUNCIL PROBE
Second Session of Committee Devolps Nothing That Reflects on Engineers Capacity or In- tegrity
MT. Judson Asserts Matters That Cannot be Explained Are Yet to be Heard-The Seaview Avenue Sewer

If the investigation of the office of the City Engineer had been especially designed to prove the incumbent of it an unusually careful and competent engineer, it could scarcely have been more effectual to that end than it has thus far been.
 If there is evidence impeaching either MT. McKenna's skill or his in- tegrity, 1t is yet to come. Even be- fore his defense has been offered the evidence that was intended to show incompetence, or malfeasance, has col lapsed by the admissions of the very witnesses called by Denis F. Mulvihill and examined in his behalf by State Attorney Stiles Judson.
 It does not fellow that the proSecu- ton may not yet produce facts that will change the appearance of the in vestigation, but if anything has been done in the engineers office that ought not to have been done, the proof is yet to come.
 In the meantime J. B. Klein, counsel for City Engineer McKenna, has de- manded that the remaining charges he made more specific, and has demand ed that Mr. Mulvi4lill take the stand to testify, if the request is not com piled with
 Apparently the conduct of the office has been scrutinized as with a micro scope, by one intimately familiar with its workings. Every unusual, or outre, incident has been set up as a charge, and 1t must be confessed that some of these incidentsa upon their face and unexplained, looked serious enough.
 For instance, there is the allegation that the sewer in Seaview avenue has been constructed so that its mouth is below the sea level at mean low tide. Gloatingly, almost lovingly, did MT. Judson dwell upon this fact as he eX- amined Contractor Howard Clark, who built the sewer Fondly did he lin- would naturally attach to such sit uation bringing out what MT. Clark had said and what he thought and Wl1aia he d.d, with firTnness and eclat.
 But appearances have ever been de- ceitful, for In few dramatic mo- ments Klein swept aside what had seemed a most incontrovertible proof of engineering incapacity, by reading from the council records the text of an agreement entered into between the city and Frank A. Wilmot, president of the A. T. & $. Co.,, whereby, in con- sideration of the free right to cross private land, the city promised to put the mouth or lIllS very sewer DcIOW mean low tide level, to avoid odorS.
 There were checks drawn in favor of employees of the department to the city engineer. To the eye of suSpic- ion, unexplained, they had an evil look But the answer was that cer- tain employees, notably female substf- tute stenographers, had preferred to receive and had received payment in cash. And in each and every instance rx-i&y 1rr1,a fn the alleged wrong testified to receiv- ing the amount involved and vouchers, showing payments corresponding to the checks. were displayed.
 A chauffeur was called. He had driven the automobile attached to the office, but never on private business. Had he brought 1t home a wreck once? He had, and that looked suspicious until Mir. Klein quietly asked if the wreck had not taken place before the city purchased the machine. Also "wrecl1'' turned out to be merely Nr. Judson's word selected to describe mere disarTangement of wires and little sand in the carbureter of the machine, disturbances so slight that the chauffeur drove it home under its own power.
 Hardly less favorable to the idea that the city engineer has been doing his work well was the testimony of Engineer Jayne, of the firm of Sco- field & Ford, himself formerly em- ployed on city work who declared of the sewer. in Livingstone Place. first, that the end Of it is too near the top of the ground, and then that the slope of s inches to loo feet is not as good as four inches would be; and again. that should the slope be placed at four inches the end of the sewer would be yet nearer the surface. And so 1t came about that MT. Jayne took the ground that the matter represents only a difference between his judg- ment and MT. McKennas.
 Once more Mr. Klein attempted to direct attention to the allegation that some of McKenna's troubles are due to the rivalry of other engineers. by inquiring if the witness felt kindly to- ward the city engineer. The witness denied any feeling of unkindnesS, by reason of his employment, or by any other reason.