New-York tribune., 1911-01-16
Robin Not a Friend, Hyde Says.

Robin Not a Friend, Hyde Says.
Did you not increase the city deposit
In the Northern Bank after you had
been warned that It was sha!ly and be-
cause you were a friend Of Joseph G.
Robin?'
"It is not true that was warned that
II was shaky, and Mr.. Robin was not a
friend Of mine. never met him but
once, and then it was most casually"
Mr. Hyde, it has been charged that
after the balance in the Northern Bank
had been reduced TO $4,000, because
the bank was known to be in trouble.
YOU caused the balance 10 be increased
| to S2OO.O00, and this despite the fact
that you were secured by a bond of only
S15O.OOO. II IL was not through friend
ship for Mr.. Robin. why did you cause
this increase 10 be nader"
Il do not recollect that the balance
was increased by my direction. But IL
It was. and II is shown to be proper for
me to make good loss Of $4,000, will
do it. I have the resources TO do II. too.
In detail, and for the same reason that
am reluctant to discuss the case Of the
Carnegie Trust Company.
'I want to make it perfectly clear.
however. that believe the city has been
amply protected. This talk Of warnings
makes me very weary. The city de-
positories are selected not by me alone,
but by three men. the Mayor, the Con-
troller and the Chamberlain. II any one
oe these knew any reason why the funds
should not be deposited in a particular
bank It was his duty TO come forward
and take such steps as would protect the
city.
"All transfer warrants are signed by
the Controller as we'll as by the Cham-
berlain, and there is no time that the
Controller does not know just how much
citv money there is in each institution.
when It is put there and when 1t is taken
avav. There has been absolutely no
secrecy I'm the matter, and in so far as
have been able to bring It about there
has been entire cooperation between
NV department and the Controllers.
"Rut during your protrscted absence
were not the city funds jeopardized?"
All Confidence in His Deputy
"Not al all. Ny Office was completely
organized During my absence the Dep
utv Chamberlain was Acting Chamoer-
lain. He had full power 10 act. lie Is q
competent man. who was chosen for the
Mace during the administration Of my
nredecessor. Harry Walsh was thor
oughlv competent to deal with any situ-
alton which might arise during my alb
sence and had no reason TO feel ap-
rrehenstve because | was compelled by
sickness to absent myself from New
York"
'Mr. HYDE. It has been intimated that
YOU ran away from the legislative In
vestigation and so timed your return as
TO reach here after the authority OF the
committee had expired. In this connec-
tion II Is also asserted that you wished TO
escape being subpenaed in the Gardner
trial"
THAT is absolutely false l was here,
at my Office in the City Hall. every day
for weeks after the legislative ;nvesti-
cation began, and IL my testimony had
been wanted II would have been tho
easiest thing in the world to call me.
From the fact that l was not called
had ample reason 10 assume that | was
not wanted. Mr.. Bruce knew I was
there all the time. and he never even
intimated that he would like TO have me
appear"
Did you not wish, inasmuch as the
allegations aspersed your character to
appear before the committee and clear
you recordY'
Il did not regard the charges as hav-
ing sufficient foundation 10 call for
denial. They were sheer nonsense. and
based on the fiimsiest hearsay evidence.
Moreover, a lawyer cannot be too thin
skinned when II comes 70 resenting every
charge Of that character and submitting
himself 10 an examination which is not
governed by the rules OF evidence, and
which would probably be directed to the