New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-23
CHARGE QUEENS GRAFT
Say CroWeII Allowed Private
. Companies to Mulct City.
TO ANSWER TO CONNOLLY
Typographical Bureau Man,
Suspended, Faces Many
Serious Accusations.

Robert r. CrowelI, former chief engineer
In Queens, was cited yesterday to appear
before President Maurice f. Connolly, Of
that borough on Friday and defend him.
self against charges OF misconduct. mall
administration, incompetency, inefficiency
and neglect Of duty while I'm charge of
the Typographical Bureau and also in his
post OF assistant engineer in that depart
ment, from which he was recently sus-
pended pending the filing Of removal
charges.
During the latter part OF the term CT
former President Lawrence dresser, who
was removed for incompetency, CroweIl
was made subject of charges, which,
after a consultation between Mayor Gay
nor and Gresser. were pronounced I'M
founded.
There are sixteen specifications In the
charges served on Mr.. Crowell yesterday
and they are far more drastic than the
Gresser charges. 1t is alleged that Croweil
allowed city employees to do work for the
s. II. Mclaughlin Engineering Company,
a private corporation, for which the en-
gineering company received as pay from
the city sums ranging from $500 to $500.
II is set forth first that Crowel is not
properly qualified. either by civil SER
vice examination or technical educa lion
and training, to occupy a position OF as
sistant engineer in the Typographical Bu-
reau."
Had To Do Work Twice.
The second charge states that this al
legged incompetency resulted in gross in
accuracies in the surveying and molu-
menting Of the Maspeth section Of
Queens. which work had to be done over
at considerable delay and expense to the
city.
From the fourth to the tenth specinca-
ton Is taken up Crowells alleged re-
lations with the 8. II. Mclaughlin Com
pany and the Metropolis Engineering
Company. in both of which concerns It
has been repeatedly declared in Queens
that the late John J. Mclaughlin, former
consulting engineer Of Queens, was large
ly interested. These charges specify Ly
name the individuals who, ii IL alleged,
were taken out Of the Typographical Bu-
reau to make maps for the concerns
named who had contracts from the city
for work. II Is also alleged that Crowell
made maps for private interests, princi-
pally real estate developments, for the
manifest purpose Of promoting private in
terests, and improperly against the pub
lie interest"
He Is also accused of purchasing with
the city funds an expensive surveying
instrument, which he kept in his personal
possession from April. 1907. to August.
1870 and that he, also bought an automo-
bile with city funds, which he kept IN a
garage In Jamaica, and that said auto
mibile was not used, or permitted by you
TO be used. for the use Of the Topoeraphi-
cal Bureau"
Charge Mclaughlin Graft.
It asserts that Crowell gave the S. III.
Mclaughlin Company undue access to all
field notes, data, memoranda and records
Of the Bureau Of Highways and that he
allowed certain employees Of the Highway
Bureau to make maps for the Mclaughlin
concern. for which the Mclaughlin con-
Germ received pay from the city. He Is
also accused OF having totally disregarded
and thrown aside a study map on which
considerable time and money had been
spent, without an examination as to its
feasibility or adaptlbility.
1t Is said that Crowell purposes to make
vigorous fight in his defence According
10 the report OF Commissioner Samuel II.
Ordway. on whose recommendation Ores
ser was removed from office, following
HIS consultation with Mayor Gaynor, when
he was directed to do as his conscience
dictated in regard 10 his findings on the
Crowell charges as tried before him, Cree
ser is alleged to have exclaimed:
Thank God. Then won't have to re-
move him"