The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-08-17
Chairman Of Aldermanic Board
and Mayor CLASH Over
Appropriation.
SPEER A SHARP THORN
Alderman Sees in His Appoint
mcnt a Gaynor Effort at
Obstruction.


poration Counsel Watson yesterday at
the City Hall
He said he believed that IL was a dis
grace that the first obstacle which was
interposcd in the path of the investigators
should come from the Mayor. and he
wanted to know why such ar investiga-
ton should be an annoyance to the chief
executive. as the latter had intimated 1t
would be.
The Alderman also fired some hot shot
at the Mayor for accusing tho Board
Of Aldermen of receiving graft for Ii
censes 10 newsdealers. He put the stu
alton up to the Mayor and said that II
their was any graft it was because the
chief executive had not done his duty
and not because the Aldermen were
guilty.
The Mayor and Alderman Curran
had a long ranged conference yesterday
morning at the City Hall through Secre-
tary Adamson. Mr.. Curran said the
Nlavor did not care to see him personally.
but il was said at the Mayors Office that
MIR. Curran had not asked to see his Honor.
Some warm words passed between the
two and as "a result it was announced
yesterday dIltIDOOII tudl Wohhi
be n meeting of the Board OF Estimate
ON Nondayro pass on the appropriation
Of $50 100 for the investigation which has
been worrying Mr.. Curran.
In his statement to the press Mr.. C,lrran
intimated that he believed that the letter
which was attributed To corporation
Counsel Watson was not written by that
official at all and he added that the COIN
Inttee would not brook any interference
with Emory II. Buckner who was ap-
pointed to be it's special counsel. He
did not know William McMurtre Speer.
Mr.. Curran said. and he was indignant
because ne had been appointed by Cor
poration Counsel Watson as attorney to
, the Aldermanic committee.
The Board of Aldermen. Mr.. Curran
cont inued. is united in it's determination
to get at the root of the graft evil and
nothing but Mayor Gaynor's interference
in refusing as long as possible To issue
the calls for the special meetings OF the
Board of Aldermen and the Board Of
Estimate has held them back. In his
statement Mr.. Curran said:
Under the law the appropriation OF
s25,0O cannot be made available until
ratified by unanimous vote Of the
board of Estimate. This latter board
somc time ago adjourned for the summer
20 r,Convcne ON September 10. 1t may
hold special meetings at the call OF the
Mayor. In this case the Mayor has had
| several DAYS in which to call n special
, meeting. He issued 90 call. SO | de-
| mand"d It OF him in person this morning
| know that he had no intention OF calling
| the mecting.
| In reply to my demand he said that II
would be quite inconvenient for the mem
| bers of the Board of Estimate to come
! into town for such Il meeting and would
not call it unless / insisted, OF course
insisted.
4 ft,r bou fu CT, fat
could see that funds are necessary fol
the Investigation l added that II h,
| blocked us further in the matter We
would go ahead anyhow and I would pay
the preliminary expenses out OF my OWE
pocket.
The point Is that we are in earnest and
want to get To work at once. becaus,
that Ia our duty to the public. Then. and
not till then, was the Mayor whipped
into line once more II" finally announced
with reluctance that he would try to gel
! in touch with the members of the Boart
! OF Estimate and see II it would be con
! ven,ent To call the meeting. Did he cal
the meeting voluntarily? No. he dA hi:
best again " XIII the investigation.
Now comes the little hortatory ora.
ton from the Mayor to Mr.. Watson and
the long letter from the LATTER signed b,
Mr.. Watson and reading exactly a,
| though II had been written by the Mayor
y N
admonitions to Mr.. Speer. Of whom
have never heard and know nothinr
about. the evident purpose OF the sch,m.
is to thrust this appointee of the Cor.
uoration Counsel unon MS M counse, 10,
the Aldcrrnan.c comn,ittee.
Now let us understand this state q,
affairs once and for all. The Board q,
| Aldermen Is a city department, rb. Cor
poration Counsel il under the Charter tn,
legal adviser of all city departments. Blu,
ne is nothing more. lie Is not the self.
constituted interrogation OF witnesses 10,
AN Aldermanic investigating committee
This Investigation is not II court proceed.
| ing; II Is not conducted before a Judge
| it is not "A trial. II is, simply and broad
| ly. an investigation I'm the open to dis
cover the facts as to the Police Depart.
ment SO 1t follows that we do not neei
the city's legal adviser In such a lay.
mems proceeding out OF court all We
need is the facts, and we propose TO &c,
| them by ourselves. with the aid of Mr.
Buckner. who In our employ will do the
questioning. We are quite able to ge,
along without any participation which
the Mayor Ia so suspiciously anxious e
inject into this proceeding, And We shall
In point OF fact, do without those pc.
culiar services.
Is II conceivable that he should repre-
| sent at the same time tho Investigator,
and the department that is being investi
gated? II man is on trial Tor murder
| does the same lawyer represent the pris
oner and also the prosecutor? Isn't tn,
absurdity Of such situation perfect!
clear?
| And now "A pefty Nftle DOsfscr ript n